Johnny Marr lives ''in pursuit'' of a songwriting relationship like the one he had with Morrissey.

The guitarist was a key member of 80s indie band The Smiths with Morrissey, and although they parted ways in 1987, he would still like to find another person who can write songs like him.

Talking about Morrissey he said: ''It was pretty apparent that he wasn't a blank canvas in terms of his ideas about being a singer. He was good to go and knew what he was about and where he wanted to go. It definitely felt like two equals. [In The Smiths] we were falling over ourselves with ideas that we were constantly amassing, and that's the greatest thing in the world. It's still what I'm trying to live my life in pursuit of, really.

''To find your opposite number who is up to speed was pretty remarkable.''

Johnny also hopes The Smiths' lost demos for their first album, known as the Troy Tate Sessions, are eventually released.

He added to Q magazine: ''I really hope they do because they are a true representation of what the band really were for the first year or more of our career.

''I heard the Try Tate album in somebody's car a few years ago and I just thought 'What a peculiar group'. Strange things to be singing about and in a strange way. And I was in it!''