Johnny Marr

Born in Manchester in 1963, Johnny Marr first made his mark in the early 1980s as the guitarist and songwriter of The Smiths, the band he formed with Morrissey. He developed a clear, nervous and melodic guitar style based on arpeggios, counter-melodies and a pronounced sense of rhythm drawn from post-punk, British pop and 1960s rock. After The Smiths split in 1987, Marr pursued a very mobile career across bands and collaborations, notably with The The and then Electronic, the duo formed with Bernard Sumner, before later joining Modest Mouse and The Cribs — moves that broadened his scope toward a more direct indie rock without abandoning his harmonic precision. His solo career consolidated from the 2010s with The Messenger (2013), Playland (2014), Call the Comet (2018) and Fever Dreams Pts 1-4 (2022), records in which Marr adopts a more frontal approach, between alternative rock, electric pop and subtle synthetic textures, while retaining concise songwriting and a constant attention to guitar motifs.