Bad Feeling Magazine Podcast # 15 with Johnny Marr (The Smiths)

Listen to our interview with Johnny Marr via the embedded media player above, or right-click and “save as” here.

No bones about it, this is a big one. Johnny Marr is one of rock’s most influential guitarists and songwriters, from his ground-breaking work in The Smiths, through to his collaboration with such diverse bands as The The and Modest Mouse. Marr has recently emerged as a prolific solo artist, releasing 2 albums in the past year and a half. Playhouse, his latest, is an adrenaline-fueled album packed with Marr’s unmistakable shimmering guitars and pointed lyrics about modern life and politics.

We spoke with Marr from his New York hotel room about his burgeoning solo career, his decision to begin playing Smiths songs again, and his take on the recording industry today. You can get a sneak peek via the following interview snippets.

On deciding to add Smiths songs to his recent sets: No one has the divine right to sand up there on a stage. No matter who you are, and how loved you are, there’s a lot of competition for people’s dollar these days. I used to think that if you were living life as an artist, you weren’t necessarily an entertainer. But now I see that giving people entertainment and giving people a good reason to get out of the house on a wet Wednesday night is a pretty noble thing, and not mutually exclusive from being an artist. I just kind of got to realize that if people come out to see me and I don’t play “How Soon is Now?” it’d be kind of weird.

On leaving his home in Portland to record Playland: It’s true, (there are) lots and lots of people with beards and plaid. There’s no getting around it. Which was one of the reasons I had to go to Manchester, England to make my solo records. I didn’t want to hear the mustaches on there, you know? I don’t mind my friends having them, but I don’t want to hear them on my records.

Listen to the full interview here, or via the embedded media player at the top of the page. Please let us know your thoughts on this episode in the comments below!

Johnny Marr plays the Virgin Mobile Corona Theatre on Wednesday, November 19th at 8:00pm. Tickets are $30/$35, available here.