Book Johnny Marr

Johnny Marr is a Manchester-born guitarist, singer and songwriter who first became famous as guitarist and co-writer in the Smiths, the band he formed with Morrissey in 1982, where his jangling, intricate guitar parts became central to their sound. After the Smiths split in 1987 he joined or co-founded a string of bands, among them Electronic, the Pretenders, Modest Mouse, The The and the Cribs, and became a sought-after collaborator for artists including Talking Heads, Pet Shop Boys, Bryan Ferry, Crowded House, Noel Gallagher, Blondie, Billie Eilish and Franz Ferdinand. He released Boomslang in 2003 with his band the Healers, then launched his solo career with The Messenger (2013), followed by Playland (2014), Call the Comet (2018) and Fever Dreams Pts. 1-4 (2022). His fifth solo album, The Age of Everything, came out in October 2026. His memoir Set the Boy Free appeared in 2016. A BBC poll in 2010 voted him the fourth-best guitarist of the previous 30 years, NME gave him its Godlike Genius award in 2013, and he has been honored at the MOJO Awards. On stage he mixes solo material with classic Smiths songs, played with unmistakable style.