Book The The

The The is the London rock project of singer and songwriter Matt Johnson, its founder in 1979 and its only permanent member. Johnson made the act's live debut at London's Africa Centre that May, and for much of the 1980s The The worked as a solo vehicle in which he handled most of the writing and playing, bringing in guests such as Jools Holland, JG Thirlwell and Neneh Cherry. The 1986 album Infected, a sharp mix of politics, soul and rock released alongside a long-form film, became the group's best-known record. From 1988 Johnson expanded The The into a full band featuring former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr, who played on the acclaimed albums Mind Bomb (1989) and Dusk (1993) before leaving in 1994. Johnson stepped away from releasing new studio records after 2002 and spent years on soundtracks and other projects. The project ended its long break in 2017 and in 2024 issued Ensoulment, its first studio album in 24 years, backed by an international tour. Johnson's dark, literate lyrics and restless approach to sound have made The The a favourite of fellow songwriters for four decades.