list.co.uk/festival Johnny Marr | F E S T I VA L M U S I C
S H I N I N G S TA R Johnny Marr mixes sci-fi and politics on latest album Call the Comet. Craig Angus chats to the former Smiths guitarist about the inspiration behind the album ahead of his Summer Sessions gig alongside Primal Scream
J ohnny Marr has to put off our phone call this morning. The perils of jetlag don’t ohnny Marr has to put off our phone call this morning. The perils of jetlag don’t discriminate – indie rock royalty or not – and when you need to take a nap that’s discriminate – indie rock royalty or not – and when you need to take a nap that’s the end of the matter, theres no fi ghting it. Marr and his band are freshly back the end of the matter, theres no fi ghting it. Marr and his band are freshly back home from a sizeable US adventure, taking in 17 shows (‘actually a fairly home from a sizeable US adventure, taking in 17 shows (‘actually a fairly short run for us,’ he offers), returning to the UK to immediately open for short run for us,’ he offers), returning to the UK to immediately open for the Strokes at Hyde Park and then travel to play a festival in Newcastle. ‘My body is the Strokes at Hyde Park and then travel to play a festival in Newcastle. ‘My body is somewhere over the Atlantic,’ he yawns, before sleepily confusing the metaphor; ‘and my somewhere over the Atlantic,’ he yawns, before sleepily confusing the metaphor; ‘and my body is somewhere over . . . Edinburgh.’ We can forgive him some well-earned shut eye. body is somewhere over . . . Edinburgh.’ We can forgive him some well-earned shut eye. He probably still needs a bit more.
The Smiths ostensibly ended when Marr, one of the most innovative guitarists of his The Smiths ostensibly ended when Marr, one of the most innovative guitarists of his generation, quit the band in June 1983. He was 23 years old then, with a back catalogue generation, quit the band in June 1983. He was 23 years old then, with a back catalogue most musicians could only dream of in the bag, the fruits of a magical most musicians could only dream of in the bag, the fruits of a magical songwriting partnership up there with the greatest. It would have songwriting partnership up there with the greatest. It would have been easy for Marr to bask in that glory and take early retirement been easy for Marr to bask in that glory and take early retirement – creatively speaking – but not possible for a man who loves his – creatively speaking – but not possible for a man who loves his craft. A quarter of a century on, after stints with the The, the Cribs craft. A quarter of a century on, after stints with the The, the Cribs and Modest Mouse, he’s wholly invested in a solo career that and Modest Mouse, he’s wholly invested in a solo career that sees him graft as hard as ever, and he’s not complaining about sees him graft as hard as ever, and he’s not complaining about it for a second. ‘When I was a kid,’ he says, ‘even the more it for a second. ‘When I was a kid,’ he says, ‘even the more challenging stories of the life of a musician sounded great to challenging stories of the life of a musician sounded great to me. Which is pretty handy – when those things happen, you me. Which is pretty handy – when those things happen, you know you’ve signed up for it.’
The touring is a knock-on effect from the success of The touring is a knock-on effect from the success of Call , Marr’s 2018 album which imagined a better The Comet, Marr’s 2018 album which imagined a better alternative universe as a response to the annus horribilis alternative universe as a response to the annus horribilis that was 2016. The approach was a peaceful one and the that was 2016. The approach was a peaceful one and the output meditative, rather than furious and explicit (unlike a output meditative, rather than furious and explicit (unlike a certain someone). Call The Comet was all about escape Call The Comet was all about escape Call The Comet ‘The impulse for Call The Comet was all about escape from the political dialogue’, he tells me, calling his creation from the political dialogue’, he tells me, calling his creation a ‘sideways version of sci-fi ’ that happened by accident. a ‘sideways version of sci-fi ’ that happened by accident. He adds, wryly, ‘I wanted to avoid mentioning names and He adds, wryly, ‘I wanted to avoid mentioning names and politics directly, which I felt would have just been crass. politics directly, which I felt would have just been crass. Once I had “Rise”, “New Dominions”, and “The Tracers” Once I had “Rise”, “New Dominions”, and “The Tracers” I identifi ed that was what I was doing, and re-read HG I identifi ed that was what I was doing, and re-read HG Wells, JG Ballard, EM Forster . . . that’s one of the great Wells, JG Ballard, EM Forster . . . that’s one of the great things about doing art. You stumble upon things during the things about doing art. You stumble upon things during the process.’
Science fi ction infl uences aside, the writing process for Science fi ction infl uences aside, the writing process for offered Marr the chance to do things in Call The Comet offered Marr the chance to do things in a different way, one which he embraced, which in return a different way, one which he embraced, which in return led to his most accomplished collection to date as a solo led to his most accomplished collection to date as a solo artist. ‘I didn’t go in the way I usually go in to make a artist. ‘I didn’t go in the way I usually go in to make a record, prepping the band and getting the demos together. record, prepping the band and getting the demos together. I just went into this big space on the top fl oor of a factory I just went into this big space on the top fl oor of a factory on the outskirts of town, mostly on my own, and started on the outskirts of town, mostly on my own, and started plugging guitars into machines, drum machines into guitar plugging guitars into machines, drum machines into guitar effects, as a kind of experiment and form of expression’.
Unsurprisingly, Marr was particularly horrifi ed by Unsurprisingly, Marr was particularly horrifi ed by the Manchester bombings, channelling that into the the Manchester bombings, channelling that into the album’s highlight and closing track, ‘A Different album’s highlight and closing track, ‘A Different Gun’. That creative process is something he found very Gun’. That creative process is something he found very cathartic, adding: ‘I feel very fortunate not only to have cathartic, adding: ‘I feel very fortunate not only to have that aspect of my life, but that it happens to be my career as well. that aspect of my life, but that it happens to be my career as well. That’s something I’d be doing if I was successful or not, I think. That’s something I’d be doing if I was successful or not, I think. That creative necessity’s been with me since I was a little kid.’ That creative necessity’s been with me since I was a little kid.’ Johnny Marr plays Edinburgh Summer Sessions with Primal Scream, Princes Street Gardens, 10 Aug, 6pm, £50.65–£75.90.
7–14 Aug 2019 THE LIST FESTIVAL 81