Andy Rourke and I had been playing together from 14 or 15, and we had a very great musical chemistry. Andy's just a very respected and unusual musician. Johnny Marr More Quotes by Johnny Marr More Quotes From Johnny Marr I had a feeling about what I wanted to say, and I wasn't really qualified to discuss real things out of America because I didn't grow up there. Johnny Marr growing-uprealamerica I moved to Portland because Modest Mouse is there. I didn't necessarily mean to live there permanently, but I've got a really good feeling for it. The sensibility there really suits me. I happened to have grown up in Manchester, a city that was a pretty cool place to be a musician. It's close to Portland in a lot of ways. Johnny Marr citiesfeelingsmean You've got to understand that. We all look out for Morrissey. It's a very brotherly feeling. When we first rehearsed, I'd have done anything for him. And as a person Morrissey is really capable of a truly loving relationship. Every day he's so open, so romantic and sensitive to other people's emotions. Johnny Marr feelingspeoplelooks When Morrissey and I started The Smiths, we thought pop music was the most important thing in the world. It was almost a spiritual thing for us, and because of that, we knew what it meant to be a fan. Johnny Marr fansimportantspiritual If people can finally recognize you on radio without being told who it is, thats what you aim for. Johnny Marr aimradiopeople Growing up in public is a test, and not many people know how to do it. Johnny Marr growing-uptestspeople I am very proud of the fact that 20 years on people tell me they became a vegetarian as a result of 'Meat is Murder'. “I think that is quite literally rock music changing someone's life - it's certainly changing the life of animals. It is one of the things I am most proud of. Johnny Marr rocksanimalthinking I seem to attract and be attracted to very willful, fascinating people. Johnny Marr fascinatingseemspeople Guitars have been the obsession of my life. I first picked one up at the age of four and Ive been a guitar junkie ever since. Johnny Marr guitarfourage I've run all the bands I've been in. A great front man needs that other person. It's not enough to have a guy with a cute face standing behind a microphone. I see it like the classic romantic relationships with men and women, where the woman lets the man think he's running it. It's a classic matriarchal trait, and that's always been part of my personality. Johnny Marr runningcutemen Sometimes people confuse contrivance and authenticity, and sometimes I think authenticity can get in the way of a good excuse to do something theatrical. I just don't like wasting opportunity - if you're going to do a photo session, if you're going to walk on stage, why not make it interesting? Johnny Marr opportunitypeoplethinking Now chart music is a genre all of its own and it's slipped away from what I understand pop music as. It's pretty difficult to take; it clogs up the airwaves. Johnny Marr genredifficultpops I never took fans for granted. I always assumed subconsciously that people who followed what I did were just people who were kind of like me. Johnny Marr grantedkindpeople Coming from a working-class background, where my father did manual labor, was a good grounding; I was obsessed with getting a job or getting out of the house at 15. Johnny Marr classjobsfather I'm not interested in trying to have people who might like other kinds of music follow me. I don't want to please them. Johnny Marr wanttryingpeople In the earlier part of the 90s, I was really hell-bent on discovering how new technology works and how to make records entirely without a producer, which isn't necessarily what fans wanted. But I had to do it because I felt it was in my destiny or whatever. Johnny Marr destinytechnologyfans I dont like to waste notes, not even one. I like to put the right note in the right place, and my influences have always been those kinds of players. Keith Richards comes to mind, and I really like Nils Lofgrens soloing, because hes so melodic. I love John Lennons rhythm playing, and George Harrison was an incredible guitarist. Johnny Marr keithplayermind The biggest musical influence on me was my mum. We were both enraptured by music. Johnny Marr musical-influenceinfluencemusical Joining Modest Mouse was just consistent with what I used to do as a teenager: I followed where I thought I would make some interesting music. Johnny Marr joiningteenagerinteresting That enforced time when you have to switch off, that you're on a plane, is so unusual these days. It's just that thing of not being able to interact with other people through e-mails or social media or whatever. It's crazy how you even notice that you're not able to do that. I find that the kind of traveling - long days, particularly if you go somewhere to do a show, and then traveling again the next day - a lot of people would find pretty challenging, but I find it energizing in a weird way. Johnny Marr crazylongpeople
