Iconic English guitarist Johnny Marr, best known for playing in The Smiths as well as popping up in lineups amongst other well-known indie groups such as Modest Mouse and The Cribs, is finally ready to release his own debut solo album, which he will title The Messenger.
Speaking with The Sun, he reveals that the album will be out in February and names one song, which he’s titled Lockdown. He explains that the track is about a book author’s poor take on a particular English seaside town and “what it would be like being somewhere like that on a cold Wednesday night in November”.
Speaking to NME, Marr explains that he now doesn’t “want to be in someone else’s band at this point”. He continued, saying, “In the past I might have been reluctant to stand up front, and I’ve been lucky enough to be in bands with great singers, so it wasn’t necessary. But this is my band now, and the frontman in my band has to play guitar. I do both.”
Earlier this month Marr commented on the rumours that The Smiths might reform for the upcoming Coachella, with organisers offering to make the event a 100% vegetarian festival in order to attract Morrissey and Marr into playing together. Both Marr and Morrissey had not only to squash the rumour, but also to put a serious end to talk of the possibility of a reunion in the future.
