Johnny Marr - The Smiths & the Art of Gunslinging

Book excerpt: The shimmering, muscular guitar pop of The Smiths shone like a beacon through the eighties as they took up the mantle of the best British band since The Beatles. Their unparalleled musicality inspired a generation of popular bands including Oasis, the Stone Roses and Radiohead. Johnny Marr was the genius behind that revolutionary sound. Manchester-born Marr has proved to be a gun-slinger without equal, a guitarist who rode the longest highways to find the most thrilling sounds and who built the gilt-edged frames in which the lyrical portraits of co-writer Morrissey sat so perfectly. Whilst he may well be remembered forever for the haunting intro to ‘How Soon Is Now?’ Marr has not slowed down creatively, inspiring a generation of younger listeners through his work with The Cribs, and even working with Hans Zimmer on the stunning soundtrack to the critically-acclaimed blockbuster Inception. He remains as influential and important as ever - a true guitar hero. Filled with insight and musical lore, The Smiths & the Art of Gun-Slinging traces the incredible story of how the son of Irish immigrants rose to become the iconic architect of a new sound for British guitar music.