Johnny Marr to be honored 2/28/13

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Jack of All Parades
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Johnny Marr to be honored 2/28/13

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Just heard the news- Mr. Marr will be given the 2013 NME Godlike Genius Award later this month. Bizarre sounding award but definitely a worthy recipient: 8)

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q= ... 6AkQomBrYA
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Re: Johnny Marr to be honored 2/28/13

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Always enjoyed that exuberant fan styled award, much more entertaining than 'Lifetime Achievement', etc. About time too for Marr. But has Moz ever received it? I can't recall, and the list on your link makes no mention. Would be odd if Marr did and not Moz. Would have been fun to give it to them together. I got excited yesterday as I popped into Fopp in town and they were playing The World Won't Listen/Louder Than Bombs. Osciallte Wildely, You Just Haven't Earned It Yet Baby and Rubber Ring, all just fantastic.
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Re: Johnny Marr to be honored 2/28/13

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From what I can gather Moz has not received the award- perhaps further cementing and walling off that great divide between the two former partners. Agree, he is most deserving. One of the few musicians of the last thirty some years who I will argue helped to create something distinct and original in his music. I always found it telling that when the Rolling Stones were casting around for a replacement guitarist years back they actively solicited him- thank god Johnny had the sense to resist and remain his own man. I greatly admire his musicianship.
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Re: Johnny Marr to be honored 2/28/13

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Johnny Marr live was stunning. The new album came over very well. Two Electronic numbers inc. the classic Getting Away With It, I Fought The Law as encore opener and an awesome Smiths roll call of:

Stop Me If You Think...
London
Bigmouth
How Soon Is Now?

These were undeniably the standouts, and he sang them pretty well. his voice is very much in the Manc guitar band tradition, and no worse than, say, Tim Burgess. HSIN? was better than done by Moz, simply because the guitar was unimprovable. Only disappointment was the lack of There Is A Light... which I was praying for at the end given that it followed HSIN? in York.

Aside from the sheer magnificence of the music, with a very tight and lucid three piece backing band, and the beauty of his white Fender Jaguar guitar (played on all songs except for The Messenger), the man himself was just remarkable. Super fit, lean, filled with the same nervy energy as when he exploded on the world aged 19/20. Few words, but appreciative, and a bit of humour. He was the blueprint for the cool Manc (indie) rock god - the Gallagher bothers both had him as a prototype, and if Keith Richards had gone clean at a young age, he might have looked like this aged 49 too.

Lots of eye contact too. Swoon.

Moz cancelled a show in the US due to pneumonia, but Marr is fighting fit and unstoppable. Don't miss if you have any love for his genius and he's in your town.
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Re: Johnny Marr to be honored 2/28/13

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Sounds like a fun night. I will definitely make every effort to check him out when he comes to Brooklyn this Spring unless The National are also there. Then the money only goes so far. You are right about the new album. He is a treasure though I have to learn to tolerate the voice and the songs go on a little too much with their dystopian themes. But he puts you in guitar heaven all the time. 8)
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Re: Johnny Marr to be honored 2/28/13

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I've been on a high ever since. His presence was completely inspiring. I think he is one of the coolest and most magnificent humans I've ever set eyes on.
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Re: Johnny Marr to be honored 2/28/13

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Otis Westinghouse wrote:Johnny Marr live was stunning. The new album came over very well. Two Electronic numbers inc. the classic Getting Away With It, I Fought The Law as encore opener and an awesome Smiths roll call of:

Stop Me If You Think...
London
Bigmouth
How Soon Is Now?

These were undeniably the standouts, and he sang them pretty well. his voice is very much in the Manc guitar band tradition, and no worse than, say, Tim Burgess. HSIN? was better than done by Moz, simply because the guitar was unimprovable. Only disappointment was the lack of There Is A Light... which I was praying for at the end given that it followed HSIN? in York.

Aside from the sheer magnificence of the music, with a very tight and lucid three piece backing band, and the beauty of his white Fender Jaguar guitar (played on all songs except for The Messenger), the man himself was just remarkable. Super fit, lean, filled with the same nervy energy as when he exploded on the world aged 19/20. Few words, but appreciative, and a bit of humour. He was the blueprint for the cool Manc (indie) rock god - the Gallagher bothers both had him as a prototype, and if Keith Richards had gone clean at a young age, he might have looked like this aged 49 too.

Lots of eye contact too. Swoon.

Moz cancelled a show in the US due to pneumonia, but Marr is fighting fit and unstoppable. Don't miss if you have any love for his genius and he's in your town.
Yes not too healthy these days as opposed to his former partner- witness the total cancellation of his North American tour due to a bleeding ulcer, double pneumonia and an esophageal blockage- must be that strict vegetarian diet!!!
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Re: Johnny Marr to be honored 2/28/13

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Yeah, poor Moz. Deep down he's pining for Marr, clearly. Marr says of the eternally asked reunion questions that if you've got a new car you love, why would you miss the old one you used to drive? Answer: because lovely though the new one is, the old one was, like, one of the best cars in the world ever. Can you imagine how fast those tickets would sell out? I realised on Tuesday just how incredible it would sound. Stop Me If You Think... , for example, just just madly exhilarating.
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Re: Johnny Marr to be honored 2/28/13

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Otis, found this small piece in today's Slate of interest. Perhaps you will, as well:

http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/201 ... issey.html

And there is this from Tumblr. It put an immediate smile upon my face given my love of books:

http://api.viglink.com/api/click?format ... 8868583444

and this rather sad update on Moz's current medical condition:

http://news.msn.com/pop-culture/morriss ... oor-health
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Re: Johnny Marr to be honored 2/28/13

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Love that Smiths rehearsal. Only played the first two minutes but straight off you can hear how as a quartet they were magical. It's easy to focus on the genius of Marr, but Rourke and Joyce had a tautness and concision in what they did that perfectly underpinned him. I recently re-read a Marr interview from an excellent Q mag Smiths special about how the band started and it was wonderful to read about how pretty early on they realised it was something beyond special.

I've just had the first (only?) three Electronic CDs delivered. The first one I listened to lots back in the day, the others I don't know. I love Some Distant Memory, sublime use of oboe.

Sad about Moz. I think it's his soul pining to be back on stage with Johnny that has this effect.

Looking forward to ordering the Smiths Complete soon with al the remastering overseen by Marr. I have 3 of the 8 CDs only, and most of the rest on tape, some things on compilation. To hear it all well remastered will be great.
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Re: Johnny Marr to be honored 2/28/13

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With you on it being apparant when listening to that early rehearsal tape that they had to know they were 'special'.

Lack the 'coin' right now to justify the switch to the remastered albums. Did not know they are available as single records. Thought you had to purchase the whole box set. That may change my approach.
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Re: Johnny Marr to be honored 2/28/13

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I didn't know that either. Just looking and most are available on UK Amazon for £3-4, but weirdly the one I've never owned, Meat Is Murder is only available for £34 on import! given the low price of the Complete, I'll be happy to finally get the almost complete works of this great band with a great sound. Only thing is, they really did miss a trick by not making it live up to its name. There are tracks available on the MP3 download version that aren't on the CD, most notably the fabulous Jeane, which I have on a bootleg of the Troy Tate-produced non-first album. Likewise Wonderful Woman, though that's a lesser song. A much better ploy would have been to have a CD of B-sides and rarities. Maybe that will come later...
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