Johnny Marr announces solo Best Of album, including two new songs

20 September 2023, 11:48 | Updated: 20 September 2023, 11:58

The former Smiths guitarist marks a decade of being a solo artist with a new collection.

By Radio X

@RadioX

Johnny Marr has announced details of a new collection that spans his solo career of the past ten years.

Spirit Power: The Best Of Johnny Marr will include tracks dating back to his 2013 album The Messenger, right through to 2022's Fever Dreams Pts 1-4. There are also two new songs, Somewhere and The Answer, recorded with co-producer James Doviak.

The album also includes the standalone releases Armatopia, The Priest (featuring Maxine Peake) and Johnny's cover version of Depeche Mode’s I Feel You, released for Record Store Day 2015.

The Deluxe CD edition of Spirit Power will feature five previously unheard demos and rarities, Hi Hello (Demo), Somewhere (Demo), The Answer (Crazy Face Version), The Messenger (Demo), and Speak Out Reach Out (Crazy Face Version).

Spirit Power: The Best Of Johnny Marr is released on 3rd November on double vinyl, CD and a limited Deluxe 2CD featuring additional material.

Independent record shops will issued a limited gold vinyl edition, while HMV will carry a limited Cobalt blue vinyl set. Other merchandise bundles are available via Marr's online store.

Read more

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• How Chernobyl inspired one of The Smiths' greatest songs
• Hand In Glove at 40: How Johnny Marr and Morrissey wrote the Smiths' debut single
• Who is on the cover of Meat Is Murder by The Smiths?

Marr says of the new track Somewhere: "I’ve played a lot of arenas over the years, and in terms of songwriting, there’s nowhere to hide. For a song to work, it has to be a banger.

"I know it’s almost uncool to think in those terms, but I grew up in a house where my parents listened to Motown, where you couldn’t get a song released if it wasn’t full of hooks.”

Watch the video to Somewhere here.

Johnny Marr - Somewhere (Official Video)

Spirit Power: The Best Of Johnny Marr tracklisting

• Armatopia
• New Town Velocity
• Easy Money
• Spirit Power & Soul
• Hi Hello
• Somewhere
• The Messenger
• I Feel You
• The Answer
• Dynamo
• Spiral Cities
• Night and Day
• Sensory Street
• Walk Into The Sea
• Candidate
• Tenement Time
• Hi Hello (Demo)
• Somewhere (Demo)
• The Answer (Crazy F Version)
• The Messenger (Demo)
• Speak out Reach Out (Crazy F Version)

Johnny Marr will perform two special homecoming concerts at Manchester’s Factory International Aviva Studios on 7th and 8th December 2023 where, for the first time, Johnny and his band will be joined by a 30-piece orchestra.