Johnny Marr on band friendships: "The only thing that turned to s*** was The Smiths"

14 January 2022, 14:29 | Updated: 14 January 2022, 15:06

Johnny Marr 2022 — Johnny Marr has looked back at the relationships he's formed in bands. Picture: Andy Cotterill/Press

By Jenny Mensah

The former Smiths guitarist has reflected on the ending of the Manchester band, despite it being one of the things he's "proudest of".

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Johnny Marr has reflected on The Smiths split and revealed it's the only one of his working relationships that has "turned to s****".

The former guitarist of the Manchester band appears on the cover of Uncut magazine's March issue, where he talks about his career ahead of his upcoming double album Fever Dreams Pts. 1-4.

Marr prides himself on keeping a good relationship with all the bands he's been in, but admits that his relationship with Smiths frontman Morrissey is the only one which soured because of how different they are.

He explained: "It’s a simplistic way of putting it, but one of the reasons I’ve been in so many bands was because I wanted to be loyal to them.

"It won’t come as any surprise when I say that I’m really close with everyone I’ve worked with – except for the obvious one. And that isn’t that much of a surprise because we’re so different, me and Morrissey.

"But all of these different musicians, I can pick up the phone to any one, and just pick up from where we left off.”

Despite this, the This Charming Man rocker is most proud of being in the band and the sound they created togerher.

"[It's] one of the things I’m proudest of," he told the outlet. "One of the things that I must be proud about – not only myself but the whole group, because that was our MO. Whatever shit was going on, nothing got in the way of what was coming out of speakers – and there’s a lot to get in the way.”

This week, Johnny Marr released his Night and Day single, which will feature on his Fever Dreams Pts. 1-4 album- out on 25th February.

Speaking about the new single, Marr said: “I need songs after all the news, news, news. It gets too real in the hotspots.”

Watch the official video for Night and Day below:

Johnny Marr - Night and Day (Official Video)

Fever Dreams Pts 1-4 will be available on CD and double vinyl with the official store offering exclusive limited edition white vinyl and cassettes, alongside merch bundles with signed prints.

HMV and independent record stores will also be stocking a limited edition turquoise vinyl pressing.

Pre-order and pre-save the album HERE.