British music icon and legendary Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr has returned to his roots for the latest episode of Apple Music’s audio series, Origin Stories. Hosted by Matt Wilkinson, the program tracks the UK's most influential artists back to their hometowns to explore their musical beginnings. In a wide-ranging conversation inside his Stockport headquarters, Marr opened up about the formative moments, specific locations, and legendary chance encounters that shaped his distinct path.
The guitarist pinpointed a single performance in Manchester that permanently altered his perspective on what music could achieve.
"That was the week I saw Patti Smith. My life changed that week. My life actually changed. The Patti Smith group at the Apollo, I remember thinking the next day the world is different. I mean, I think quite a lot of music fans know what I'm talking about, you've had that experience, but I remember actually looking up at the sky and walking around the estate thinking it... I think it was the most important gig I ever saw, yeah, without a doubt."
Attending the legendary show completely solo, a teenage Marr was focused purely on navigating his way to the front of the venue. However, the evening also yielded a historic meeting with the figures who would soon dominate British independent music.
"There was a bunch of older boys in the bar. But my memory of that was I just couldn't wait to get to the front. I was on my own, actually. Anyway, when I met those older boys, Billy Duffy from The Cult, he was with some of his mates and one of whom was Morrissey and he introduced me. And I was very aware that I was much younger and a little kid, but just on my mind was: 'get to the front, get to the front.'"
Beyond specific gigs, Marr’s early development relied heavily on cutting his teeth with rough, local bands that forced him to adapt quickly. He reflected on his brief, intense stint joining a band named Sister Ray between the ages of 15 and 16, a trial by fire that provided an essential musical education.
"I tried to talk myself out of the job with Sister Ray because frankly they were terrifying. They had a single out called ‘Suicide’. And the singer would start fights with everybody, any other bands that were on the bill. But I figured that if I joined them, I would learn how to play at very, very high volume, which is exactly what I did. And they sounded exactly like The Stooges and Hawkwind together, right? So I stuck with them for about a year from being just 15 to just 16. And that really held me in good stead. But they rehearsed in what was then the red light area, red light district of Manchester. It was in Whalley Range. And it was fucking rough, man. It was heavy at night. But it toughened you up."
These gritty environments forged a player capable of immediate sonic innovation. By the time The Smiths played their first show on October 4th, 1982, his talent was undeniable to those around him.
"The Smiths played our very first gig, we only did four songs, at the Ritz, which was a big deal, on October the 4th, 1982.
The gig was ostensibly... It was a fashion show night that was put on by our mates, but really they were my mates to put my band on, my new band, right? And it was me and Morrissey and a different bass player, and I think Mike Joyce played drums. And I came off stage and my boss of the clothes shop I worked in at the time said to me, 'I've never heard anyone play guitar like that.' And that was the first affirmation that I had from anyone where I actually believed that I was good.
Because I really loved Joe and I trusted Joe, and he'd been around bands in the '60s. And he was so effusive about my guitar playing, that's the first time I remember thinking, 'all right, I've got something pretty cool here' because Joe says I've got something good. So I really owe him for that."
The new episode of Origin Stories is available now on Apple Music and Apple Podcasts. The second season follows previous episodes highlighting Mahalia in Leicester and Kneecap in West Belfast.
