Ticket 2 Ride

The relationship between former Smith members Morrissey and Johnny Marr resembles that of Roger Waters and David Gilmour – stone cold.

The Smiths were an edgy, soulful band of the 1980s, that was short-lived, but managed to release a few impactful and successful albums before the band dissolved. The key members were vocalist Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr, a team that accounted for the majority of the songwriting.

In the years since, Morrissey and Marr have done their communicating through lawyers, and the media. Morrisey has the flashier solo career, releasing a number of albums fronting his own band. Marr has taken a different path, collaborating with a number of artists and bands, and front his own band (The Healers), and releasing a handful of solo albums. Marr is also a writer and has released several books.

Morrissey

In 2024, Morrissey released a remastered version of his 1993 live album, Beethoven Was Deaf, Live in Paris.

There are no Smith songs on his live album, a little bit of a surprise. The set draws heavily from Your Arsenal, one of his strongest, harder rock albums. Morrissey was into his rockabilly period, but thankfully it doesn’t take over the album’s vibe.

According to Wikipedia, guitarist Alaine Whyte has co-written and/or performed on all of Morrissey’s albums issued between 1992 and 2009, and has more recently hooked up with Morrissey again. Whyte really makes this album.

“You’re the One for Me, Fatty” – 3:59
“Certain People I Know” – 2:57
“The National Front Disco” – 6:05
“November Spawned a Monster” – 5:29
“Seasick, Yet Still Docked” – 5:15
“The Loop” – 6:00
“Sister I’m a Poet” – 2:22
“Jack the Ripper” – 4:13
“Such a Little Thing Makes Such a Big Difference” – 1:52
“I Know It’s Gonna Happen Someday” – 3:39
“We’ll Let You Know” – 5:12
“Suedehead” – 4:05
“He Knows I’d Love to See Him” – 3:38
“You’re Gonna Need Someone on Your Side” – 3:35
“Glamorous Glue” – 4:05
“We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful” – 2:49

I expected a much more theatric album, but I was pleasantly surprised, and enjoyed this set. In fact, it sort of renewed my interest in Morrissey.

Johnny Marr

Also in 2024, Marr rereleased his 2003 Johnny Marr + The Healers’ album Boomslag, in a deluxe format.

The Last Ride (4:30)
Caught Up (4:27)
Down on the Corner (4:24)
Need It (5:47)
You Are the Magic (7:09)
InBetweens (3:39)
Another Day (4:58)
Headland (1:34)
Long Gone (4:38)
Something to Shout About (4:21)
Bangin’ on (5:09)

Disc 2. The Way That It Was (5:29)– All Out Attack (4:42)– Get Me Wrong (5:24)– Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right (4:27)– A Woman Like You (5:08)—Your Are the Magic (Union Mix) (8:49)– Get Me Wrong (instrumental) (5:20)

You don’t have to be a Marr fan to enjoy this assortment of guitar-driven songs. This album fits into the Brit-pop genre I guess, though I do not like such labels. Boomslag in 2024 sounds as strong in 2003. I have the original release, though I can’t say that I played it much. The Healers is a talented band he put together briefly, that included Zack Starkey (The Who) on drums.

The second disc of extras is a great bonus of songs that didn’t make the original album. These aren’t leftovers, just more than could be fit on the original release.

It’s funny that as revered as Marr was in The Smiths, his critics seemed to come after him as a solo artist. Boomslag had some pretty nasty reviews when it first came out, the reviews were nothing special, using terms like “boring” and “generic” to describe the album and suggesting that he should just reform the Smiths. For his next album, The Messenger, one reviewer called his style “classicist British pop values and modernist rock production”, when it sounded to me like a very similar set of songs from Boomslag.

Marr has a smooth but not overwhelming voice, certainly not the dynamic that Morrissey projects. He reminds me of Noel Gallagher, who occasionally sand lead in Oasis, but had a successful solo career where he was the lead vocalist.

Marr is a master of guitar and assorted other instruments, he certainly can be a one-man band, but I feel he is better when he plays off other musicians.

Final thoughts…

Morrissey is an acquired taste. His vocal style can wear out its welcome quickly, he’s one of the most compelling vocalists of the past 40 years. His lyrics can be pretty downbeat and outright irritating. Having said that, he helped make The Smiths one of key bands of the 1980s.

Marr is one of my favorite musicians, he’s talented in many ways, but he’s at his best when part of partnership. Doubtful that The Smiths will ever reform, or that Marr and Morrissey will ever put down the swords.

For now, enjoy some music from the past from Morrissey and Johnny Marr.

Side note: Marr’s book, Set the Boy Free is a must read.