Johnny Marr, the guitarist from The Smiths, thinks of himself as a “pop” guitarist because he focuses on the overall sound of the music rather than flashy solos. In a recent interview on “Questlove Supreme,” he talked about how he learned to play by listening to old records and trying to match the entire song, not just the guitar parts. However, he posted The Smiths reunion offer as well.
Marr explained that he started playing guitar by jamming along to 45s, which are single songs on vinyl records. For him, pop music was full of catchy and interesting sounds. He was influenced by bands like The Sweet and Roxy Music, whose guitar work was exciting and unexpected. This is why he identified as a “pop player,” seeing pop music as lively and fun.
He shared that while many young guitarists were focused on rock solos, he was more interested in the whole sound of the records. His goal was to create memorable hooks that added something special to the music. He emphasized that, especially when he listens to recordings, he aims to bring something unique to the song instead of just showing off his guitar skills.
Marr also noticed that, during the late 1970s and the rise of New Wave music, most of his fellow guitarists admired famous players like Jimmy Page. They wanted to play like them, focusing on mastering their styles. In contrast, Marr wanted to contribute to the song as a whole, thinking about what the music needed rather than just what the guitar could do.
“I learned to play guitar by playing along [to]45s, the old way… Of course, I went through that phase we all did, where we’re all listening out for guitar solos, and we’re listening to rock music. This is why, for the longest time, I thought of myself as a pop guitar player, because pop music, for me, meant these bangin’, great, quite quirky, eccentric 45s. Of course, I love all kinds of music, but, that was my introduction to it, and the guitars on those records by The Sweet and Roxy Music [were] unexpected, kind of hooky, and they’re dazzling. They’re really exciting.”
