Johnny Marr autobiography US release (Nov. 15, 2016) on Dey Street Books; UK, US pre-orders

Set the Boy Free by Johnny Marr - Harper Collins Publishers
  • ISBN: 9780062438720
  • ISBN 10: 0062438727
  • Imprint: Dey Street Books
  • On Sale: 11/15/2016
  • Pages: 480
  • List Price: 14.99 USD
  • BISAC1: BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Personal Memoirs
  • BISAC2: BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Entertainment & Performing Arts
  • BISAC3: MUSIC / General
This above info is for the eBook. Hardcover is $28.99

Interesting bit that has more detail about the book.....below.....

About the Book
The long-awaited memoir from the legendary guitarist and cofounder of the seminal British band The Smiths.

An artist who helped define a period in popular culture, Johnny Marr tells his story in a memoir as vivid and arresting as his music. The Smiths, the band with the signature sound he cofounded, remains one of the most beloved bands ever, and have a profound influence on a number of acts that followed—from the Stone Roses, Suede, Blur, and Radiohead to Oasis, The Libertines, and Arctic Monkeys.

Marr recalls his childhood growing up in the northern working-class city of Manchester, in a house filled with music. He takes us back to the summer of 1982 when, at eighteen, he sought out one Stephen Morrissey to form a new band they called The Smiths. Marr invites fans on stage, on the road, and in the studio for the five years The Smiths were together and how after a rapid ascent, the working-class teenage rock star enjoyed and battled with the perks of success until ideological differences, combined with his much publicized strained relationships with fellow band mates, caused him to leave in 1987. Marr’s “escape” as he calls it, ensured the beginning of the end for one of the most influential groups of a generation. But The Smiths’ end was only the beginning for Marr. The bona-fide guitar hero continues to experiment and evolve in his solo career to this day, playing with Paul McCartney, Pretenders, Modest Mouse, Oasis and collaborating today’s most creative and renowned artists.

Rising above and beyond the personal struggles and bitter feuds, Marr delivers the story of his music and his band, sharing the real insights of a man who has made music his life, and finally giving fans what they’ve truly been waiting for.

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Amazon.com pre-order

Also posted by Uncleskinny:

Book is now available for pre order.




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morrissey dont care bout crazy wabbits. he's all about cats. hmph stupid cats. :(

Mozzy
All alone in the moonlight
I can smile at the old days
He was beautiful then
I remember
The time I knew what happiness was
Let the memory live again
 
My friend is a fan of the the but I never quite liked them. Like you point out his contributions after The Smiths seem to be in the background whereas he drove the band's sound so clearly and distinctly.

I find this to be the most true in instrumental songs such as The Draize Train and Oscillate Wildly. I don't miss a vocal on these songs one bit, and they speak volumes of his writing ability at the time, but times change. It is, or must be, a mystical and magical thing how some musicians are able to create popular music over time.

The Smiths were not a one hit wonder but perhaps a "one time" wonder, whereas someone like John Lennon went from Love Me Do to Imagine. Age kills all pop stars as is the nature of the beast of youth, but talent can take you to the end of the line.

I agree about the smiths instrumentals as I love them as well. Even album songs with no vocals sound very satisfying. After the smiths he seemed to be running all over the place and maybe, especially judging from the title of his book, this is what he wanted but his work seems, and by extension his musical legacy, somewhat diluted and diffuse. Maybe he needed someone to help reign him in a bit a focus on one direction. Of course it also extremely possible that he doesn't care about things like what the public thinks of him now and just pursued things for his own desires which is admirable. Thinking of those smiths instrumentals and his work after the smiths also is partly why I've wondered how important rourke was to that song writting partnership. Even music aside maybe Johnny just worked better with him in support though I think he was maybe more integral to the smiths sound. When I think of morrissey songs that sound most like the smiths girl least likely for sure comes to mind as well as yes I am blind.Sure it's not as intricate or detailed but it does have that smiths catchy rythm and structure. He also played bass on some of my fav solo songs. Like I've said before I'd really like to see what marr and Andy would come up with on there own and compare it to what morrissey and Andy came up with. As musicians both still going and supposedly on good terms friendship wise I find it a bit funny they never did anything together in all this time. Not trying to exclude mike I just don't know much about drums and don't feel qualified even in my very limited way to comment on them
 
I agree about the smiths instrumentals as I love them as well. Even album songs with no vocals sound very satisfying. After the smiths he seemed to be running all over the place and maybe, especially judging from the title of his book, this is what he wanted but his work seems, and by extension his musical legacy, somewhat diluted and diffuse. Maybe he needed someone to help reign him in a bit a focus on one direction. Of course it also extremely possible that he doesn't care about things like what the public thinks of him now and just pursued things for his own desires which is admirable. Thinking of those smiths instrumentals and his work after the smiths also is partly why I've wondered how important rourke was to that song writting partnership. Even music aside maybe Johnny just worked better with him in support though I think he was maybe more integral to the smiths sound. When I think of morrissey songs that sound most like the smiths girl least likely for sure comes to mind as well as yes I am blind.Sure it's not as intricate or detailed but it does have that smiths catchy rythm and structure. He also played bass on some of my fav solo songs. Like I've said before I'd really like to see what marr and Andy would come up with on there own and compare it to what morrissey and Andy came up with. As musicians both still going and supposedly on good terms friendship wise I find it a bit funny they never did anything together in all this time. Not trying to exclude mike I just don't know much about drums and don't feel qualified even in my very limited way to comment on them

These are two of many of my favorite songs of his as well. All four of them together caught lightening in a bottle. Since that time, Moz seems musically satisfied with what he finds, whereas Marr might be chasing the dragon to try and get the next musical high. The book should shed light on many unanswered questions.
 
I rarely post. That said. There is no agreement between Marr and Morrissey. They are so far apart. They will never reunite. Johnny has nothing to lose. This is his moment. That said. He is a normal guy. Unlike the other one. Who is a nutter. He is a good song writer. And a good guitar player. Who, with Morrissey, rose tovbrilliance. Morrissey was lucky to have found Alain. And since he has been shit. Johnny will be a calmer story teller. And likt add to Morrissey'a view of the truth

Yeah, we get it. Morrissey was lucky to have found Johnny and than he was lucky to have found Alain. :crazy:
And both were so unlucky Moz found them. :ha-no:
Such an evil man.
If you can't see or can't experience he has more talent in his toenail than a lot of other musical artists in their total body that's not your fault but just state you don't like his music anymore.

Don't argue with examples of the names you mentioned cause despite all Moz has a great, big oeuvre of songs which compared to that of Alain and Johnny is so much more varied and broad in lyrical and musical aspects.

He could stop now and I still would be grateful for all his music.
Everything he does now is a bonus.

One more thing. You call him a nutter. Did it ever occur to you that many great artists more or less can be seen as nutters?

Even Johnny Marr is some kind of a nutter cause to develop that great guitar playing you have to have the talent and the obsessive and egocentric and claustrophobic will to do so and spend the greatest part of your life doing so.
So he is NOT only your average normal guy as you seem to think.
Cheers
 
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I rarely post. That said. There is no agreement between Marr and Morrissey. They are so far apart. They will never reunite. Johnny has nothing to lose. This is his moment. That said. He is a normal guy. Unlike the other one. Who is a nutter. He is a good song writer. And a good guitar player. Who, with Morrissey, rose tovbrilliance. Morrissey was lucky to have found Alain. And since he has been shit. Johnny will be a calmer story teller. And likt add to Morrissey'a view of the truth
'...lucky to find Alain...' I agree 100%.
 
Strangely, I find myself looking more forward to Johnny's autobiography. While I enjoyed Morrissey's, his constant trashing of people got kind of old and there was just so much negativity. Perhaps the constant negativity comes across better in song. I enjoyed learning of some of the 'behind-the-scene' stories, especially at the end of the book as he wrote about touring.

I look forward to Marr's being (hopefully) less of an opportunity to bash people, and more of an opportunity to learn more of himself and The Smiths.
 
I look forward to Marr's being (hopefully) less of an opportunity to bash people, and more of an opportunity to learn more of himself and The Smiths.

Johnny says something along the lines in this months Q Magazine (I am paraphrasing as I don't have a copy to hand, just flicked through it in WHSmiths) that he wanted to concentrate on the positive side of being in the Smiths in his autobiography, so I'm not expecting a huge amount of trash talking - though obviously journalists and people here will be sifting through it looking for juicy spats between him and Moz.

Incidentally - I'm not sure if this has been previously reported, but it looks like Johnny is reading the audiobook version himself, according to the cover on Amazon (still a bit miffed Moz didn't do the same): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Set-Free-A...76904495&sr=1-2&keywords=johnny+marr+boy+free
 
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FFS, Stephen????

Yes. And it would be very embarrassing for Johnny Marr if THAT typo pops up in the printed autobiography. Even only ONCE.
Some people might laugh their heads off now in anticipation and think it a good way to get even but it would turn on him back like a boomerang and Moz, do you really think it would hurt him?
No, it won't, cause he would make that gesture with his hands as saying, See I told you so. Not saying anything.
It's not very likely his first name turns up at all though.
 

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