Johnny's guitars...

[shoplifter]

Does anyone have any info on what brand and model of guitars that Johnny used throughout his career with the Smiths? I recon he currently possesses among other a Gibson SG and also a presumably fabulous Les Paul '59 (gathered from Healers Q'n'A, must've cost him a fortune), but this is up to date; gigging with Healers. Anybody with the lowdown on any axes he spun with the boys back in the day, please let me know...

[Noonan McKane]

Welcome to Strangeways, Shoplifter!

Johnny's guitars: The man you need to ask is Elko. He's well clued up on that whole scene.

The one I always picture him with was one of those gigantic old Rickenbackers.

[shoplifter]

Thank you. Yes, I remember that one, from the gig at Assembly Hall. I've also seen him sport a few Gibsons, one amid others on the videotape of the Madrid gig in '85. Probably a Les Paul. Thanks for the heads-up on the Rickenbacker though, I'll have a closer look at its' specifics.

[elko]

The Rickenbacker would be a 330/6, and presumably a 330/12 (the 12-string version, if anyone has a few hundred nicker lyin' around, well, it's my birthday soon...).

I've seen pics of him in the studio with a Telecaster, other than that, I don't know when I became the man to ask, I'm afraid.

[elko]

From that Meat Is Murder tour programme, and the SPFI website:-

BIRTH PLACE/DATE Manchester, October 31st 1963
BIRTHSIGN Scorpio
SIBLINGS Claire, Ian
HEIGHT 5ft8ins
WEIGHT 8 1/2 stone
EYES Brown
HAIR Black
PREVIOUS OCCUPATIONS Worked at various clothes shops
PREVIOUS BANDS None that lasted more than two weeks
FAVOURITE COLOURS Dark green, black
FAVOURITE FOOD Cheese
FAVOURITE DRINK Tea
HOBBIES Collecting records
PETS Two Alsatians - Rufus and Curtis
AMBITION IN LIFE To be loaded
SELF DESCRIPTION Impulsive
HIGH POINT OF CAREER Too many to mention
FAVOURITE FILM The Collector
FAVOURITE TV PROGRAMME Haven't got one
TV PERSONALITY Robbi Coltraine

FAVOURITE ACTOR Tom Courtney
FAVOURITE ACTRESS Barbara Knox
PERSON YOU WOULD MOST LIKE TO MEET Johnny Cash
MOST IMPORTANT POSSESSION Gibson 355
MOST HATED RECORDS Ziggy Stardust, any Heaven 17
FAVOURITE BANDS The Shangrilas, early Stones, The Four Tops
FAVOURITE SINGERS Sam Cook, Sandie Shaw, Pete Burns
FAVOURITE LPs Out of Our Heads - The Stones, The Four Tops Greatest Hits
FAVOURITE SINGLE Young Boy Blues, Ben E King
FIRST RECORD EVER BOUGHT T Rex, Jeepster
FIRST LIVE GIG ATTENDED The Faces, Bellevue, Manchester
LIKES Making records
DISLIKES Interviews and zits
FAVOURITE ANIMAL Dogs
FAVOURITE PERSON Me, of course
HEROES Johnny Cash
VILLIANS Steve Wright, The Queen, Scagheads, Bombs
GREATEST EMBARRASSMENT Old Grey Whistle Test live in concert
SELF CONFESSION I did wear a duffle coat
FIRST ROMANCE Angie
FAVOURITE FUN THING TO DO Smiths gigs, humping

So he hates Ziggy Stardust?

But funny how his tastes are so similar to Morrissey's.

[tallulahtaurus]

Hmmm that makes sense how his likes and dislikes are similar to Moz's tho doesn't Elko...twas why they were together after all!!

oh and I read this interview a long time ago and I don't know how much info this gives (too tired to read it again right now) but this article was in guitar player magazine so should have info for ya....on Marr's guitars!!

<a href='http://foreverill.com/interviews/post87/antihero.htm' target='_blank'>guitar player article on johnny marr</a>

[shoplifter]

elko, yes, I recognize that pamphlet excerpt - correlated with the "Meat Is Murder" tour if I'm not mistaken, believe I read it before at PSI. Anyway, the 355 must've been quite an investment too as this was still rather early days and that particular model was discontinued in 1982. I'm not surprised Johnny cherished it plenty. Here's a picture and description if anyone's intrested: <a href='http://www.provide.net/~cfh/gibson4.html' target='_blank'>http://www.provide.net/~cfh/gibson4.html</a>

tal, very informative link, thanks a bunch.

[Miserable Liar]

I recall seing that red Gibson in the "What difference does it make?" video.

[kurt]