I hear Marr play and i know it's good, but i don't know why it's good. His melodies are incredible, that's a given. However, I've never learned to play the guitar so could someone explain how Marr is a good guitarist... some slate him as being one of the world's best. Comments like that just leave me wondering.
Are his melodies difficult to play?
Was he innovative among other guitarists during that era?
How does he stack up to other guitarists in the same genre or other genres?
Also, you musicans out there, what would you say are Marr's best works?
How was Marr a good guitarist?
13 posts
• Page 1 of 1
by Cracked Pleasures » Sat Sep 16, 2006 1:33 pm
I am not the best music specialist technically, but fact is that Johnny created the simply perfect chords to enhance Morrissey's words to a higher level. There was a very strong connection between those two: whenever Marr came up with a chord Morrissey would find the suitable words, and whenever Moz had a lyric Johnny would create the perfect sound for it. They kinda 'felt' each other in a very unique way.
His best works: I like the fading intro of "Some girls...", the haunting riffs of "How soon is now", the riffs throughout "Hand in glove", the riff of "The queen is dead", ... Must say I am usually focussed mainly on lyrics, and that is with every band I listen to. But out of the head, these are Marr's highlights for me. Excellent guitarist, no doubt about that, he lifted the band to a higher level in the same way as Morrissey did with his lyrics.
His best works: I like the fading intro of "Some girls...", the haunting riffs of "How soon is now", the riffs throughout "Hand in glove", the riff of "The queen is dead", ... Must say I am usually focussed mainly on lyrics, and that is with every band I listen to. But out of the head, these are Marr's highlights for me. Excellent guitarist, no doubt about that, he lifted the band to a higher level in the same way as Morrissey did with his lyrics.
Keep it flaming your desire, always rising higher - Aim for stars and hit the sky
(Echo & The Bunnymen - Evergreen, 1996)
Capital punishment = murder
THE PASSION OF LOVERS IS FOR DEATH (Bauhaus, 1983)
(Echo & The Bunnymen - Evergreen, 1996)
Capital punishment = murder
THE PASSION OF LOVERS IS FOR DEATH (Bauhaus, 1983)
- Cracked Pleasures
- Smiths Nut!
- Posts: 1903
- Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2006 10:52 am
- Location: travelling
by Bref » Mon Sep 18, 2006 11:44 am
<!--sizeo:3--><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo--><!--fonto:Book Antiqua--><span style="font-family:Book Antiqua"><!--/fonto--><!--fonto:Arial Narrow--><span style="font-family:Arial Narrow"><!--/fonto--><!--fonto:Arial--><span style="font-family:Arial"><!--/fonto-->Half of the time we're gone but we don't know where,
we don't know where.
<!--fontc--></span><!--/fontc--><!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec--><!--fontc--></span><!--/fontc--><!--fontc--></span><!--/fontc-->
we don't know where.
<!--fontc--></span><!--/fontc--><!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec--><!--fontc--></span><!--/fontc--><!--fontc--></span><!--/fontc-->
-
Bref - Smiths Nut!
- Posts: 686
- Joined: Fri Oct 07, 2005 10:29 pm
- Location: Dublin
by Bref » Mon Sep 18, 2006 8:55 pm
<!--sizeo:3--><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo--><!--fonto:Book Antiqua--><span style="font-family:Book Antiqua"><!--/fonto--><!--fonto:Arial Narrow--><span style="font-family:Arial Narrow"><!--/fonto--><!--fonto:Arial--><span style="font-family:Arial"><!--/fonto-->Half of the time we're gone but we don't know where,
we don't know where.
<!--fontc--></span><!--/fontc--><!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec--><!--fontc--></span><!--/fontc--><!--fontc--></span><!--/fontc-->
we don't know where.
<!--fontc--></span><!--/fontc--><!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec--><!--fontc--></span><!--/fontc--><!--fontc--></span><!--/fontc-->
-
Bref - Smiths Nut!
- Posts: 686
- Joined: Fri Oct 07, 2005 10:29 pm
- Location: Dublin
by Grim O'Grady » Tue Sep 19, 2006 5:06 pm
I just watched These Things Take Time documentary & in it Johnny says that his guitar influences are American & English folk!
How Soon Is Now? Always blows me away.
love
Grim
P.s. SI I like your latest avvy, we could be twins
How Soon Is Now? Always blows me away.
love
Grim
P.s. SI I like your latest avvy, we could be twins
<span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>"It was time to wise-up and get a haircut."</span>
- Grim O'Grady
- Smiths Nut!
- Posts: 1404
- Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2005 6:36 pm
- Location: Edinburgh via Bolton
by Pashernate_Lover » Fri Nov 10, 2006 6:35 am
A note upon his desk
"P.S. Bring Me Home And Have Me!"
Leather elbows on a tweed coat
-Oh!-
Is THAT the best you can do ?
So came his reply :
"But on the desk is where I want you!"
"P.S. Bring Me Home And Have Me!"
Leather elbows on a tweed coat
-Oh!-
Is THAT the best you can do ?
So came his reply :
"But on the desk is where I want you!"
- Pashernate_Lover
- Smiths Nut!
- Posts: 2601
- Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2004 2:39 am
- Location: Santa Cruz, California
Re: How was Marr a good guitarist?
by egosheep » Sat Sep 27, 2008 6:08 am
listen to girl afraid, the intro is just mind-boggling, and then it goes on to an awesome prechorus and then to another jawdropping chorus... the riffing just never lets up, never slows down...
listen to the effortless arpeggios on 'some girls'
The way he used alternate tunings: headmaster ritual and stretch out and wait are in open E, cemetary gates and meat is murder were in open D. He also used a nashville tuning, which is a 6 string guitar strung with the only the 6 high strings of a 12 string guitar. He was incredibly creative and inventive, he wrote incredible chord progressions, and he always found riffs to go over them. He was supremely tasteful, he always played the right notes at the right time. And he never limited himself, he played loud, soft, acoustic, rocked out, multitracked, backwards guitars, piano, autoharp... he continues to be an inspiration.
Did i mention that when the smiths broke up he was only 23???
listen to the effortless arpeggios on 'some girls'
The way he used alternate tunings: headmaster ritual and stretch out and wait are in open E, cemetary gates and meat is murder were in open D. He also used a nashville tuning, which is a 6 string guitar strung with the only the 6 high strings of a 12 string guitar. He was incredibly creative and inventive, he wrote incredible chord progressions, and he always found riffs to go over them. He was supremely tasteful, he always played the right notes at the right time. And he never limited himself, he played loud, soft, acoustic, rocked out, multitracked, backwards guitars, piano, autoharp... he continues to be an inspiration.
Did i mention that when the smiths broke up he was only 23???
- egosheep
- Newbie
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Fri Sep 26, 2008 6:10 pm
Re: How was Marr a good guitarist?
by rubygirl » Wed Oct 01, 2008 8:40 pm
I totally second the above, very good post! 
Color me red when I'm feeling blue.
- rubygirl
- Smiths Nut!
- Posts: 4015
- Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:18 pm
- Location: the room downstairs...
Re: How was Marr a good guitarist?
by Qvist » Sun Jan 11, 2009 6:04 pm
- Qvist
- Regular
- Posts: 40
- Joined: Wed Apr 06, 2005 7:21 am
13 posts
• Page 1 of 1
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 5 guests