Johnny Marr: “The Smiths never fell out over politics, but we probably would now”

Opera North is a leading UK arts organisation and national opera company based in Leeds.

Lily Moayeri Johnny Marr materializes on the Zoom screen a little bit like an apparition until he’s settled, his camera following his movements as he swings around the captain’s chair in his studio, Crazy Face Factory, in his hometown of Manchester, UK.Marr can be regarded as practically a mythical figure to those who have long regarded him as one of the greatest guitar players of all time, and the co-songwriter in one of the greatest bands of all time, the Smiths — status that’s a little bit at odds with the thoughtful and grounded gentleman who is dressed kind of like a cleric.There is a lot going on with Marr at the moment. “No Time to Die,” the Billie Eilish song on which he played guitar, won a Golden Globe last month to go along with its 2021 Grammy and current Oscar nomination.

Andy Burnham faced a furious crowd as he was asked about the Greater Manchester Clean Air Zone at a Mayor's Question Time event this week.

Dove Cameron recently dropped a snippet of her song “Boyfriend” as a TikTok sound and it went so viral that she has released the full song earlier than expected!

Peacock has given a straight-to-series order to Apples Never Fall, a limited series based on Liane Moriarty’s (Big Little Lies, Nine Perfect Strangers) bestselling novel.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterLiane Moriarty’s novel “Apples Never Fall” is being adapted into a limited series at Peacock, Variety has learned exclusively.In a competitive situation, Peacock has won the rights to the book, which was published in September 2021, and given it a straight-to-series order. Since its debut, the book has sold over one million copies.The series centers on the Delaneys, who from the outside appear to be an enviably contented family.

Johnny Knoxville is looking back at his chance to star on Saturday Night Live.

The introduction of Greater Manchester's Clean Air Zone is being delayed, the government has announced.

Nearly 150 taxis across Manchester and Salford staged a two-pronged protest against the introduction of Clean Air Zone (CAZ) charges today (Febuary 3).

Sean Penn has hit the headlines for complaining about American men being “feminised”. He seems very put out by it. Whining to the Independent, he said: “There are a lot of, I think, cowardly genes that lead to people surrendering their jeans and putting on a skirt.

Greater Manchester's Mayor is urging the government to 'take the politics out' of the Clean Air Zone and finally get the issue resolved.

When asked about the government’s ‘levelling up’ plan in Ashton town centre, a blank look falls over most shoppers’ faces.

Wigan MP Lisa Nandy has blasted the government's plan to 'level up' the country, saying it "does nothing" to address the issues faced by northern towns and cities.

Johnny Marr has revealed that he was so excited about working on the No Time To Die James Bond theme that he had to call his mum.In addition to working with Billie Eilish and her brother/producer Finneas on the theme song, the former Smiths guitarist wrote the soundtrack for the 25th big screen outing for 007 with his longtime collaborator and soundtrack legend Hans Zimmer.Speaking to his friend, writer and broadcaster Jon Savage in the latest issue of Rolling Stone UK, Marr discussed playing the famous Bond riff on guitar for the No Time To Die theme.“That really was a highlight,” he said, laughing. “When I did it, I went and phoned my mum, ‘Guess what I’ve just done, Mum!”He also talked about how working with Zimmer on the scores for both No Time To Die and Christopher Nolan’s 2010 action sci-fi Inception changed his writing and inspired a more cinematic type of production.“I’d say that working with Hans has brought that in,” he told Savage.

Bill Maher saved his best for last on his Friday night Real Time on HBO. After bland discussions on civil liberties, Covid-19 rules, affirmative action, and whether actual partisan combat may be brewing, he turned his guns on an unexpected target – the leftist progressives whose crazy demands have turned real life into comedy gold.

Dua Lipa has been chatting about the recording process for her third album, but she's already warning her fans that Future Nostalgia's follow-up is doing a bit of a sonic pivot. 

Johnny Marr has responded to an open letter from his former Smiths bandmate Morrissey in which the latter asked the former to stop talking about him in interviews. Short version: I don’t think it’s worked.This all seems to have been triggered by that recent interview in which Marr said that he was still friends with all the people he’s been in bands with over the years “except for the obvious one”. That being Morrissey.

Morrissey and Johnny Marr are still at odds.