Johnny Marr talks about Rough Trade and The Smiths

Johnny Marr talks about The Smiths and their relationship with Rough Trade taken from the BBC's The Story of Rough Trade in this edited clip.

[@Jackmc2112]

July 13th 1985 (Live Aid) The Smiths had the #1 album in the UK and we Yanks never heard of them. The entire crowd at Wembley would have erupted had Johnny opened their set with This Charming Man thus saving me a year and a half when I discovered them by accident in San Diego 91X Huge mistake what Johnny agreed to with Morrissey, not counting Mike and Andy as equal’s. I’ve read Johnny agrees that it was a mistake.

[@maryreilly5102]

Legend

[@thielees]

The very best bands seemed doomed to a fiery end. All of that creativity and willfulness ends up turning into war in almost every case. The Rolling Stones seem to have cracked the code, but perhaps only because they haven’t produced any music of value since 1982

[@ADoc1980]

Who else thinks Johnny, Noel Gallagher, Mani and Zack Starkey should start a band?

[@BayviewFinch]

Was anyone else hoping this was going to be about Rough Trade, the band from Canada, led by Carol Pope?

[@fraser7118]

nope...

[@blackferdinand2260]

BayviewFinch no

[@paullabrecque1296]

Yes

[@Meghan73]

I love the smiths. and i love listening to johnny marr talk about his time with the smiths. i'll bet he had the same calming effect on morrissey that he has on me :)

[@ferabra8939]

Well, it was a perfect partership until Rough Trade simply couldn' t cope with the demand, which in turn prevented the Smiths from becoming number one, just because their records would sell out and not be replenished...Sad, but then again, as they put it "not everyone wants to become U2". They're still one of the best bands ever.

[@sexobscura]

a band will be #1 *regardless* of any label doings

[@sexobscura]

@@sturdeehouse who

[@hazabaza9]

sturdeehouse but by all accounts nick drake didn’t help himself unfortunately

[@Syfoll]

@@sturdeehouse Nick unfortunately killed his own career. No interviews, little to no concerts and even the ones that he did were unmemorable and boring to the audience because he retuned the guitar for every song. Not everyone gets to be lucky like Mike Oldfield.

[@twitchygiraffe4636]

In this interview Johnny almost defends Morrissey’s shirking responsibility towards running the band? When we all know Johnny wasn’t just running the band, they wouldn’t have even happened if it wasn’t for him! Morrissey would still be in his bedroom shagging a mirror (or his James Dean cardboard cutout!?!) if Johnny hadn’t have knocked on his door in 1982!!!!

[@jamesonjaksch4883]

I absolutely agree, although if Johnny Marr would have contacted a different frontman, the chances of him becoming big would’ve been slim nonetheless. Morrissey needs Johnny, Johnny needs Morrissey.

[@twitchygiraffe4636]

You definitely right they did need each other, but for a young Johnny to have such a burden of management put on his shoulders because Morrissey didn’t want someone else to manage the band incase they got too friendly and close to Johnny is just unbelievable! Mozzer was just like some jealous lover or something being that possessive! What a twat!!!!

[@29memyselfandi]

@@twitchygiraffe4636He was also given to fits of manic depression. It’s easy to call someone a twat when they’re falling apart inside their own head.

[@twitchygiraffe4636]

.....Oh! And the quiffy one was the villain of the peace anyway for sacking any manager who dared to get too close to his beloved Johnny! “I won’t share you” indeed!!!!

[@TreadingLemming]

Boy, as much as I have always lamented The Smiths demise, that last line from Johnny brings it all full circle. If they hadn't basically hated each other, it wouldn't have been as great as it was. At the same time, if Johnny had been five years older than Moz (rather than the other way round) they might still be around today.

[@whodatninja439]

It's really sad, what could've been... But if they had a manager and everything went peachy, they were still playing today, would the music have been as good as it was?

[@oyaagusagus2907]

Fans of indonesia? 🙄

[@patrikgabrielsson2135]

Underrated band and underrated guitarist.

[@sexobscura]

not really *at all* on both terms

[@seaandbells]

I feel the term ‘underrated’ gets thrown around way too often/easily, they are regarded as one of most influential British indie bands 🤷🏻

[@schreineinAV]

@@sexobscura maybe in America..... here in the UK there’s still a fan cult who obsess over the smiths..... and Johnny Marr is still hailed as a guitar god....

[@EJ2K2K]

The Smiths.. underrated?

[@punkinmyvitamins1]

That’s something that someone who only listens to “this charming man” says and claims he loves The Smiths. Not trying to be an asshole, that’s just how that comment comes off.

[@Schumitastic]

@NinetiesYouth How can you say that, when Definitely Maybe was written while Noel was on the dole and seemingly had no hope of becoming famous? Oasis and The Smiths are my two favourite bands - I think The Smiths are better, but Oasis simple but upbeat lyrics with glorious melodies never fails to put a smile on my face.

[@MrKarpote]

johnny was such a nice bloke-check that at 3.03.

[@seanokeefe703]

Management might have strangled the greatness

[@MandaOwl]

great interview! thanks a lot for uploading :)

[@rikersbeard5235]

Morrissey and Jhonny need to give it another go. Whole new collaboration with new band name or just Marr and Morrissey in lights.

[@sexobscura]

@SergioMartelli the smiths were a *band* and any royalties *should have* been divided *equally*

[@sexobscura]

but you can't neglect Rick and Bruce

[@jonathanhadley2555]

The Smiths & The Jam will never reform..."When uts gone its gone" P.W

[@flamadiddledoo]

Naa

[@Archiv3sofpa1n]

“Marrissey”

[@Postpunk-cx1ph]

A far more measured appraisal of the past than Morriseys 100 Page moan up in his book!

[@flockofwolves]

Postpunk 1982 you buy a Morrissey book you gonna get a Morrissey moan.

[@ADoc1980]

@NinetiesYouth No, you want me to say that, but they were completely different bands. I wouldn't say either one was better, but even if I did it wouldn't change the fact that they were both great bands.

[@moriamortem]

can anybody tell me where can i see this in full length?

[@ADoc1980]

@NinetiesYouth - So what's your point? Doesn't change the fact that Oasis was at one time the biggest and best band in the world. I adore The Smiths as well, but you can't sit there and say Oasis was phony because like it or not, their music will Live Forever.

[@ADoc1980]

@NinetiesYouth You're kidding right? Get over yourself and deal with the fact that Oasis was a truly great band.

[@sexobscura]

*Rough Trade bumped the fantastic 'The Go Betweens' to sign 'The Smiths'*

[@fotoautomatmusic]

Should of taken on both!

[@sexobscura]

@@fotoautomatmusic Too true

[@sexobscura]

*before This Charming Man was released Still Ill was the first single AND BOMBED big time --- Marr's selective memory is as useful as his band cohorts* *PS: The Smiths signing is the reason why The Go Betweens were dropped from the label*

[@chrisgoodson9312]

Still Ill only got as far as test pressings and was never released as a single. You're right about the Go Betweens though.

[@bigblackdrummachine8250]

Hand in glove was the first single release