Johnny Marr - The Headmaster Ritual (Live on KEXP)

KEXP.ORG presents Johnny Marr performing "The Headmaster Ritual" live in the KEXP studio. Recorded September 21, 2018.
Host: Cheryl Waters
Audio Engineer: Kevin Suggs
Cameras: Jim Beckmann, Alaia D'Alessandro, Scott Holpainen & Justin Wilmore
Editor: Jim Beckmann
kexp.org
johnnymarr.com

[@crvstalfiction]

this is literally the best chord progression ever created

[@benspicer7470]

100% agree

[@rishishah9995]

It’s always stuck in my head

[@chrisgiof3459]

F@CK YEES

[@francomartini1117]

indeed

[@mvxwelldemon]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/i3qcZ5WVl7mlpKs Open E tuning + a chorus & reverb pedal 😩

[@qroo1986]

"I still cant believe I'm playing this awesome song with Johnny Marr!" - The other 3 musicians

[@bobfrost4134]

I love the story where the guys from Modest Mouse keep talking about getting a guitarist like John. Finally, someone suggested that they just contact John. They did, never thinking he would ever consider it, and he joined the band.

[@jphedley]

Listen carefully. They are all playing so unbelievably well and I fuking love you Johnny Marr, but that's amazing band work. Just amazing.

[@markkendrick7547]

@@bobfrost4134 His current band is phenomenal.....I saw him in 2013 and on May 19th of this year at HOB in Anaheim..... There's everyone else and then there's Johnny phucing Marr......I've seen all the greats from Clapton , Page , Gallagher , John McLaughlin to every single genre of music including Heavy Metal......

[@TonyPhillipsSD]

Totally

[@isaacdominguez205]

…and get paid

[@rochfordsnrubbs6855]

Imagine the feeling of putting these chords together in '84/'85. Still sounds so vibrant

[@RedClayRamble]

Perfect comment ... So hard to imagine putting this jewel out back then.

[@jphedley]

Imagine putting that together at any time in history. You nailed it with its vibrancy.

[@MegaSbenson]

Amazing chord progressions. Take the intro, for example. Your ear becomes so accustomed to the atypical E-Cadd9-Dsus2 progression that, when the vocals start with a completely standard E to A progression, it sounds almost bizarre...genius!

[@Fishpower187]

Right at 1:15, I swear, for that second, it sounded like The Smiths at the height of their powers, c. '85 or '86. What I wouldn't do to see Morrissey and Johnny Marr reconvene The Smiths. I don't even care if it's just the two of them, to hear Johnny's guitar genius and Morrissey's unique voice complementing each other. . . yeah that's my dream concert.

[@stevebradley704]

Guitar tuned to open E.

[@craigwilson9797]

Johnny Marr only looks at the guitar neck to make other guitarists think he's human

[@joanleaks69]

convincing enough

[@georgewallace7853]

How can that man play so well and sing on top of it

[@diaspo]

Plenty of practice - 40+ years of playing lead, and another 20 propping up Morrisey on vocals.

[@ockhamsrazr1856]

I'm always amazed at what an effortlessly brilliant guitarist Mr. Marr is. Especially when he's singing while playing.

[@paulomauriciodarochapinto3765]

The bestestestest guitar play

[@bernlin2000]

Wow...Morrisey has never seemed more overrated :-P Marr has a better voice AND of course is a better guitarist. Just amazing.

[@stevenhartlaub4557]

Chris Ducat Morrissey’s voice is far better.

[@jackburton3540]

Johnny marrs tone is incredible. That said Morrisseys voice is irreplaceable

[@carper2248]

Bezz80 no, just no

[@mistuhmiketherapper]

Bezz80 yeah no, Morrisey was just as important as Johnny.

[@lucianorrocha]

Listen to the Radiohead version. Thom Yorke sings it very well

[@carper2248]

Luciano Rocha heard it ages ago no where near as good as the original

[@ebbtide4233]

He cant sing like morrissey but ill take this sound over morrisseys voice and a mediocre sound anyday

[@threedoutdoors7930]

Bass player studied Andy Rourke's skills. Andy was the driving force on a lot of Smith's songs, he never got the credit.

[@jimlovesgina]

Wikipedia says this about him: "Marr described Rourke's contribution to that album (The Queen is Dead) as "something no other bass player could match"." It seems you are mistaken. Wikipedia is where anyone would go to learn about the Smiths and therein Marr celebrates Rourke's contribution to one of the albums. Most comments like yours turn out to be complete bullshit. Glad I checked.

[@threedoutdoors7930]

@@jimlovesgina you mad about it? Lol. Here's where you are missing the big picture, Marr and Morrisey had sole rights of the songs, point being is that they were the face of the band and made ALL the money. Of course in hindsight Marr gave them recognition, but at the height of their fame the bassist and drummer were nothing more than studio musicians. Stop relying on wikipedia and actually learn the history.

[@huntelaarproductions6347]

He was a really good bass player but johnny wrote most of the bass lines of the smiths' songs, andy just played them very well.

[@bobfrost4134]

Andy was amazing. He held the pocket like no white boy should be able to do.

[@keithastbury1525]

@DereckDeegan. Studio musicians don't gig with a band for 4 and a half years! Andy and Mike were full members of the Smiths and should receive an equal cut of the everything apart from the song writing royalties. It's like saying that Ringo and George weren't full members of the Beatles and were just studio musicians. Absolutely ridiculous!

[@GriimX]

The singing was a nice surprise. I had my doubts, but it's a very pleasant performance. A musician through-and-through.

[@_baalshamin]

Man, search his versions of "Please please please" and "How Soon is Now?", he does more justice to the Smiths legacy than Morrissey.

[@rictualfury965]

Johnny marr is basically the soul of the smiths

[@bobfrost4134]

The guitar sound, along with that incredible bass line make this song. John influenced so many guitarists with that jangley sound. So easy to listen to, so hard to replicate.

[@paulcolbourne5555]

rictualfury maybe the heart, not the soul

[@thelantern9075]

bassmanjoe For sure, to me Andy and Joyce were un-replaceable. Andy’s baselines made the music for me.

[@franco.r91]

Yes, the soul

[@jasonclark8425]

Morrissey presumably then being the arsehole of The Smiths?

[@splitsseconds9965]

This really proves that only Johnny can play Smith's songs live.

[@GriimX]

Radiohead did a fantastic rendition, even though it doesn't sound quite like this one. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gqXQhGWbhbiGmrc

[@kmi187]

@@GriimX Johnny is very underestimated as a guitar player. He's key for the smiths sound, i'd even go as far as saying he is/was the smiths sound. You take that away, no matter how much talent the band has, you'll notice it's a cover version. Johnny's style is not easily copied.

[@typalmer6850]

@@GriimX Indeed.

[@pathofthegamer8590]

@@GriimX it was nowhere near the melody of this...honestly

[@lcddrownd874]

Radiohead did a fantastic cover. Jonny Greenwood and Jonny Marr are both amazing guitar players!

[@thelantern9075]

The band is tight, that bass player is seriously groovin. Andy Rourke has always been my favorite bass player of all time, Morrissey and Marr should both write him a FAT thank you check for making The Smiths music untouchable. This bass player is really great though.

[@NickHarman]

I think Marr and Rourke remain friends, after all they met each other before Morrissey

[@juhos30000]

The bassist is good but his tone is too mellow, it needs to be more trebbly

[@s_patzz8212]

"Same old joke since 1982" ... legend.

[@mrbachittarsingh9243]

Jack D'Ripa listen again

[@s_patzz8212]

@Jack D'Ripa 1st time around:1962, 2nd time around: 1982 i think?

[@stevenhartlaub4557]

stuart paterson That’s the year The Smith’s formed.

[@lucianorrocha]

@Jack D'Ripa Johnny sings 1982

[@viewfromtheeast]

Yeah, a little dig at Morrissey 😂

[@stefanobargagli2888]

Fabulous and unforgettable. I was 17 y.o.,now i am 55 and i love this music more.

[@plasteredbastard]

Johnny renders a flawless guitar performance as you'd expect and that backing band though commendable is missing that intrinsic singular element called Joyce, Rourke and what's his face.

[@plasteredbastard]

I'm left in a mental funk thinking how Johnny conceived these guitar parts, they are utterly otherworldly

[@ptrckshn339]

Get stoned, lock yourself in a studio, get a capo, explore alt tunings, tinker. Anything can happen. That's how Johnny did it.

[@capgage1]

Major seventh Sus2 chords, in the right voiceings, my friend. Only done with alternate tunings. There's a couple ways to do it, of not more. Open E like this with the C shapes, how he figured that out, don't know. Also, drop D on the high E string and can afford these types of chords if you play a Dmaj7 type shape. Little different. Capo at the second fret helps. :)

[@tjancijr]

One of the most underappreciated guitar performances of all time, IMO.

[@theuberman7170]

Just make a reunion already! For fucks sake! Both of them can still play and sing.

[@caolanoh1]

Marrs picking dexterity is something to behold. Makes it look so easy

[@ramosmary26]

i’ll say it again and i’ll continue to say it- fucking legend.

[@davidb2095]

Perfection. Could listen to that guitar all day long. How was this not a Smiths single? But what a lead-off track from Meat is Murder. Grabs you instantly.

[@feartheglosshh]

It's actually astounding he can play the "i want to go home" part while singing. He makes it look easy haha!

[@arnamthedarkthoughts7224]

The rhythm of the vocal kinda fits well with the rhythm of that guitar part, so difficult, but becomes easy once practiced

[@anythingfortrance]

One of the best Jag players in the world.

[@robertsagan9722]

One of the, if not the, best players in the world

[@filippomazzini1676]

I miss his old Rickenbacker days from the Smiths, that was his perfect guitar...even if the Jag might look cooler

[@knispelwedges427]

Johnny Marr playing the Rickenbacker is mostly exaggerated though. He played it on a handful of songs and especially those considered to be "jingle jangle like only a Rickenbacker can do" are done on a simple Telecaster, as Johnny stated on several occasions :-)

[@leomellor177]

His red Gibson 355 is my favourite Johnny guitar - he was the coolest person on the planet with that in his hands

[@benspicer7470]

That tone is just incredible! I personally prefer his jag tone over his ric, tele or 335 tone. Great guitarist and overall musician

[@VVIPWORLDUSA]

Johnny Marr is a Legend

[@benspicer7470]

Absolutely! One of my favorites ever

[@kitwarren2493]

A fantastic rendition of one the very best Smiths songs, a true musical legend

[@MobiusBandwidth]

what a brilliant song.

[@stevesemenuk4497]

Listen to all those layers and textures. Fantastic song and performance

[@darlinjacq1552]

In my opinion, Mr Marr is one of the four best band members of ANY musical group I'm the history of man kind!!!

[@paulczech]

Luscious guitar tone.

[@benspicer7470]

No shit. Dream guitar tone

[@paulczech]

@@benspicer7470 Spicy Spicer strikes again!

[@__Patrick]

I love that Johnny is singing these songs!

[@Alex-uy8zx]

So good! Johnny’s voice is perfect for these old classics.

[@clintt5266]

Mr. Marr is totally class. Amazing.

[@kellyegan7348]

It had to be 85/86 when I heard the Smiths. I was hooked immediately. This is definitely one of my favorite Smiths song. Johnny Marr rocks that guitar. Great version. My favorite is the original. Johnny rocking the guitar and Steven Patrick Morrisseys gifted voice

[@GRUNGETIME1]

I really started loving you more and more Kexp.

[@thomasweir2834]

Gets said on every video. But Marr really is one of the greatest musicians of all time.

[@polystonehorse]

I discovered Johnny Marr in a Rory Gallagher documentary and i say this guys its great! Love his music.Im an old bluesman.

[@Indieguitarist2007]

Gallagher and Marr are both geniuses!

[@Indieguitarist2007]

Gallagher and Marr are both geniuses!

[@buriedbits6027]

This is some of the slickest guitar playing I’ve ever heard.

[@TheReAndell]

I can’t believe I’m just seeing this. Amazing.

[@tjancijr]

The algorithm sent me here just a couple weeks ago. Thank you, algorithm, thank you.

[@reviewguy12]

The new guitar outro was 👌🏾

[@darrenjreynolds22]

Great band.....sounds really good

[@kmi187]

It's great to see, at an older age, your hero's are still playing. Nice to see Johnny again.

[@irvingmontero6718]

2:26 HEAVEN

[@benspicer7470]

Just a great song. That intro is amazing too

[@julianpratt9616]

What a fantastic performance - and I say again, its presenters like Cheryl Waters that make things like this work. You cannot put a price on a well informed, well researched and clearly interested presenter. I live in the UK but thanks to KEXP for putting together a great piece of work. Thats how you do it

[@djmatthewcarreon]

Great song

[@worrydoll1644]

i would literally give all of my limbs to see this man live

[@grgapitic2346]

Oh that sound.. I love it for 30 years

[@mmtz3051]

This performance is wonderful!!! What a guitarist!

[@Fengrad]

28 dislikes, all from Morrissey.

[@Dave-ij9rv]

🤣🤣🤣!!!

[@cascoporro3949]

True

[@BabbleOn]

Made me actually lol

[@user-ci8dy5op7o]

Upd: it`s 45 now

[@xochitl9161]

Probably.

[@geetarbube]

Oh, hell yes... Johnny Fuckin Marr!

[@MrStraccaletto]

Great musician Johnny Marr he had always a melodic style and he sing very well I don't believe it.

[@josh5846]

imagine the two of them together again. they’re both still excellent at their craft

[@mikecito1717]

Marr is is my Indy guitar Hendrix. Untouchable

[@fredsmith901]

Easily the greatest guitarist ever! You inspired me to learn guitar! Love you Johnny, Thanks for coming to Buffalo, New York. You were Amazing! What a night, I saw a legend! Unforgettable! Thank you Sir!

[@cesargarduno7999]

Nobody can play these harmonics like this, just Jonhy Marr.

[@ipredictacatastrophe4370]

I can't imagine having to play and sing these songs at the same time.

[@ezrablake1234]

Tone, play, all tight and flawless. Truly masterful stunt. Hollow body and offset will never go wrong in mr.marr’s hand

[@ezrhino100]

I am a guitar player. This song is on my bucket list. Johnny was and is a genius. He totally opened my ears to different sounds and not just classic rock. I still don't know where his stuff comes from...

[@davidellis5141]

Belligerent Ghouls Run Manchester schools. Amazing version.

[@mjr4314]

Fantastic guitar and thought the singing was pretty solid, and then I watched Moz sining on another vid. That's what made that band incredible. What a duo.

[@davidshields8401]

I was listening to the 13th floor elevators. You're gonna miss me. Then after a pause this came on auto play , I instantly felt a direct line connecting the two records . Nice one JohnJoe!

[@jameshymerstherapy4112]

The timeless perfection of Johnny Marr . I saw him at his London gig and he was epic.

[@xochitl9161]

That was brilliant !

[@gusanocc51]

El Gran Johnny Marr...uno de los mejores Guitarristas de grandes melodias!!

[@zeeeOgre]

Sounds great! This is pure gold!

[@carlosalfredosepulvedaguzm3896]

Just a masterpiece. Love this song.

[@chandrashekhermishra5847]

I literally do not miss Morrissey at all. Johnny can sing so well and then play the guitar as good as it can be played.

[@ryankelsey9646]

Johnny’s songs sound so easy to play, but are so difficult. This is coming from a lead guitarist who can do Van Halen style tapping.

[@craiglewis6145]

The strange thing is that I've seen hundreds of guitarists do the Van Halen thing but none do the Johnny Marr thing. I was a pro musician for the best part of 30 years btw so have worked with lots of other musicians.

[@renardsubtil3455]

@@craiglewis6145 Imagination is very hard . Create great melody is not done to everybody .

[@CTScenic]

His parys sound so nice and breezy and he looks calm so you think yeah i could do that. But no. I tried a Smiths riff... once ..

[@Dennis-uh2cu]

oh my god this is so good !! great this music is still here since my youth

[@ClaudioAlessandri]

I love so much The Smiths and this performance is absolutely amazing!

[@sbingham1979]

I love these guys. I love watching and listening to each and every one of them. It makes sense that a man of Johnny Marr's musical excellence would attract these 3 other musicians who are also excellent.

[@Kalshain]

what an awesome composition!!

[@knet221]

I'm an 80's smith fan but I like this rendition of Jonny Marr's so much better than the original. Rock on!!!

[@luckyman5958]

He is very good singing, but he is not better than Morrisey vocals.

[@knet221]

Yes, but for this song Jonny Marr is better! Do a comparison my friend.

[@knet221]

West coast of CA representing Smiths forever

[@Youcantleavethisempty01]

Long live guitar music.

[@christianalander9487]

Yes! One of my very favorite Smiths songs, and easily one of Johnny's best as a guitarist. It's so good to hear him doing this one live over 30 years later.

[@LeGrandeOrange]

That guitar is nearly as beautiful as Johnny's playing!

[@chilldude30]

I think as a guitar player I really appreciate this more than I would otherwise. Amazing!

[@rafaelcabralwilliams]

This is even better than the recording.

[@aldarko9487]

down the nape of my neck................ this is great, Thank you

[@m9shamalan]

this song is surely one that you would have to play to aliens if they asked 'what do you do on earth?'

[@user-us1rx5lv8n]

Thank you friend!!!

[@caligaselcabron]

What a legend! 👊🏻

[@angelanicoletti3330]

Thank you * Mr. Johnny Marr * Cheers

[@bernlin2000]

Nice to see the Smiths are still alive and well...this is the spirit of the band. Morrisey was just the personality...Marr was the sound.

[@arnamthedarkthoughts7224]

You say 'just' the personality, but that's a big thing in itself, but Morrissey brings alot more than that. What this performance is missing - he'd bring. Power to vocals, distinction, honesty to the vocals, a certain venom and truth. Brings LIFE to it. All this is is a musical backing track for his voice. I LOVE this song so much and I'm covering it myself, but always better with M doing the vocals

[@kevinreay1510]

Stunningly good.

[@stephengregory7026]

Guitars plus lyrics = magic.

[@JJ-zg1hh]

That was solid gold...

[@asiertreku3092]

Wonderful guitars

[@oddihans]

I don't understand how anyone can play this on guitar while singing :)

[@rjdmccarthy]

Blows my mind - I can play it and sing some of it but the complexity is overwhelming both at once for the whole song.

[@meadish]

How good is that outro!

[@rorypreston7178]

Genius guitar work

[@yeclauhe]

What amazing song 👏👏

[@jamescalalo]

made my day!!!

[@slayzou]

I LOVE THIS SO MUCH

[@joanmsmith5561]

Beautiful

[@voltagevillain7342]

Playing and singing at the same time!

[@aliceportela3760]

One of my favorites

[@regperatrovich9406]

This guitarist got The Smiths’ guitar sound AND chord progressions so spot on! What a great cover! 😀

[@andrebitoff3726]

Good players. Nice to see the same guys all these years.

[@ThomasTheFapEngine]

Awesome!

[@ACMEpowersports]

I saw the Smiths in the US about 8 months before they split. Not many of us in the States did. This is as close as we are ever going to get again. Period. JM's voice has come so far in the last 5 years it's astonishing. He is the total package now. He responded to an Instagram post of mine and said, "he is having the time of his life right now". Truth. @ @

[@paulconnelly4050]

Johnny Marr at his best.

[@tamasszucs143]

So Great !!!