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The Latest Breaking News from Smiths

10 brilliant songs that prove Johnny Marr is one of the most influential guitarists of his generation

It's true, just ask Radiohead, Blur, Fontaines D.C., Red Hot Chili Peppers and more...

Louder

Johnny Marr turned down 'eye-watering' sum for The Smiths reunion

Musician Johnny Marr has revealed he turned down an "eye-watering" amount of money to reform The Smiths because "the vibe’s not right".

BANG Premier

"I’m not an idiot." Johnny Marr reveals why he turned down a recent offer of "an eye-watering amount of money" to reform The Smiths

The reunited Oasis might be stadium-bound soon, but don't hold your breath for another iconic Manchester band returning to the stage

Louder

From analysis to the latest developments in health,
read the most diverse news in one place.

Johnny Marr turned down ‘eye-watering’ Smiths reunion offer because the ‘vibe’ wasn’t right

‘It was a little bit about principles, but I’m not an idiot,’ the guitarist said

The Independent UK

The 16 greatest Glastonbury Festival performances ever

These are the most iconic sets to have ever graced the world's most famous music festival

Louder

Nick Cave turned down Morrissey collab over ‘silly anti-woke screed’

Australian singer-songwriter called the former Smiths frontman ‘probably the best lyricist of his generation’

The Independent UK

“That was the last straw, really. I didn't form a group to perform Cilla Black songs”: How a frosty band meeting in a fish and chip restaurant signalled the end for the Smiths

The Smiths story came to a close shortly after completion of 1987 album Strangeways, Here We Come, and a tense exchange of words over fish and chips…

MusicRadar

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“Iggy left the Stooges and had a career – ditto Lou Reed with the Velvet Underground or Morrissey with the Smiths. Where’s Biafra’s solo career?”: East Bay Ray explains why the Dead Kennedys’ chemistry hit its peak on Fresh Fruit... and why it fell apart

In the year 1980, the Dead Kennedys debut presented a new sound for punk. Here guitarist East Bay Ray tells us how they made Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables

Guitar World

“They didn’t really know about recording. They didn’t know about overdubbing or about song structure or anything”: Producer John Porter on working with the Smiths on some of their most iconic tracks

We interviewed the producer of the Smiths' early career work recently, and he revealed some eye-opening insights…

MusicRadar

“I’ve got a friend in a well-known band, and he says Martins have unnecessary bottom-end. My retort was always: ‘Well, you need to learn to play properly’”: Johnny Marr on the magic of his 7-string signature Martin – and his fight with capo addiction

Since he rose to glory in the mid-’80s with The Smiths, Marr has been the king of crystalline chime. Now, he reveals how his new M-7 Martin – complete with octave Gstring – puts that shimmer at your fingertips

Guitar World

Pete Doherty adds 'very special guest' Mike Joyce of The Smiths to select dates of solo tour

Mike Joyce, former drummer of The Smiths, will perform in Pete Doherty's solo band at select shows this year.

BANG Premier

‘WH Smith wasn’t just a workplace’: ex-staff and shoppers on the high street chain

With the brand to disappear from town and city streets, readers share their memories of how it touched their lives

The Guardian - UK

“We always thought it had something”: From Green Day to U2, here's 6 B-sides that became massive hits

They might have been initially maligned by their creators, but these songs were just too good to keep down

MusicRadar

Coronation Street’s Kevin Kennedy looks back: ‘I collapsed after going two days without alcohol. I knew I’d die if I carried on’

The actor on being ‘Curly’ Watts for 20 years, beating his addiction and playing the same festival as Johnny Cash

The Guardian - UK

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Guitar World

“I wrote loads of the Smiths stuff on my first Martin. It was from some hire company – I just refused to give it back!” Johnny Marr on creating his 7-string Martin acoustic, his disdain for satin necks, and why the Smiths were really a folk band

Tearing up the blueprint with an octave G string, Johnny Marr’s new seven-string Martin signature model is a distillation of all the British icon’s most rebellious opinions on acoustic

The Guardian - UK

‘If I’d written Happy Birthday, I wouldn’t be in comedy’: Josh Widdicombe’s honest playlist

The comedian gets a nostalgic rush from the Smiths and would have the Beatles soundtracking his funeral, but which Welsh indie classic can he no longer bear?

Guitar World

“People usually assume it’s a Rickenbacker, Telecaster or Jaguar. It’s often been this Les Paul”: Gibson and Johnny Marr have recreated the 1984 Les Paul that underpinned The Smiths legend’s entire career

Exclusive to the Gibson Garage London to mark the store's first anniversary, only 20 examples will be made, and each will be hand-signed by Marr himself

MusicRadar

“It’s a privilege to be involved in this good cause… especially when it involves making a fantastic Les Paul”: Gibson and Johnny Marr team up for limited edition replica of his red 1984 Les Paul Standard in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust

Limited to just 20 units worldwide, Marr's Bigsby-equipped Les Paul will be available from the Gibson Garage London from 21 February with all proceeds going to charity

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Louder

“We feel that music should be used in order to make serious statements”: how The Smiths turned from a good band into a great one on Meat Is Murder

The indie trailblazers’ second album turns 40 this month and sealed their status as one of the best British guitar groups ever

The Guardian - UK

Forget the Smiths, French pack could cause panic on the pitch in London

If England are blown away up front, Will Smith might as well be playing fly-half for all the difference it will make

Evening Standard

Industrial giant Smiths Group bows to investor calls for break-up

The FTSE 100 firm is to offload two of its main businesses, after a US activist investment group said it needs to boost its share price.

Evening Standard

Smiths Group hit by global cyber attack

The FTSE 100 firm said the hack had affected its internal systems worldwide.

The Independent UK

Woolworths, Wilko and now WH Smith – why Britain’s high-street stalwarts didn’t deserve to survive

IN FOCUS: With the news that another veteran retailer is officially shutting its doors, Helen Coffey asks whether any of the UK’s heritage chains can cling on amid the digital shopping storm

MusicRadar

“I don't think Morrissey liked me. I don't think he liked my friendship with Johnny”: Producer John Porter on shaping The Smiths’ most iconic tracks, and why he’s auctioning a treasure trove of original acetates

John found a huge collection of original acetates and mixes of many Smiths’ classics unplayed since the 1980s

MusicRadar

"Every year, pour a few pints of beer over it and empty a couple of ashtrays onto the strings. Finally, throw it out the back of the tour bus": Keane’s Tim Rice-Oxley on keeping the "character" of his Yamaha CP-70 and the ups and downs of being in a band

“Putting it simply, we’d sort of split up. We no longer felt we were on the same page musically and it looked highly unlikely that we’d ever be celebrating any kind of 20th anniversary”

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