Adrenalin Baby was recorded live during the Playland tour in 2014. It includes live recordings predominantly from the iconic Manchester Apollo and Brixton Academy. Marr said he wanted to capture the atmosphere and feeling of the last couple of tours. It contains live versions of tracks from his solo records, Playland, The Messenger, whilst also including songs from earlier in his career, such as Getting Away With It. Adrenalin Baby also features several songs by The Smiths, such as The Headmaster Ritual, How Soon Is Now and Bigmouth Strikes Again.

TRACK LISTING

LP
A1 Playland
A2 The Right Thing Right
A3 Easy Money
A4 25 Hours
B1 New Town Velocity
B2 The Headmaster Ritual
B3 The Messenger
B4 Back In The Box
C1 Generate! Generate!
C2 Bigmouth Strikes Again
C3 Boys Get Straight
C4 Candidate
D1 Getting Away With It
D2 There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
D3 Dynamo
D4 I Fought The Law
D5 How Soon Is Now?

CD
1 Playland
2 The Right Thing Right
3 Easy Money
4 25 Hours
5 New Town Velocity
6 The Headmaster Ritual
7 The Messenger
8 Back In The Box
9 Generate! Generate!
10 Bigmouth Strikes Again
11 Boys Get Straight
12 Candidate
13 Getting Away With It
14 There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
15 Dynamo
16 I Fought The Law
17 How Soon Is Now?

THIS IS A RECORD STORE DAY 2024 EXCLUSIVE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE INSTORE ON SATURDAY APRIL 20TH ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVED BASIS, LIMITED TO ONE PER PERSON.

IF THERE ARE ANY REMAINING COPIES THEY WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT 8PM ON MONDAY APRIL 22ND.

Personally curated and compiled by Johnny Marr, Spirit Power: The Best Of Johnny Marr encompasses music from across his four widely acclaimed solo albums released over the last decade (2013’s The Messenger, 2014’s Playland, 2018’s Call The Comet, 2022 double album Fever Dreams Pts 1-4), non-album single releases ‘Armatopia’ and ‘The Priest’ (w/ Maxine Peake). The collection also includes 2 brand new studio recordings Somewhere and The Answer.

Since establishing the current chapter of his solo work a decade ago, Johnny has remained a restless creative. Working and recording out of his own purpose-built Manchester studio, the Crazy Face Factory, his songwriting has embraced an instinctive sonic evolution across four full length albums.

STAFF COMMENTS

Andy says: When Johnny got back to sounding like, well, JOHNNY, again, with his debut solo album around ten years ago, the world of Indie Pop welcomed back an old friend and guitar hero with open arms. To hear his best songs stacked up like this just goes to show what a great song-writer he is, in his own right, without "her indoors", as well as being one of the all-time great UK guitarists. The proof's in the pudding. Magic.

TRACK LISTING

2LP (19 Tracks)
Side 1
Armatopia
New Town Velocity
Easy Money
Spirit Power & Soul
Hi Hello
Side 2
Somewhere
European Me
The Messenger
I Feel You
Side 3
The Answer
Dynamo
Spiral Cities
The Priest
Night And Day
Side 4
Sensory Street
Walk Into The Sea
Upstarts
Candidate
Tenement Time

Standard CD (16 Tracks)
1. Armatopia
2. New Town Velocity
3. Easy Money
4. Spirit Power & Soul
5. Hi Hello
6. Somewhere
7. The Messenger
8. I Feel You
9. The Answer
10. Dynamo
11. Spiral Cities
12. Night And Day
13. Sensory Street
14. Walk Into The Sea
15. Candidate
16. Tenement Time

Deluxe 2CD (24 Tracks)
Disc 1
1. Armatopia
2. New Town Velocity
3. Easy Money
4. Spirit Power And Soul
5. Hi Hello
6. Somewhere
7. European Me
8. The Messenger
9. I Feel You
10. The Answer
11. Dynamo
12. Spiral Cities
13. The Priest
Disc 2
1. Night And Day
2. Sensory Street
3. Walk Into The Sea
4. Upstarts
5. Candidate
6. Tenement Time
7. Hi Hello (Demo)
8. Somewhere (Demo)
9. The Answer (Crazy Face Version)
10. The Messenger (Demo)
11. Speak Out Reach Out (Crazy Face Version)

A stunning photographic presentation of the guitars that defined the distinctive sounds and style of Johnny Marr with personal reflections and insights from the legendary guitarist himself. 'Guitars have been the obsession of my life ... they've been a mission and sometimes a lifeline' - Johnny Marr The guitarist's guitarist, Johnny Marr redefined music for a generation.

His ringing arpeggios and chordal innovations helped elevate The Smiths to be one of the most influential and important British bands of all time. Tracing Marr's career from his teenage years to his recent work on the Bond soundtrack, Marr's Guitars showcases the most significant of Marr's superb collection of electric and acoustic guitars, revealing through them the evolution of his iconic sound and style of playing. Each guitar is identified with a crucial moment, a specific song or a particular sound, and each embodies a key aspect of Marr's lifelong passion.

Renowned photographer Pat Graham presents each instrument as a full portrait, supported by micro shots highlighting the specific details that make each one unique, while Johnny Marr himself reveals in his accompanying commentary on what tracks and at which shows the guitars were played. Many of the guitars are closely associated with Marr, such as the Rickenbacker 330, the Gibson ES-355 and the Johnny Marr Signature Fender Jaguar. Some were passed down to him, including Nile Rodgers' Stratocaster, Bryan Ferry's Roxy Music Hagstrom and Bert Jansch's Yamaha.

Others are guitars once owned by Marr that have since been passed on to the next generation of guitar heroes, including the Stratocaster used by Noel Gallagher on 'Wonderwall' and the Gibson Les Paul Goldtop used on In Rainbows by Radiohead's Ed O'Brien. Punctuating the photography of the guitars and the accompanying commentary are contextual studio, backstage and onstage shots. Together, they make Marr's Guitars a unique cultural history of modern music and guitar playing told through the prism of Johnny Marr's experiences and achievements.

THIS IS A RECORD STORE DAY 2023 EXCLUSIVE, LIMITED TO ONE PER PERSON.

Andy Rourke, formerly of The Smiths & one of the most revered bassists of all time, has teamed up with front-man & guitarist Kav for their music project "BLITZ VEGA" They release their debut vinyl for Record Store Day, featuring new versions of their single "Strong Forever", including guest guitar from Johnny Marr & B-Sides / mixes & remixes from Z-Trip, Jagz Kooner, DayBreakers & Will Kennedy. The vinyl features unreleased new material, unavailable online.

TRACK LISTING

Strong Forever (single Version) Z-Trip Mix
Strong Forever Original (Jagz Kooner Mix)
Strong Forever (Day Breakers Remix)
Strong Forever ( Will Kennedy Live Band Mix)
Lost & Found (Jagz Kooner Mix)
Lost & Found ( Day Breakers Remix)
LA Vampire ( Jagz Kooner Mix)
Big Nose

Johnny Marr started his career with The Smiths, beginning an amazing history as one of the most influential songwriters and guitarists in British independent music. His subsequent creative journey has seen him at the heart of The The, Electronic, Modest Mouse and The Cribs, as well as working with such names as The Pretenders, Talking Heads, The Avalanches, and the musician and composer Hans Zimmer - with whom he recently recorded the score and soundtrack for the forthcoming James Bond film, No Time To Die, including the title track created with Billie Eilish.

In the wake of his time leading The Healers, Marr’s solo career has given rise to three UK Top Ten albums - The Messenger (2013), Playland (2014) and 2018’s Call The Comet, and he will be returning in February with his most expansive work to date, Fever Dreams Pts 1-4. It was created during the long, uncertain period that followed the arrival of the UK’s first lockdown, when his focus was pushed into both his interior life, and evoking the emotional states of others. “It’s an inspired record, and I couldn’t wait to get in and record every day,” he says. “But I had to go inwards.”

The upcoming album reflects his multi-faceted past, but takes his music somewhere startlingly new. “There’s a set of influences and a very broad sound that I’ve been developing - really since getting out of The Smiths,” he says. “And I hear it in this record. There are so many strands of music in it. I think it’s the most ambitious solo record I’ve done.”

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: Johnny Marr returns, bringing with him his newest LP, Fever Dreams 1-4, collecting the four EP's together into one impressive double LP package. It's a widescreen collection of Marr at his very best, that trademark guitar and his increased focus on sweeping synths and throbbing pop percussion coming together to a brilliantly coherent selection of future classics.

TRACK LISTING

Side 1
1. Spirit Power And Soul
2. Receiver
3. All These Days
4. Ariel
Side 2
1. Lightning People
2. Hideaway Girl
3. Sensory Street
4. Tenement Time
Side 3
1. The Speed Of Love
2. Night And Day
3. Counter Clock World
4. Rubicon
Side 4
1. God's Gift
2. Ghoster
3. The Whirl
4. Human

Single Life collects together the first ten solo single releases by Johnny Marr in a limited edition 7” box.

Wrapped in a metallic silver box, the set contains all Johnny's 7” releases from 2012’s Upstarts through to 2018’s Spiral Cities, all in original artwork sleeves.

The boxset also contains vinyl debuts for the promo only track The Messenger, backed with an exclusive unreleased demo version of the fan favourite New Town Velocity and the double A side Armatopia/The Bright Parade.

All ten 7” singles are pressed onto coloured vinyl and the set is completed by two limited edition photographic prints, exclusive to Single Life. 

TRACK LISTING

Disc 1 -
1. The Messenger
2. New Town Velocity (Single Version)

Disc 2 -
1. Upstarts
2. Psychic Beginner

Disc 3 -
1. New Town Velocity
2. The It-Switch

Disc 4 -
1. Easy Money
2. Use Me Up

Disc 5 -
1. Dynamo
2. Struck

Disc 6 -
1. I Feel You
2. Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want

Disc 7 –
1. Candidate
2. Exit Connection

Disc 8 -
1. Hi Hello
2. Jeopardy

Disc 9 -
1. Spiral Cities
2. Spectral Eyes

Disc 10 –
1. Armatopia
2. The Bright Parade

Recorded with his band in Manchester at Marr’s Crazy Face studios, ‘Call The Comet’ is the third solo record from the Smiths guitarist and follows 2013’s critically acclaimed The Messenger and 2014’s Playland; both of which made the UK top 10. “Call The Comet is set in the not-too-distant future” says Marr, “and is mostly concerned with the idea of an alternative society. It’s my own magic realism.” Songs include Actor Attractor, Walk Into The Sea, Bug, and recent live favourite Spiral Cities. “The characters in the songs are searching for a new idealism, although there are some personal songs in there too. It’s something that people like me can relate to.” Says Marr.

STAFF COMMENTS

Andy says: Easily his best solo album.

Barry says: Johnny Marr brings his most accomplished and forward-thinking album to date, brimming with cleverly penned lyricism, addictive hooks and his uncompromisingly immersive songwriting style. A stunning continuation of form, and a future classic.

TRACK LISTING

1. Rise
2. The Tracers
3. Hey Angel
4. Hi Hello
5. New Dominions
6. Day In Day Out
7. Walk Into The Sea
8. Bug
9. Actor Attractor
10. Spiral Cities
11. My Eternal
12. A Different Gun

Last year saw Johnny Marr enjoy a rapturous start to his solo career following the critical acclaim (included the honour of being named as NME’s Godlike Genius) greeted to his Top 10 debut solo album ‘The Messenger’. Meanwhile his shows were celebrated for his ability to combine the best of his new material with select highlights from The Smiths plus others from his extensive back catalogue.

Johnny Marr’s upwards trajectory continues unabated with the release of his second solo album ‘Playland’. Work on ‘Playland’ commenced in London in the Spring as soon as the year of touring in support of ‘The Messenger’ came to a close. It finds Marr continuing the creative connection that was forged on ‘The Messenger’ with collaborator and co-producer Doviak as well as the other musicians who performed on the album and accompanying tour.

As Johnny states: "When The Messenger came out I kept on writing. I liked that the band had a momentum going on tour and a connection with the audience, and I thought that energy would be good to capture on the new record."

Written around a common theme of “songs that move at the speed of life,” ‘Playland’ captures much of the spirit that made ‘The Messenger’ so memorable with energetic, post-punk songwriting complemented by Johnny Marr’s characteristic guitar style, thought-provoking lyrical ideas and poised vocal phrasing. "It's important to sound like your environment and on this record that's London and Manchester,” he adds. “The feeling of the cities and the people make it into the music."

The title ‘Playland’ is inspired by ‘Homo ludens’, a 1938 book by the highly influential Dutch cultural theorist Johan Huizinga which explores the concept of play as a precursor and principal element of cultural development.

TRACK LISTING

Back In The Box
Easy Money
Dynamo
Candidate
25 Hours
The Trap
Playland
Speak Out Reach Out
Boys Get Straight
This Tension
Little King

Having initially found fame as guitarist and ‘curator’ of all things music with The Smiths, the ever pragmatic and effortlessly cool Johnny Marr did not take long to find his feet post Smithsdom. Having kick-started a (Britpop) generation of guitarists with his rickenbacker-esque fretwork in The Smiths, Johnny went on to find fame in super-group Electronic before eventually joining both Modest Mouse and The Cribs respectively as a semi-permanent member, performing on and touring at least one record with both acts. Somewhere in between all of this, with a fleeting appearance as a member of The The, Marr’s first foray into solo territory began - a debut record from Johnny Marr & The Healers. Now, 10 years on - and this time sans The Healers, Marr returns with his most accomplished work to date.

STAFF COMMENTS

Andy says: At last, Johnny sounds like Johnny! Respect to J.M. for not wanting to be pigeonholed, but here he is chiming, ringing and rocking just like in the old days. What's more, these are pop-songs, every one a potential single. Superb.

TRACK LISTING

1 The Right Thing Right
2 I Want The Heartbeat
3 European Me
4 Upstarts
5 Lockdown
6 The Messenger
7 Generate! Generate!
8 Say Demesne
9 Sun & Moon
10 The Crack Up
11 New Town Velocity
12 Word Starts Attack