Billy Joel
Johnny Marr is an English musician, songwriter, and singer (born Johnny Martin Maher) in Manchester in October 1963 and at the age of 13 formed his first band, the Paris Valentinos. He played in several bands, the most recent being Freak Party. But by early 1982, after losing their singer, Marr approached Rob Allman, the singer with White Dice. He showed little interest and instead suggested Steven Morrissey, the singer with the Nosebleeds. In May, and through a third-party it was arranged for Marr to meet Morrissey at his home. They seemed to hit it off and with Marr’s first bass player, Andy Rourke, and Mike Joyce on drums they formed the Smiths.
Within months they signed to Rough Trade Records and in May 1983 released their first single “Hand in Glove.” Now with an ever-growing fan base they recorded their first album, which was released in early 1984 and reached number two in the UK Chart. This was quickly followed by their second album, the controversial, “Meat is Murder.”
Their third album “The Queen Is Dead” was awarded the accolade by Spin magazine as being one of the greatest albums ever made. This resulted in the NME dubbing the Smiths the most important rock band of all time.
Marr's guitar sounds are instantly recognisable, with his jangly Rickenbacker and Fender Telecaster and synonymous with the Smith’s sound. Marr said, when performing with the band, he wanted to play a music which was pop. "100% of my focus was on providing interesting guitar hooks and putting some kind of space-age twist on the guitarist's role. The pop guitarist crossed with the mad professor. That's how I thought of myself."
In early 1986, Rourke was fired by the band for his use of heroin, but within weeks he was reinstated. But other problems were already looming and despite their continued success, personal differences within the band and the increasingly strained relationship between Morrissey and Marr created a huge problem.
Marr left the group in July 1987, and despite auditions to find a replacement no one was considered suitable. So, by the time their next tranche of music was released the band had long split.
One of the reasons given by Morrissey was the fact that Marr was working and recording with other artists, however, he later told Tim Samuels, a BBC journalist, that it was due to the lack of a managerial figure and business problems.
Marr's guitar playing had a massive effect on many of the Manchester bands that followed the Smiths including: John Squire - Stone Roses, Noel Gallagher - Oasis, and no doubt many more. He has since performed with numerous other bands and singers including: the Pretenders, Pet Shop Boys, collaborating with Hans Zimmer, on film soundtracks, Talking Heads. Joss Stone, Bryan Ferry and so many more.
In 2010 in a poll conducted by the BBC, Marr was voted the fourth-best guitarist of the last 30 years and Phil Alexander, editor-in-chief of Mojo described him as "arguably Britain's last great guitar stylist." In 2013, the NME, honoured Marr with its "Godlike Genius" award: "Not content with rewriting the history of music with one of the world's greatest ever bands, the Smiths, he's continued to push boundaries and evolve throughout his career, working with some of the best and most exciting artists on the planet."
Despite several attempts at reforming the Smiths it seems very unlikely.
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BY-------Graham Sclater
A few nights ago, I watched Billy Joel’s 100th appearance at New York’s Madison Square Garden, to yet another sell-out audience, and that's why I love his music so much.
William Martin Joel was born in 1949 in the Bronx, New York, and his lyrics and music reflected that life. A singer, songwriter, and pianist, and was soon to be known as the “Piano Man“.
His mother, Rosalind, was born in Brooklyn to Jewish parents, Philip and Rebecca Nyman, who emigrated from England. Billy's father, Howard (born Helmut) Joel, was an accomplished amateur classical pianist and businessman, born in Germany. Joel reluctantly began taking piano lessons at the age of four at his mother's insistence. His teachers included the noted American pianist Morton Estrin and musician Timothy Ford. Joel says that he is a better organist than a pianist.
As a teenager, Joel took up boxing so he could defend himself. He boxed successfully on the amateur Golden Gloves circuit for a short time, winning 22 bouts, but abandoned the sport shortly after his nose was broken in his 24th match.
After seeing the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show, Joel decided to pursue a music career. He said, ‘That one performance changed my life ... Up to that moment I'd never considered playing rock as a career ... When I saw four guys who didn't look like they'd come out of the Hollywood star mill, who played their own songs and instruments, and especially because you could see this look in John Lennon’s face—and he looked like he was always saying: '--- you!'—I said: 'I know these guys, I can relate to these guys, I am these guys. This is what I'm going to do—play in a rock band.’
Following his foray into boxing, Joel played with several groups. In late 1965, he joined the Echoes, who changed their name to the Emeralds, and then to the Lost Souls. Joel left the band in 1967 and joined the Hassles, followed by Attila, before signing with Family Productions and embarking on a solo career. In 1971, his debut album, Cold Spring Harbour, was released. A year later, following his live performance of his song Captain Jack in Philadelphia, he was spotted by an A&R representative from Columbia Records and signed to the label.
I first heard his second album, "Piano Man," released by CBS, when I was in their London offices in 1973, where I was representing one of my groups signed to the label. I fell in love with his music and original style of songwriting.
But it wasn’t until the release of The Stranger in 1977 that his breakthrough came. It sold ten million copies and included so many massive hits, including Just the Way You Are, Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song), Only the Good Die Young, and She’s Always a Woman, as well as the other unusual tracks, Scenes from an Italian Restaurant and Vienna.
From 1971 to 1993, he released 12 studio albums spanning the genres of pop and rock. In 2001, he also released a one-off studio album of classical compositions. With over 160 million records sold worldwide, Joel is one of the world's best-selling music artists and the fourth-best-selling solo artist in the United States. His 1985 compilation album, Greatest Hits – Volume 1 and 2, is one of the best-selling albums in the US.
Joel's 52nd Street (1978) album was his first album to reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Glass Houses followed in 1980, featuring the hit Still Rock and Roll to Me.
Joel continued to release albums, and in 1983, he released his album Innocent Man, a homage to the genres of music that Joel grew up with in the 1950s, such as Tell Her About It, Uptown Girl, and The Longest Time, which are undoubtedly three of his best-known songs.
Joel has had a successful touring career, holding live performances across the globe. In 1987, he became one of the first artists to tour in the Soviet Union. Joel has had 33 Top 40 hits in the U.S., three of which ("It's Still Rock and Roll to Me", "Tell Her About It", and "We Didn’t Start the Fire” topped the Billboard Hot 100. He has been nominated for 23 Grammy Awards, winning six, including Album of the Year for 2nd Street. Joel has received numerous accolades, including his induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
In January 2014, Joel appeared at Madison Square Garden, and it was agreed that he would appear once a month. That had snow culminated in July 2024 with his 104th sell-out appearance.
Joel returned to composing new music with the 2024 single Turn the Lights Back On, which, for the foreseeable future, will be his last new release.
Sadly, earlier this year, on May 23rd, Joel was forced to cancel a US and UK tour following his diagnosis of normal pressure hydrocephalus.
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