Johnny Marr's Great British Groups

Episode

First
Broadcast

Repeated

Comments

20241013

20241012 (R2)

Renowned as the guitarist and co-songwriter of The Smiths, Johnny Marr played a pivotal role in shaping the musical landscape of indie and guitar bands not only in the 1980s but far beyond. With a distinct style that eschewed clichés yet remained firmly entrenched in the realm of British guitar pop, Marr's influence reverberated through generations. His musical journey extended beyond The Smiths as he became an indispensable member of several other iconic British bands, including the Pretenders, The The, Electronic, Kirsty MacColl, and The Cribs, while also carving a successful path as a solo artist.

Marr's fascination with the guitar began at the tender age of five, sparked by a toy in a Manchester shop window, and blossomed into a lifelong obsession. While he ardently followed guitar culture and bands, Marr was selective in his admiration, dismissing the notion of mere virtuosic displays as outdated within the realm of pop music. Instead, he gravitated towards bands that embraced creativity and artistic innovation, particularly those of British origin.

In his beautifully curated four-part playlist series, Marr takes audiences on a captivating journey through the realm of Great British Guitar Bands, spanning from the 1960s to the contemporary era.

In the first of the series, Johnny digs into key bands that could only come from the UK, citing how culture, taste, art, geography, environment and social standing all play their part. Johnny takes in amazing album tracks from the Arctic Monkeys, Pet Shop Boys, Stereo MCs, Gorillaz, Pretenders and Bowie along the way. He also looks at UK bands who are associated with being 'art rock', even including Pink Floyd. It's a fascinating insight into Johnny's love of British albums and especially those tracks which were never singles but came to mean to much to the fans. Johnny also describes what it's like to perform onstage with big personalities such as Alex Turner and why he disagrees with Noel Gallagher!

Radio 2 is celebrating Great British Groups as part of National Album Day, an annual celebration of the album format, which takes place on Saturday 19 October 2024. You can listen to a collection of special programmes by searching 'British Groups' on BBC Sounds, including Your Ultimate British Group Top 30, Johnny Marr's Great British Groups, The Great British Groups That Broke America, and themed editions of shows such as Pop Top 10s and Sophie Ellis-Bextor's Kitchen Disco.

Johnny Marr showcases some of his favourite bands, who could only have come from the UK.

Johnny Marr curates a four-part series on a journey through Great British bands.

Renowned guitarist and song-writer Johnny Marr showcases some of his favourite bands, who could only have come from the UK.

[LISTEN NOW]

20241020

20241019 (R2)

Renowned as the guitarist and co-songwriter of The Smiths, Johnny Marr played a pivotal role in shaping the musical landscape of indie and guitar bands, not only in the 1980s but far beyond. With a distinct style that eschewed clichés yet remained firmly entrenched in the realm of British guitar pop, Marr's influence reverberated through generations. His musical journey extended beyond The Smiths, as he became an indispensable member of several other iconic British bands, including the Pretenders, The The, Electronic, Kirsty MacColl, and The Cribs, while also carving a successful path as a solo artist.

In his beautifully curated four-part playlist series, Marr takes audiences on a captivating journey through the realm of Great British Guitar Bands, spanning from the 1960s to the contemporary era. Focusing on artists who have not only resonated with him but have also left an indelible mark on the music scene, Marr reflects on the enduring legacy and cultural impact of British guitar bands worldwide. Johnny delves into the value of albums and why they are so important for many UK artists.

In this second episode, Johnny takes at a look at why great British albums can be lots of different things, from a collection of pop bangers by the Human League to a triple collection of alternative Clash moments to passionate emotional turmoil from Suede. Johnny also describes how great British electronic music can be 'other worldly' and can turn artifice into beauty. Johnny also relates to a number of magical artists that he has worked with including Kirsty MacColl and Gaz from Supergrass. It's another fantastic ride through some of Johnny's most rated British bands, and you even get to hear what he likes to listen to whilst running around a big misty lake in Austria at 7am in the morning!

Johnny Marr, curates a playlist of key British groups who have made Great British albums.

Johnny Marr curates a four-part series on a journey through Great British bands.

Johnny Marr, curates a playlist of key British groups who have made Great British albums and why these can be lots of different things.

[LISTEN NOW]

20241027

20241026 (R2)

In this 3rd episode, Johnny reflects on more great groups from right across the UK. Johnny stands up and disproves the 2nd album syndrome, with some great examples from the Specials and Franz Ferdinand. Johnny also reveals why Track 4, side 1, on albums hold the key to those tracks which could have been singles, but never quite made it. It's a brilliant ride into Johnny's fascination with creative British groups and how they take the opportunity to try different things.

Johnny highlights more Great British groups and takes a stand against '2nd album syndrome

Johnny Marr curates a four-part series on a journey through Great British bands.

Johnny Marr, curates a wonderful playlist of more Great British groups that he really rates and takes a stand against '2nd album syndrome'!

[LISTEN NOW]

20241103

In the final part of the series, Johnny tips his hat to more UK bands that he really rates, especially those who have taken the opportunity to stretch themselves as artists through their albums. Johnny also looks at some of his favourite UK groups who aren't associated with guitars. There are so many more British bands that Johnny wanted to include in the series, including Siouxie and the Banshees, Echo and the Bunnymen, Clinic, X-Ray Spex, Sault etc etc - the list goes on - his admiration for British artists who have managed to stand shoulder to shoulder with those who have come before them is really evident. The importance of albums to Johnny is underlined and he says 'without albums, everything is just reduced to the most commercial and quickest and ear 'candie-ish' philosophy - making great albums, they're expansive and it gives people the space to be creative, take some risks and tell some different stories'.

Johnny highlights some UK bands who have stretched out as artists through their albums.

Johnny Marr curates a four-part series on a journey through Great British bands.

Johnny highlights more of his favourite bands who are quintessentially British, with eccentricities, literary connection, diversity and different attitudes.

[LISTEN NOW]

Episodes

Episode	First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
01	20241013	20241012 (R2)	Renowned as the guitarist and co-songwriter of The Smiths, Johnny Marr played a pivotal role in shaping the musical landscape of indie and guitar bands not only in the 1980s but far beyond. With a distinct style that eschewed clichés yet remained firmly entrenched in the realm of British guitar pop, Marr's influence reverberated through generations. His musical journey extended beyond The Smiths as he became an indispensable member of several other iconic British bands, including the Pretenders, The The, Electronic, Kirsty MacColl, and The Cribs, while also carving a successful path as a solo artist. Marr's fascination with the guitar began at the tender age of five, sparked by a toy in a Manchester shop window, and blossomed into a lifelong obsession. While he ardently followed guitar culture and bands, Marr was selective in his admiration, dismissing the notion of mere virtuosic displays as outdated within the realm of pop music. Instead, he gravitated towards bands that embraced creativity and artistic innovation, particularly those of British origin. In his beautifully curated four-part playlist series, Marr takes audiences on a captivating journey through the realm of Great British Guitar Bands, spanning from the 1960s to the contemporary era. In the first of the series, Johnny digs into key bands that could only come from the UK, citing how culture, taste, art, geography, environment and social standing all play their part. Johnny takes in amazing album tracks from the Arctic Monkeys, Pet Shop Boys, Stereo MCs, Gorillaz, Pretenders and Bowie along the way. He also looks at UK bands who are associated with being 'art rock', even including Pink Floyd. It's a fascinating insight into Johnny's love of British albums and especially those tracks which were never singles but came to mean to much to the fans. Johnny also describes what it's like to perform onstage with big personalities such as Alex Turner and why he disagrees with Noel Gallagher! Radio 2 is celebrating Great British Groups as part of National Album Day, an annual celebration of the album format, which takes place on Saturday 19 October 2024. You can listen to a collection of special programmes by searching 'British Groups' on BBC Sounds, including Your Ultimate British Group Top 30, Johnny Marr's Great British Groups, The Great British Groups That Broke America, and themed editions of shows such as Pop Top 10s and Sophie Ellis-Bextor's Kitchen Disco. Johnny Marr showcases some of his favourite bands, who could only have come from the UK. Johnny Marr curates a four-part series on a journey through Great British bands. Renowned guitarist and song-writer Johnny Marr showcases some of his favourite bands, who could only have come from the UK. [LISTEN NOW]
02	20241020	20241019 (R2)	Renowned as the guitarist and co-songwriter of The Smiths, Johnny Marr played a pivotal role in shaping the musical landscape of indie and guitar bands, not only in the 1980s but far beyond. With a distinct style that eschewed clichés yet remained firmly entrenched in the realm of British guitar pop, Marr's influence reverberated through generations. His musical journey extended beyond The Smiths, as he became an indispensable member of several other iconic British bands, including the Pretenders, The The, Electronic, Kirsty MacColl, and The Cribs, while also carving a successful path as a solo artist. Marr's fascination with the guitar began at the tender age of five, sparked by a toy in a Manchester shop window, and blossomed into a lifelong obsession. While he ardently followed guitar culture and bands, Marr was selective in his admiration, dismissing the notion of mere virtuosic displays as outdated within the realm of pop music. Instead, he gravitated towards bands that embraced creativity and artistic innovation, particularly those of British origin. In his beautifully curated four-part playlist series, Marr takes audiences on a captivating journey through the realm of Great British Guitar Bands, spanning from the 1960s to the contemporary era. Focusing on artists who have not only resonated with him but have also left an indelible mark on the music scene, Marr reflects on the enduring legacy and cultural impact of British guitar bands worldwide. Johnny delves into the value of albums and why they are so important for many UK artists. In this second episode, Johnny takes at a look at why great British albums can be lots of different things, from a collection of pop bangers by the Human League to a triple collection of alternative Clash moments to passionate emotional turmoil from Suede. Johnny also describes how great British electronic music can be 'other worldly' and can turn artifice into beauty. Johnny also relates to a number of magical artists that he has worked with including Kirsty MacColl and Gaz from Supergrass. It's another fantastic ride through some of Johnny's most rated British bands, and you even get to hear what he likes to listen to whilst running around a big misty lake in Austria at 7am in the morning! Radio 2 is celebrating Great British Groups as part of National Album Day, an annual celebration of the album format, which takes place on Saturday 19 October 2024. You can listen to a collection of special programmes by searching 'British Groups' on BBC Sounds, including Your Ultimate British Group Top 30, Johnny Marr's Great British Groups, The Great British Groups That Broke America, and themed editions of shows such as Pop Top 10s and Sophie Ellis-Bextor's Kitchen Disco. Johnny Marr, curates a playlist of key British groups who have made Great British albums. Johnny Marr curates a four-part series on a journey through Great British bands. Johnny Marr, curates a playlist of key British groups who have made Great British albums and why these can be lots of different things. [LISTEN NOW]
03	20241027	20241026 (R2)	Renowned as the guitarist and co-songwriter of The Smiths, Johnny Marr played a pivotal role in shaping the musical landscape of indie and guitar bands, not only in the 1980s but far beyond. With a distinct style that eschewed clichés yet remained firmly entrenched in the realm of British guitar pop, Marr's influence reverberated through generations. His musical journey extended beyond The Smiths, as he became an indispensable member of several other iconic British bands, including the Pretenders, The The, Electronic, Kirsty MacColl, and The Cribs, while also carving a successful path as a solo artist. Marr's fascination with the guitar began at the tender age of five, sparked by a toy in a Manchester shop window, and blossomed into a lifelong obsession. While he ardently followed guitar culture and bands, Marr was selective in his admiration, dismissing the notion of mere virtuosic displays as outdated within the realm of pop music. Instead, he gravitated towards bands that embraced creativity and artistic innovation, particularly those of British origin. In his beautifully curated four-part playlist series, Marr takes audiences on a captivating journey through the realm of Great British Guitar Bands, spanning from the 1960s to the contemporary era. Focusing on artists who have not only resonated with him but have also left an indelible mark on the music scene, Marr reflects on the enduring legacy and cultural impact of British guitar bands worldwide. Johnny delves into the value of albums and why they are so important for many UK artists. In this 3rd episode, Johnny reflects on more great groups from right across the UK. Johnny stands up and disproves the 2nd album syndrome, with some great examples from the Specials and Franz Ferdinand. Johnny also reveals why Track 4, side 1, on albums hold the key to those tracks which could have been singles, but never quite made it. It's a brilliant ride into Johnny's fascination with creative British groups and how they take the opportunity to try different things. Radio 2 is celebrating Great British Groups as part of National Album Day, an annual celebration of the album format, which takes place on Saturday 19 October 2024. You can listen to a collection of special programmes by searching 'British Groups' on BBC Sounds, including Your Ultimate British Group Top 30, Johnny Marr's Great British Groups, The Great British Groups That Broke America, and themed editions of shows such as Pop Top 10s and Sophie Ellis-Bextor's Kitchen Disco. Johnny highlights more Great British groups and takes a stand against '2nd album syndrome Johnny Marr curates a four-part series on a journey through Great British bands. Johnny Marr, curates a wonderful playlist of more Great British groups that he really rates and takes a stand against '2nd album syndrome'! [LISTEN NOW]
04	20241103		Renowned as the guitarist and co-songwriter of The Smiths, Johnny Marr played a pivotal role in shaping the musical landscape of indie and guitar bands, not only in the 1980s but far beyond. With a distinct style that eschewed clichés yet remained firmly entrenched in the realm of British guitar pop, Marr's influence reverberated through generations. His musical journey extended beyond The Smiths, as he became an indispensable member of several other iconic British bands, including the Pretenders, The The, Electronic, Kirsty MacColl, and The Cribs, while also carving a successful path as a solo artist. Marr's fascination with the guitar began at the tender age of five, sparked by a toy in a Manchester shop window, and blossomed into a lifelong obsession. While he ardently followed guitar culture and bands, Marr was selective in his admiration, dismissing the notion of mere virtuosic displays as outdated within the realm of pop music. Instead, he gravitated towards bands that embraced creativity and artistic innovation, particularly those of British origin. In his beautifully curated four-part playlist series, Marr takes audiences on a captivating journey through the realm of Great British Guitar Bands, spanning from the 1960s to the contemporary era. Focusing on artists who have not only resonated with him but have also left an indelible mark on the music scene, Marr reflects on the enduring legacy and cultural impact of British guitar bands worldwide. Johnny delves into the value of albums and why they are so important for many UK artists. In the final part of the series, Johnny tips his hat to more UK bands that he really rates, especially those who have taken the opportunity to stretch themselves as artists through their albums. Johnny also looks at some of his favourite UK groups who aren't associated with guitars. There are so many more British bands that Johnny wanted to include in the series, including Siouxie and the Banshees, Echo and the Bunnymen, Clinic, X-Ray Spex, Sault etc etc - the list goes on - his admiration for British artists who have managed to stand shoulder to shoulder with those who have come before them is really evident. The importance of albums to Johnny is underlined and he says 'without albums, everything is just reduced to the most commercial and quickest and ear 'candie-ish' philosophy - making great albums, they're expansive and it gives people the space to be creative, take some risks and tell some different stories'. Radio 2 is celebrating Great British Groups as part of National Album Day, an annual celebration of the album format, which takes place on Saturday 19 October 2024. You can listen to a collection of special programmes by searching 'British Groups' on BBC Sounds, including Your Ultimate British Group Top 30, Johnny Marr's Great British Groups, The Great British Groups That Broke America, and themed editions of shows such as Pop Top 10s and Sophie Ellis-Bextor's Kitchen Disco. Johnny highlights some UK bands who have stretched out as artists through their albums. Johnny Marr curates a four-part series on a journey through Great British bands. Johnny highlights more of his favourite bands who are quintessentially British, with eccentricities, literary connection, diversity and different attitudes. [LISTEN NOW]