Johnny Marr has announced details of his debut solo album.
The Messanger will be released on February 25, 2013. It was recorded in Manchester and Berlin and features the former The Smiths guitarist on vocals, guitar and production.
The LP was mastered at Abbey Road studios by Frank Arkwright who recently worked with Marr on the remastering work for The Smiths’ box set Complete.
Speaking to NME about the album, Marr said he didn’t want to be in anyone else’s band anymore. After leaving The Smiths in 1987, Marr played in a number of other bands, including The The, Modest Mouse and The Cribs.
“It is late in the day to be making my debut,” Marr said. “I didn’t want to be in someone else’s band at this point. In the past I might have been reluctant to stand up front, and I’ve been lucky enough to be in bands with great singers, so it wasn’t necessary. But this is my band now, and the frontman in my band has to play guitar. I do both.”
Speaking about the rumours that his former band The Smiths are set to reunite, he said: “Everybody seems to know more about a Smiths reunion than I do. Those rumours are like a sport for everyone involved bar the people who were in the group 30 years ago. But it’s not happening.”
Marr is also set to join grunge icons Dinosaur Jr for a special performance in New York this December to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the band’s 1987 album You’re Living All Over Me.