Johnny Marr has released one of two new songs as part of his ‘Spirit Power: The Best Of Johnny Marr’ compilation.
The former Smiths rocker has shared the infectious new track ‘Somewhere’, which he penned while on the road with The Killers and Blondie in 2022.
He said of the track: “I’ve played a lot of arenas over the years, and in terms of songwriting, there’s nowhere to hide. For a song to work, it has to be a banger. I know it’s almost uncool to think in those terms, but I grew up in a house where my parents listened to Motown, where you couldn’t get a song released if it wasn’t full of hooks.”
It will be followed by the song ‘The Answer’, which feature on the collection of solo hits spanning the first decade of Johnny’s career outside of the iconic Manchester group.
As well as the two new songs, and tracks from his four Top 10 solo albums and other solo highlights, there is his 2015 cover of Depeche Mode’s ‘I Feel You’.
“It’s a conversation I have from time to time with [Pet Shop Boys’] Chris Lowe, about how much harder it is to write songs that you want to listen to in the daytime. It’s easier to do something that’s perceived as cool if it’s a bit moody. But, for me, the mission with these records was to make songs that you could listen to on the way to school, on the way to the gym, on the way back from work – you know, in the way that you had with, say, Blondie.”
The Deluxe edition boasts previously unheard demos and rarities, ‘Hi Hello’ (Demo), ‘Somewhere’ (Demo), ‘The Answer’ (Crazy Face Version), ‘The Messenger’ (Demo), and ‘Speak Out Reach Out’ (Crazy Face Version).
‘Spirit Power: The Best Of Johnny Marr’ is released on November 3 on heavyweight 2LP, CD and a limited Deluxe 2CD featuring additional material. Independent record shops have a limited gold 2LP while HMV will carry a limited Cobalt blue 2LP. Preorder via all major music outlets.
Meanwhile, Johnny is also set to perform two homecoming concerts in Manchester accompanied with a 30-piece orchestra on December 7 and 8.
‘Spirit Power: The Best Of Johnny Marr’ – Deluxe 2CD tracklisting:
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
17. Hi Hello (Demo)
18. Somewhere (Demo)
19. The Answer (Crazy F Version)
20. The Messenger (Demo)
21. Speak out Reach Out (Crazy F Version)
