Born on Halloween 63 Years Ago in Manchester, the Guitar Legend Behind One of the Most Influential “Sad Boy” Bands of the 80s

Johnny Marr, born in Manchester on 31 October 1963, is best known as The Smiths’ guitarist and co-songwriter. His distinctive guitar work helped shape alternative rock and influenced musicians who followed, while his career has continued across bands, collaborations and solo music.

Marr formed The Smiths with Morrissey in 1982; the band split in 1987 after personal differences. Their best-known songs include “This Charming Man” and “How Soon Is Now?”, while Marr later played with Electronic, The Pretenders and Modest Mouse, among others. He received an honorary doctorate from Salford University and NME’s Godlike Genius award in 2013; the article says his latest record, *The Age Of Everything*, was released in 2026.