The Goods
So here's the story...
I had heard vaguely a couple of months ago that Johnny Marr and the Healers were going to be in town to play a show -- I think my friend Andy, who is a fellow Smiths aficionado let me in on the info. I passed it on to Eric, and we made half plans to go see it, in that he didn't know if he would be in town or not or what. Time passes. I stop thinking about the show, for whatever insane reason, and try to buckle down to the harsh realities that are grad school life. But then I was hit with a brick, email style, and was reminded that yea, I live in Nashville, and yea, an amazing show will be going on on Mother's Day eve. So Eric and I embark on our journey down to Third and Lindsley -- this tiny little bar and grill that is downtown. We had to get there early, in that they'd stopped selling tickets online, and for whatever reason, they weren't selling tickets at the door, either. No handstamp, no bracelet, no magic marker would get you back into the venue. Once you were there, you were there, so Eric and I headed down at 7pm for the eight o' clock show. So we got there, paid the cover, or what have you, and decided to get some dinner. Pretty normal bar fare, I got a Monte Cristo sandwich. I don't know if I like them or not, but that is what I got. It was missing the Russian dressing, which I think is an essential component of this sandwich. Unless I am completely confused. Eric, on the other hand, vegetarian that he is, or "veghead" as the waitress referred to him, got a salad, a baked potato, and jalapeno poppers. So we were chillin at the back of this place, eating food, reading Kierkegaard like philosophy dorks...What can I say? The opening band (PALO ALTO) was no great shakes...fairly poprocky, but nothing to write home about. Towards the end of their set, we decided to move on up, and I went to find a spot. I found a suitable standing spot in the front half of the place. Eric joined me, and asked about the halfway vacant table that was directly in front of us. I heard some people ask about it before, but told him that I would ask anyway. Turning on the charm (ha ha), I asked the guy if the two seats closest to myself were taken. As luck would have it, no, they weren't. After a pregnant pause, the slightly balding and dorky looking man in a green shirt commented, "I was waiting for the right element." To which I enthusiastically responded, "I think you've found it!" Either way, this table was directly in front of the stage. I use the term stage, despite the fact that it was raised up maybe a foot, foot and a half max. Once Johnny Marr took the "stage," he was literally five feet away from me. His new band gave me a run for my money and / or love for the Smiths. You all probably know how much I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Smiths and Morrissey...Johnny Marr is a crucial element of this combination, and he showed it tenfold that night. A) He's an amazing guitarist with flair. He busted out a Fender and some other snazzy guitar who's name escapes me, all the while commenting in his Northern Brit accent, "I luv this guitar!" B) He's a cheeky mofo. Yes, he's British. Yes, he's a great guitarist! But he also has a good sense of humor. He was a ham for the cameras, and posed it up on stage when he saw someone angling for a shot of him. Those people no doubt got some really fun pictures that Marr was eagerly posing for. C) HE ROCKS ASS! Other than his stage antics and all the rest of it, it comes down to one thing: SOUL. He was puttin it out onstage, rockin hard and singin the blues when and where appropriate. Most of the show was based on the new album, "BOOMSLANG," which if you haven't heard is pretty damn good. It grows on you and ferments until you love it. I know for a fact that he played "Last Ride;" "Down on the Corner" (which was awesome!, one of my favorites off the new record); "You Are the Magic," "Need it," and "Something to Shout About." There were a bunch of others, but I wasn't really keeping track...it was just amazing. Before playing "You Are the Magic," Marr commented that it was the song that describes where they are as a band right now the most. No, he didn't play any Smiths tunes...and in a way, I didn't really want him to...it would have been strange on a variety of levels. But either way, he made me rethink my love of Morrissey into a dual love for Marr. Mind you, I knew that I loved Johnny Marr before I walked in the door, but then, maybe I didn't realize quite how much I loved him. He is a great guitarist and performer. One of the best shows I have seen in a long time.
Anyway...so fast forward to after the show. It was a small place, and Eric asked if I wanted to try to meet Mr. Marr. I said something like, "You think I won't" and proceeded to walk towards the bus. It was then that I met the drummer, Zak Starke, aka Ringo Starr's son. He was supercool and cordial, was really psyched to meet the fans and sign autographs. I got him to sign Kierkegaard's
Point of View, me being a philosophy dork and it being the only thing I had on me. He was sorta impressed by the Kierkegaard, and made an offhand comment about signing it. I waited for a while longer....maybe half an hour, and then Johnny Marr emerged from the tour bus. I've never waited outside of a bus for a rockstar before, but somehow, the fact that one of my personal guitar heros from possibly my all time favorite band was inside it made it seem worth it and make sense. When I handed him the Kierkegaard and he looked at it, he said, "I'm elevated" - which was sorta funny. Then I talked to him a bit about the Smiths and all that -- told him that I loved "Last NIght I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me," to which he responded in his beautiful accent, "That's the best song the Smiths ever recorded!" and told me about a cover that Low did of it that I have to check out. He agreed with me about my favorite Smiths song...which rules. Even if it was bullshit, which I personally don't believe it was, he agreed with me. He was really just laid back, chilled out, and talked to me about philosophy and all that sorta deal for a bit. Fucking cool guy. He wrote in the book: "To Erin: Be good to yourself Johnny Marr" Awesome. And Eric got pictures of me and JM as well as me and Zak Starke. I was starstruck, I have to admit. But he was so approachable and chill. So that's the basic story. I've got some autographs, and allegedly there will be pictures forthcoming. If I knew more about computers I would post em online.
A Downpayment
I met Johnny Marr. The Johnny Marr! AND he signed my Kierkegaard book.
