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Lot Essay
In the 1980s, guitars from the 1950s and 1960s weren't referred to as 'vintage'; they were just called 'old guitars'. There were a few of us younger guitar players around London in the 1980s who were into playing these types of old guitars, and we would occasionally bump into each other in the couple of shops that sold them – people like Roddy Frame from Aztec Camera, Edwyn Collins of Orange Juice and Robin Guthrie from Cocteau Twins. I lived around the corner from a place called Earl's Court Guitars, which would eventually become New Kings Road Vintage Guitar Emporium. I bought this Gibson and quite a few other things from my friend Rick, who was the manager. I had a rule that if I bought a guitar, I would have to write a song on it to justify the expense. When I saw this one, I loved the look of it. To me and most other guitar freaks, the gold ES-295 will always be associated with Scotty Moore who played one with Elvis Presley.
JOHNNY MARR, MARR’S GUITARS, 2023
Johnny Marr purchased this Gibson ES-295 when he was living in Earl’s Court, London, in 1984, and used it during the recording of The Smiths' third studio album The Queen Is Dead, the bulk of which was recorded between RAK Studios in London and Jacobs Studios in Farnham, from August to December 1985. Marr told us that the ES-295 was definitely around during the ‘The Queen Is Dead’ and specified that it was used to write 'Vicar in a Tutu’, which will be no surprise to anyone because it’s a very rockabilly sort of song. Although the album’s lead single ‘The Boy With The Thorn In His Side’ was recorded on his 1960s white Strat (lot 23), Marr opted to strum the ES-295 in the promotional music video, which was filmed during the album sessions at RAK Studios in September 1985. Released on 16 September 1985, it was the first single by the Smiths to be accompanied by a promotional music video. Delayed by a dispute with the band’s label Rough Trade, The Queen Is Dead was eventually released on 16 June 1986 to much critical and commercial success, spending 22 weeks on the UK Albums Chart and peaking at number two.
JOHNNY MARR, MARR’S GUITARS, 2023
Johnny Marr purchased this Gibson ES-295 when he was living in Earl’s Court, London, in 1984, and used it during the recording of The Smiths' third studio album The Queen Is Dead, the bulk of which was recorded between RAK Studios in London and Jacobs Studios in Farnham, from August to December 1985. Marr told us that the ES-295 was definitely around during the ‘The Queen Is Dead’ and specified that it was used to write 'Vicar in a Tutu’, which will be no surprise to anyone because it’s a very rockabilly sort of song. Although the album’s lead single ‘The Boy With The Thorn In His Side’ was recorded on his 1960s white Strat (lot 23), Marr opted to strum the ES-295 in the promotional music video, which was filmed during the album sessions at RAK Studios in September 1985. Released on 16 September 1985, it was the first single by the Smiths to be accompanied by a promotional music video. Delayed by a dispute with the band’s label Rough Trade, The Queen Is Dead was eventually released on 16 June 1986 to much critical and commercial success, spending 22 weeks on the UK Albums Chart and peaking at number two.