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Lot Essay
Johnny Marr acquired this 1960 Les Paul Custom in the mid to late 1990s from Pete’s Guitar in Saint Paul, Minnesota, via noted guitar tech Alan Rogan. In conversation with Martin Kelly for Marr’s Guitars, Marr recalled: Around [the] time when The Smiths started to have a run of hits - 1985, I guess - I became friends with a guy called Alan Rogan, who is sadly no longer with us. He was the guitar tech for Pete Townshend, and he'd also looked after Keith Richards, Eric Clapton and George Harrison among many other people over the years. Alan was one of the most respected guitar experts there'll ever be, and because he was working for The Who I got a few guitars from John Entwistle. Alan also found me my three pickup Les Paul Custom in Minneapolis, after calling me saying, “Listen, you're going to love this guitar, I think you should get it.”
Marr used the Les Paul Custom to record the tracks ‘Make It Happen’, ‘Haze’ and ‘When She’s Gone’ on Electronic’s third studio album Twisted Tenderness, released in April 1999. The album was recorded as a more traditional four-piece, with official members Marr and Bernard Sumner joined by Doves frontman Jimi Goodwin on bass and Black Grape drummer Ged Lynch, and saw Marr refocus on the guitar after embracing the full range of electronics, sequencers and samplers on the band’s first two albums. We just went as far down the line, or I had gone as far down the line as I had wanted to go with that exploration of technology and unusual (for me) methods of making records, Marr told CheckOut in 2000. On Twisted Tenderness I just fell in love with the guitar again, and the songs were written, without exception, on guitar. ‘Make It Happen’ was released as the second single from the album in June 1999.
Itching to get back out on the road and play live, Marr assembled The Healers in 2000 with himself as frontman, drummer Zak Starkey, ex-Kula Shaker bassist Alonza Bevan, percussionist Liz Bonney, guitarist Adam Gray, and Lee Spencer on synthesisers. Marr used this Les Paul Custom to record parts for the song ‘InBetweens’ on what would be the group’s only album Boomslang, released in February 2003. Played by second guitarist Adam Gray, the guitar can be seen in the official music video for the band’s 2001 single ‘The Last Ride’.
Marr used the Les Paul Custom to record the tracks ‘Make It Happen’, ‘Haze’ and ‘When She’s Gone’ on Electronic’s third studio album Twisted Tenderness, released in April 1999. The album was recorded as a more traditional four-piece, with official members Marr and Bernard Sumner joined by Doves frontman Jimi Goodwin on bass and Black Grape drummer Ged Lynch, and saw Marr refocus on the guitar after embracing the full range of electronics, sequencers and samplers on the band’s first two albums. We just went as far down the line, or I had gone as far down the line as I had wanted to go with that exploration of technology and unusual (for me) methods of making records, Marr told CheckOut in 2000. On Twisted Tenderness I just fell in love with the guitar again, and the songs were written, without exception, on guitar. ‘Make It Happen’ was released as the second single from the album in June 1999.
Itching to get back out on the road and play live, Marr assembled The Healers in 2000 with himself as frontman, drummer Zak Starkey, ex-Kula Shaker bassist Alonza Bevan, percussionist Liz Bonney, guitarist Adam Gray, and Lee Spencer on synthesisers. Marr used this Les Paul Custom to record parts for the song ‘InBetweens’ on what would be the group’s only album Boomslang, released in February 2003. Played by second guitarist Adam Gray, the guitar can be seen in the official music video for the band’s 2001 single ‘The Last Ride’.