Johnny Marr to release solo charity single

By Si Truss
published

Ex-Smiths man covers '60s B-movie tune in aid of homeless teens

Marr onstage with The Cribs last month.
Marr onstage with The Cribs last month. (Image credit: Michael Travis/Corbis)

Johnny Marr, former guitarist of Manchester legends The Smiths and more recent member of indie bands The Cribs and Modest Mouse, is set to release a new charity single.

Tendency To Be Free is a cover of a '60s garage number by Rabbit Mackay, which featured on the soundtrack of cult biker B-movie Angels Die Hard. All proceeds from the single, which is released October 4, will go to Centrepoint - a charity helping to improve the lives of homeless young people.

The single is taken from a new compilation album of '60s covers to be released in aid of Centrepoint. The album, 1969: Key To Change, will also feature turns from Hard-Fi, The Feeling and Get Cape Wear Cape Fly.

Both the single Tendency To Be Free and 1969: Key To Change are released October 4. Both can be pre-ordered here.You can read a full interview with Johnny Marr in this month's Total Guitar.

Si Truss
Si Truss

I'm Editor-in-Chief of Music Technology, working with Future Music, Computer Music, Electronic Musician and MusicRadar. I've been messing around with music tech in various forms for over two decades. I've also spent the last 10 years forgetting how to play guitar. Find me in the chillout room at raves complaining that it's past my bedtime.