Johnny Marr - Johnny Marr enjoys being solo artist

Johnny Marr enjoys being solo artist

Johnny Marr is creating his own ''archetype'' with debut solo album.

The former Smiths guitarist admits he often disagreed with his former bandmate Morrissey, who was famously known for being a dominant force within the group, but is now enjoying having control over his career as he embarks on his first solo album.

The 49-year-old musician conceded that ''you had two very different characters'' in the band.

He continued in an interview with The Times newspaper: ''I suppose I like to have things my own way, but you don't think of guitar players as solo artists or collaborators. You're either the blood brother, standing together with your band members until death do us part, or you're they journeyman.

''But there is a world in between, which is being your own entity. Hopefully I'll end up being seen as my own archetype.''

After spending most of his teenage years in the Smiths - and splitting from the group aged 24 - Johnny had an ''apprenticeship'' in being a rock star as all of his peers were adults.

He said: ''That time between 14 and 18 was very intense for me. I was around grown-ups all the time. I was in bands with men who had done things - taken loads of drugs and so on.''