Johnny Marr is ''happy'' to have created a solo pop album.

The 49-year-old musician went in a new direction for his record 'The Messenger' and after having been in ''alternative'' bands - such as The Smiths and The Cribs - Johnny enjoyed recording his own songs in a different style to his previous work.

He explained: ''All the bands I've been in, we've regarded ourselves as definitely alternative, but every one of those bands, at some point or other, have made music that we would be proud to call interesting pop.

''So, with my record, when I got the opportunity to do things entirely the way I wanted, I just did twelve of them. For most people a solo record means doing the big long slow one with the orchestra, or, 'Now my experimental electronic one.' It amuses me that I do a solo record and it's just twelve banging guitar pop tunes. I'm happy about that.''

While creating the album, Johnny made sure he stuck to his gut instinct rather than comparing his songs to past work and focused on what his fans would like.

He added to Drowned In Sound: ''One of the considerations I had when I was making the record .. there were only a few but I really wanted to stick to them ... was if I do something that sounds like me, and it has a genuine feeling of authenticity, don't erase it. Don't bottle and say, 'I've done this before', if you like it and fans will like it, go with it.

''Don't say, 'Oh man, does that riff sound too much like a Johnny Marr riff?' I'd think, 'So what? F**k it if it sounds like a Johnny Marr riff'. Stick to your consideration. Where as in the past I'd have been like, 'Oh no, that's too obvious', there comes a point where you have to drop that s**t.''