Curious Johnny Marr quote

[Cornflakes]

From The North Will Rise Again by John Robb, p. 96.

I remember the songs that Billy [Duffy] was playing with the Nosebleeds were things like 'I'd Rather Be In The Electric Chair' - all very punky. 'Living Jukebox' was a big favourite which I remember. 'Peppermint Heaven'.

The curious part is that these three songs are Morrissey-Duffy compositions, according to Mozipedia, although either Johnny or Goddard has got one title slightly wrong. Considering that Morrissey only performed in public twice with the band and it then disbanded, it's striking that Johnny ever heard the songs. That he remembers them decades later is even more striking. That he ever saw Morrissey perform with the Nosebleeds isn't part of the official history. But could it be that Johnny was actually hanging out with the band while Morrissey was a member?

Anyone have a take on this?

 

[Amy]

I remember Morrissey describing Billy Duffy as the man "responsible for pushing Johnny Marr in my direction, which was very decent of him."
Not sure if JM actually heard the Nosebleeds when Moz was the singer, but they obviously shared some of the same friends so it could be possible. I think one of them would have mentioned it by now though. Marr knew Billy from school, didn't he?

 

[Cornflakes]

Yes, Johnny and Billy Duffy were fairly close friends.

But the question is how Johnny remembers the songs unless he saw the band with Morrissey in it. And, even if he had been to one of the gigs, would he really have a good memory of the songs after all these years? It seems to me that he might have been around the band when it was rehearsing.

 

[Anonymous]

Maybe he had a tape of the songs? Which would be gold dust, if it was still knocking around somewhere...

 

[mcrickson]

Maybe he had a tape of the songs? Which would be gold dust, if it was still knocking around somewhere...

The songs were never recorded.

I feel like Johnny just knew these were the titles that Morrissey wrote and carefully slipped them into an interview for fans to speculate.