--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When Morrissey and I started The Smiths…" description: "\"When Morrissey and I started The Smiths, we thought pop music was the most important thing in the world. It was almost a spiritual thing for us, and be..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ad/johnny-marr-10369_fans_when-morrissey-and-i-started-the-smiths_1732899.jpg" --- # When Morrissey and I started The Smiths, we thought pop… ![“When Morrissey and I started The Smiths, we thought pop music was the most important thing in the world. It was almost a spiritual thing for us, and because of that, we knew what it meant to be a fan.” quote by Johnny Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ad/johnny-marr-10369_fans_when-morrissey-and-i-started-the-smiths_1732899.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ad/johnny-marr-10369_fans_when-morrissey-and-i-started-the-smiths_1732899.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ad/johnny-marr-10369_fans_when-morrissey-and-i-started-the-smiths_1732899.jpg) > “When Morrissey and I started The Smiths, we thought pop music was the most important thing in the world. It was almost a spiritual thing for us, and because of that, we knew what it meant to be a fan.” [Johnny Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-marr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. They believed pop music held profound personal significance, shaping their identity and fan experience. **In simple terms:** Pop music felt like a spiritual, identity‑defining force. Key Takeaway Recognize how art can shape personal values. Themes music identity culture fanhood Mood reflective nostalgic Type personal cultural inspirational When to use this quote - forming a band - discovering music - building fan communities - navigating fame Key Concepts spirituality personal meaning subculture Questions to Reflect On - How does music influence your sense of self? - Can a song become a spiritual experience? A Different Perspective Art's impact varies; not everyone sees pop as spiritual. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fans/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Important things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-things/) [Meant to be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meant-to-be/) [Morrissey Started](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morrissey-started-1447156/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-important/) [Pop music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pop-music/) [Pops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pops/) [Smiths Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smiths-thought-1447157/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Started Smiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started-smiths-1447158/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Man, I loved The Smiths so much. I thought they looked awesome, and Morrissey had hearing aids like my Papaw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-adams/man-i-loved-the-smiths-so-much-i-thought-they-looked-awesome-and/) [Ryan Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-adams/) > [I really like Howler and an American band on Sub Pop called Jaill. There will always be new bands that I like, it's always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-marr/i-really-like-howler-and-an-american-band-on-sub-pop-called-jaill/) [Johnny Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-marr/) > [If I am against the condition of the world it is not because I am a moralist, it is because I want to laugh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/if-i-am-against-the-condition-of-the-world-it-is-not-because-i-am-a/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [I think there is no culture in which music is not very important and central. That's why I think of us as a sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-sacks/i-think-there-is-no-culture-in-which-music-is-not-very-important-and/) [Oliver Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-sacks/) > [But I think I'm on track to do something even bigger. I liberate minds with my music. That's more important than liberating a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/but-i-think-i-m-on-track-to-do-something-even-bigger-i-liberate-minds/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [Companies that pretend to care about music and really care about other things - whether it be hardware, whether it be advertising - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/companies-that-pretend-to-care-about-music-and-really-care-about/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [The people need to feel the music. That's what's so important, and that's what is missing. 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It's more important than anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-gibbard/an-ex-girlfriend-once-got-upset-when-i-told-her-that-music-is-the/) [Ben Gibbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-gibbard/) > [Argentina is a very interesting culture because unlike Europe and the US, they did not abandon rock and roll music, they did not turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-raphael/argentina-is-a-very-interesting-culture-because-unlike-europe-and-the/) [Gordon Raphael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-raphael/) > [I love making music so it's important for me to keep doing that even if the schedule is busy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kiwanuka/i-love-making-music-so-it-s-important-for-me-to-keep-doing-that-even/) [Michael Kiwanuka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kiwanuka/) > [My major influence is Satyajit Ray; his film 'Shatranj ke Khilari' was set in Awadh and it gave us memorable characters. Ray's musical scores…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shoojit-sircar/my-major-influence-is-satyajit-ray-his-film-shatranj-ke-khilari-was/) [Shoojit Sircar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shoojit-sircar/) > [Interplay and interaction are the integral parts of music - they're as important as the notes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mclaughlin/interplay-and-interaction-are-the-integral-parts-of-music-they-re-as/) [John McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mclaughlin/) > [Music is important, but it's really not that serious, you know? It's about love, it's about family, it's about friends... They remind me, 'girl,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doechii/music-is-important-but-it-s-really-not-that-serious-you-know-it-s/) [Doechii](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doechii/) > [When I was very young my mother sang to me at bedtime and my dad would often play the banjo or fiddle in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-block/when-i-was-very-young-my-mother-sang-to-me-at-bedtime-and-my-dad/) [Rory Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-block/) ## More by Johnny Marr > [If people can finally recognize you on radio without being told who it is, that's what you aim for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-marr/if-people-can-finally-recognize-you-on-radio-without-being-told-who/) [Johnny Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-marr/) > [If people can finally recognize you on radio without being told who it is, thats what you aim for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-marr/if-people-can-finally-recognize-you-on-radio-without-being-told-who-2/) [Johnny Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-marr/) > [I played guitar from the age of four or five. Every year there would be a slightly larger triangular box under the Christmas tree,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-marr/i-played-guitar-from-the-age-of-four-or-five-every-year-there-would/) [Johnny Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-marr/) > [I think one of the things about being around for a while and getting to know yourself is that when you do have these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-marr/i-think-one-of-the-things-about-being-around-for-a-while-and-getting/) [Johnny Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-marr/) > [Occasionally, a great band would come along, like Blondie or OutKast who could be pop and bring interesting ideas into the mainstream at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-marr/occasionally-a-great-band-would-come-along-like-blondie-or-outkast/) [Johnny Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-marr/) > [I met my manager when I was 17, when I didn't have enough money to buy a set of guitar strings. There are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-marr/i-met-my-manager-when-i-was-17-when-i-didn-t-have-enough-money-to-buy/) [Johnny Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-marr/) > [Guitars have been the obsession of my life. I first picked one up at the age of four and Ive been a guitar junkie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-marr/guitars-have-been-the-obsession-of-my-life-i-first-picked-one-up-at/) [Johnny Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-marr/) > [Coming from a working-class background, where my father did manual labor, was a good grounding; I was obsessed with getting a job or getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-marr/coming-from-a-working-class-background-where-my-father-did-manual/) [Johnny Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-marr/) > [The biggest musical influence on me was my mum. We were both enraptured by music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-marr/the-biggest-musical-influence-on-me-was-my-mum-we-were-both/) [Johnny Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-marr/) > [I don't really care what music's made on - I love guitars, but I'm fine with great electronic music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-marr/i-don-t-really-care-what-music-s-made-on-i-love-guitars-but-i-m-fine/) [Johnny Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-marr/) > [I didn't form a group to perform Cilla Black songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-marr/i-didn-t-form-a-group-to-perform-cilla-black-songs/) [Johnny Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-marr/) > [In the earlier part of the 90s, I was really hell-bent on discovering how new technology works and how to make records entirely without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-marr/in-the-earlier-part-of-the-90s-i-was-really-hell-bent-on-discovering/) [Johnny Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-marr/) > [“Here's a song, here's another, here's a third...now go on and write a story.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-marr/here-s-a-song-here-s-another-here-s-a-third-now-go-on-and-write-a/) [Johnny Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-marr/) > [A day-time song like 'Word Starts Attack,' I want to make your heart blow up and make you want to punch the air with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-marr/a-day-time-song-like-word-starts-attack-i-want-to-make-your-heart/) [Johnny Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-marr/) > [I can show bands how to produce themselves. In the same way, many bands think you can't make it without some fat cat in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-marr/i-can-show-bands-how-to-produce-themselves-in-the-same-way-many-bands/) [Johnny Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-marr/) [Explore all 66 Johnny Marr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-marr/) ## More Fans quotes > [Of everything I have done, 'The Archers' always gets the most excitement; there's a sort of uncontrollable joy from fans of the program.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/of-everything-i-have-done-the-archers-always-gets-the-most-excitement/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [Love will fan the flame, and that flame will warm the heart that's waiting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-w-smith/love-will-fan-the-flame-and-that-flame-will-warm-the-heart-that-s/) [Michael W. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-w-smith/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [I love what I do and I love the fans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eads/i-love-what-i-do-and-i-love-the-fans/) [George Eads](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eads/) > [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/) [Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/) > [We earned any fans with the way we play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/we-earned-any-fans-with-the-way-we-play/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [I think metal fans are more loyal than other fans, and they are often more inclined to collect the albums of their favorite bands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/varg-vikernes/i-think-metal-fans-are-more-loyal-than-other-fans-and-they-are-often/) [Varg Vikernes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/varg-vikernes/) > [I want to fight the fights that fans want to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-poirier/i-want-to-fight-the-fights-that-fans-want-to-see/) [Dustin Poirier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-poirier/) > [When you win you're going to get fans chanting your name and when you don't do great they're going to give you stick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hector-bellerin/when-you-win-you-re-going-to-get-fans-chanting-your-name-and-when-you/) [Hector Bellerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hector-bellerin/) > [I just know that I wasn't happy where I was. 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