“HE’S FEARLESS!”
The joys of working with Johnny: by Primal Scream bassist Simone Marie Butler.
Simone Marie Butler has played bass for Primal Scream for the past decade, in which time Johnny Marr has made guest appearances at several of the band’s gigs. Johnny recently returned the compliment by inviting Simone to his Manchester studio to record on Feverdreamspts1-4.
As Johnny says: “You really get to know what a band’s about when you’ve got them very loud in your ears. Two of the three songs Simone’s done were really built around the groove, which was why I had her in mind when I was writing them. She’s on three songs: Lightningpeople, which I was specifically saving for
her, Counter-clockworld, and a moody one called Thespeedoflove, which she did a really amazing job with. I’d played bass on the demo, and it was pretty rambling, but she ran with it. Simone did exactly what was needed for the track – and brought it up several levels. She was great.”
A student of Johnny’s work over the years, Simone expressed nothing but gratitude and admiration in return. “It was immediately apparent when I first met Johnny that he’s an incredibly genuine soul who is driven by his love for music, and his love for discovering new music,” Simone says. “It was a pleasure and an honour to have worked with him. I find him to be an extremely inspiring and galvanising musician to listen to, talk to, and be around.
“One of the things Johnny has been able to do is create this visceral characteristic tone on a record that is always clearly him. His sound is immediately identifiable. Tonally and stylistically, I can hear his sound in a lot of modern bands. Undoubtedly, he has inspired lots of musicians – myself included. But it’s not just his tone; it’s also about his attitude towards music – his passion for experimentation and working with different artists. He has a fearlessness that allows him to go in different directions.
“Working with him in the studio, it is clear to see his commitment and dedication. He’s a consummate professional but he’s also incredibly easy going, funny, generous and creative. And I find that just as inspiring as the music he has committed to vinyl.”