In a recent New Yorker article, John Seabrook wrote about Johnny Marr and a book he published about his 132 guitars. Marr co-wrote songs for the 1980’s rock group the Smiths, played in the early 2000’s with Modest Mouse, and won an Oscar for his performance on Billie Eilish’s James Bond theme, “No Time To Die.”
A fascinating observation Marr shared in the article was he believed guitars have songs inside them.
Seabrook writes, “As soon as [Marr] picked up his 1963 Epiphone Casino he wrote “How Soon Is Now, (a famous Smiths song.) When the music executive Seymour Stein bought him a 1960 Gibson ES-355… Marr took it back to the Iroquois Hotel and the “Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now” riff fell out.” Marr said his belief was a guitar will tell you in three seconds if it’s a fit or not and whether you should buy it.
Writers such as Malcom Gladwell have made the case it’s beneficial to follow your gut. All you need is three seconds to know if something is a good idea. Subsequent research has tempered the science behind that approach, but Marr’s relationship with his guitars is a reminder to open ourselves to the possibility inspiration can be immediate; that you can know in three seconds.
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