Hello and welcome to Happy Place with me, Fern Cotton. This is the show where we explore

various pastor happiness so that you can find the one that feels like a good fit for you

and me. Today I'm talking to musician Johnny Mar.

How about we just throw the idea of being famous and being rich. I was just to get rid of

it. Being an expert, everyone you like, everyone you rever in the culture, they are an expert.

If you decide that you're going to be an expert about whatever it is in your field, particularly

on the internet with results information, you don't need to be famous, you can be any age

and no one can take it away from you. To list all the bands Johnny's work with over his

phenomenal career could take the entire podcast, he's a prolific collaborator, but you might

recognise him, but you definitely will, as the guitarist and co-songwriter of the Smiths.

He recently recorded the James Bond soundtrack with Billy Eilish and Hans Zimmer, his good friend.

A fun fact for you, the no time to die theme went straight to number one in the UK singles chart,

which makes Johnny the only member of the Smiths to score a UK number one single. How about that?

I was completely fascinated to chat with Johnny about his approach to songwriting, both how he

wants to write about his changed over the years, and really interestingly how where he is in the

world influences the kind of music he's inspired to make. I also love hearing about his relationship

with fame, or rather his lack of relationship with it. He likes to see himself as an expert

rather than an icon, and I think we can all learn something from that part of the chat, so stick

around for that part. It's so good to be a proper nerd about stuff, I love being a nerd.

Whatever your thing is, it's time to be unapologetic about being the expert in your field.

It can feel like there's quite a lot of pressure for Christmas to be the most fun, the most

sparkly day, and I really, really hope that yours is, but if you're feeling like you need a bit

...