The Smiths’ Johnny Marr says Brexit has been a ‘catastrophe’ for musicians

ITV News Arts Editor Nina Nannar spoke to Johnny Marr about the struggles facing British musicians

Former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr says British musicians are losing work because of Brexit.

The 'administration' that has come into effect since Britain voted to leave the EU had left artists frustrated, the rock star said.

Marr said: “Brexit for musicians has been an absolute catastrophe in so many ways”.

“For example, if there are a bunch of festivals in Germany and Belgium and France and Holland, the people who would otherwise have been inviting British bands to come and earn money on all kinds of levels - DJs, all kinds of different groups - they have to go through so much paperwork and administration and expense.

"They're now ignoring those young bands, particularly, who they might have taken a chance on and just saying, 'alright well we'll put a DJ from Munich on, we'll put an act on from Bruges' or whatever”, he explained.

“It's literally taking the work away from British musicians”, he added.

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Marr, who achieved fame as the guitarist and co-songwriter of eighties band The Smiths, has since carved a solo career for himself, recently performing on the soundtrack of the new James Bond film, No Time to Die

Ahead of his upcoming solo record and album, Fever Dreams Pts 1-4, Marr told ITV News that playing guitar in the new Bond film following a request from composer Hans Zimmer was “kind of an amazing thing”.

“A lot of people who started playing the guitar, certainly if you grew up in the UK anytime since the 60s, one of the first things you learn to play is the Bond theme because it’s so simple”, Marr said.

“It was a real career highlight I have to say”, he added.