WATCH: Johnny Marr and Bernard Sumner Reunite to Play “Get the Message” in Greece

The Smiths guitarist and New Order frontman reformed their group Electronic to perform the 1991 hit.
WATCH: Johnny Marr and Bernard Sumner Reunite to Play “Get the Message” in Greece

The Smiths guitarist and New Order frontman reformed their group Electronic to perform the 1991 hit.

Words: Scott T. Sterling

photo by Luis Moreno

June 17, 2019

Johnny Marr / photo by Luis Moreno

The ’90s really were the glory days of all things currently known as “alternative” rock. It was an era when Johnny Marr—still freshly liberated from The Smiths and at the time performing with The The—and New Order frontman Bernard Sumner decided to start their own band just for the fun of it.

RELATED: Watch New Order Perform “Ceremony” in 1981 

With the idea of blending the best of New Order’s synth-soaked dance aesthetics and The Smiths’ melodic guitars, Electronic was born. While the super-group would go on to release three studio efforts, it was their 1991 eponymous debut that had the most impact on the world at large.

Marr was performing in Athens, Greece, over the weekend, and brought along Sumner to perform Electronic’s 1991 hit, “Get the Message.” With Sumner grabbing the mic, the pair led Marr’s band through a faithful performance of the tune that topped Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks chart. Watch it below.