‘This Charming Man’: The greatest riff in indie history
The world of indie rock has birthed countless iconic riffs over the years, from ‘Reptilia’ by The Strokes to more recent gems like ‘Here’s The Thing’ by Fontaines DC. This environment, rich with hooky note clusters, is as varied as any other genre, boasting a multitude of guitar heroes who have helped keep its flame alive. That said, there can only be one true contender for indie’s best riff: Johnny Marr’s unforgettable work on The Smiths’ ‘This Charming Man’.
It might seem like an obvious choice, but there’s no real alternative. While there are countless contenders throughout indie rock’s timeline, the reason ‘This Charming Man’ claims the crown is simple: all roads lead back to it. This track marked the moment the indie rock sound firmly planted itself on the cultural map, with Marr and The Smiths laying the foundation for a fresh form of music that intersected punk, post-punk, goth, and other contemporary styles. Without it, you could bid farewell to Radiohead, My Bloody Valentine, Oasis, The Strokes, and practically every other significant band even loosely tied to the indie genre.
Fans would also be well within their rights to express that ‘This Charming Man’ isn’t even the best Smiths song or Marr’s best effort on the fretboard, but given the significance of the track and what it meant for indie at large, from guitar playing to the general sonic complexion, it has to take the crown. The moment Marr’s chiming, busy riff was released into the world was a landmark moment. It was The New Sound.
Fusing a punk attitude with a minimalist spirit and the desire to pour a heavy dose of the avant-garde into pop music just like his heroes Roxy Music had done, Marr – who also refused to tick the boxes of tropes like practically every other player – succeeded in rejuvenating the six-string and guitar music. Taking his cues from the great tastemakers of the post-punk era, such as John McGeoch, proto-punk hero James Williamson of The Stooges, folk maestro Bert Jansch, and the funky dynamism of Nile Rodgers, the Mancunian created a fresh sonic alloy with more solidity than anything that came before it.
It’s funny how so many musical forms have come and gone over the years—even punk has had its moments in the doldrums. Yet, since The Smiths followed up their 1983 debut single ‘Hand In Glove’ with its more anthemic, uptempo successor that October, indie has remained an ever-present fixture in music. Sure, it’s had its quieter periods, but it’s still one of the most popular musical forms on earth, and much of this can be traced back to the riff of ‘This Charming Man’.
Yes, Morrissey’s sardonic voiceover-styled lyrics are iconic, and the late Andy Rourke’s bassline is a highlight of the genre’s history, but the entire song, melodically and stylistically, is pinned on Marr’s constantly locomoting riff. This was the moment that the quartet truly arrived and changed music for the better, with the frontman and guitarist cementing themselves as heroes of not only their generation but all subsequent others.
Put it this way, the influential C86 movement wouldn’t have come to fruition without ‘This Charming Man’, and neither would shoegaze, Britpop, or the several post-punk revivals. Even the adjacent alternative rock would be missing some key tenets if it hadn’t materialised. You can hear the sound of the classic riff in songs by The Verve, The Libertines, Interpol and now, more contemporaneously, in cuts by the likes of NewDad, Drug Church and Spirit of the Beehive. Even Rick Astley is indebted to it.
This list of varied artists should be enough to convey just how monumental that iconic riff was and continues to be. It might have captured a place and time, but it continues to be the ultimate representation of the innovation that is at the heart of the indie genre. Little did Marr know when writing it, but that animated collection of three-note chords, rapid arpeggios and slides would change the world.
