The The aren't exactly the most famous group Johnny Marr ever performed in, but the guitarist played a key role in it once primary member Matt Johnson decided to expand it from his solo project into a full band in 1988. Following the dissolution of the Smiths and his very brief stint in the Pretenders, Marr recorded two albums with The The before leaving the band upon their relocation to the US. It seems like they've stayed on pretty good terms, though. At Buckinghamshire's post-punk heavy Forever Now Festival on Sunday, Marr joined The The onstage for the first time in over 30 years.
Marr, who also did a set of his own at Forever Now earlier in the evening, joined The The for two songs: "The Beat(en) Generation" from 1989's Mind Bomb and "Dogs Of Lust" from 1993's Dusk. Marr didn't tour Dusk with The The, so it was his first time playing with them since 1990. See photos and clips from the Forever Now set below.
Really nice to be back together with my bandmates in The The at Milton Keynes. @thethe pic @gymothy pic.twitter.com/bK6AuP6cLM
— Johnny Marr (@Johnny_Marr) June 23, 2025
