Long Shadows, High Hopes: The Life and Times of Matt Johnson & The The

Book excerpt: From life in an East End pub to fame on a global stage, Matt Johnson – founder, songwriter and visionary lynchpin of iconic band The The – created some of the most engaging, challenging and enduring music of his era. Then he walked away from it all. In this authorised biography Neil Fraser has drawn back the curtain on a brilliant enigma. Neil Fraser has gained unprecedented access to Matt Johnson and his The The archives. He has conducted hundreds of hours of interviews with Johnson and those involved in his life and work, including Johnny Marr, Johanna St Michaels, JG Thirlwell and Tim Pope. Long Shadows, High Hopes reveals the whole story, from early days to glory days. It examines the man behind the iconic songs and the acclaimed albums – an outspoken political lyricist and visionary force who made a success of living on his own terms. With the announcement from Matt Johnson in in 2017 that The The would appear again, this book reveals what has prompted him to step out of the long shadows after so long.