May 13, 2012 0:55

Johnny Marr rejoins The Cribs onstage in Manchester The Cribs Tickets

Ex-Smiths guitarist quit the Wakefield band in 2011 after four-year stint

Photo Gallery: The Cribs
Photo: Tom Oxley

Johnny Marr reunited with The Cribs onstage in Manchester last night (May 12).

The ex-Smiths guitarist, who left the Wakefield band in 2011 after a four-year stint, made the surprise appearance at his home city's Academy venue.

Speaking backstage to NME, drummer Ross Jarman said of the reunion: "We were in Manchester and Johnny was coming down to the show anyway so we thought we'd do a couple of songs together, just for old time's sake."

The foursome played 'We Share The Same Skies' and 'We Were Aborted', both of which appeared on 2009's 'Ignore The Ignorant', the first and only album by the band to feature Marr.

Earlier in the day, Marr had referenced the gig - the penultimate date of The Cribs' current UK tour - on his Twitter page, commenting:

Love and best to all The Cribs fans in my hometown tonight. Manchester Loves The Fellas. Johnny.
— Johnny Marr (@Johnny_Marr) May 12, 2012

Both sides have insisted that Marr left The Cribs on good terms last April. Speaking to NME earlier this year, Marr said he was "still really tight" with the band, while frontman Ryan Jarman said they "really enjoyed" working with the legendary guitarist.

However, speaking to NME about Marr's departure during the making of band's new album 'In The Belly Of The Brazen Bull' - which was released on Monday (7) - Jarman also insisted that The Cribs are "meant" to be a three-piece.

"I liked the last record ['Ignore The Ignorant'] and it was a progression, but there was something lost in translation. Something was lost from the three-piece that was indefinable. But that's what's back," he said.

You can watch a classic NME archive video interview with Ryan Jarman and Johnny Marr below.

The Cribs are due to close their UK tour at Eastbourne's Winter Gardens tonight (May 13). They're also set to play an intimate hometown show at Wakefield's Theatre Royal on May 16 as part of JD Roots, who have partnered with NME to support local music and search for Britain's Best Small Venue – a title which was won by Tunbridge Wells Forum earlier this week (May 8). To celebrate, Enter Shikari will headline Tunbridge Wells Forum for a special one-off show, playing the 250-capacity venue on June 5.

Details of how to secure tickets for this show will be revealed in next week's issue of NME, which will be on newsstands and available digitally from Wednesday (May 16).

Video: NME Video: The Cribs and Johnny Marr

The world's greatest music magazine is now available as a digital edition! For exclusive content you won't find on NME.COM, download here on your iPad/iPhone and here on your Kindle Fire or Nook.

Share on Facebook