Martin James ‘Boz’ Boorer was born on 19 May 1962 in Edgware, North London and is married to Lyn, with two daughters: Billie-Rose and Pearl-May. Boorer is a guitarist who composes music as Morrissey’s main songwriter along with Alain Whyte. He is not only well known as a guitarist but also a high profile, hard working artist and engineer and gigs in several countries with different bands, or as solo performer. Boorer’s first single was ‘Rockabilly Guy’, released with his young, stylish and talented band the Polecats (which also included Tim Worman, Phil Bloomberg and Neil Rooney) in the early 1980s. Since then, he has released solo material and worked with other artists, including Adam Ant, David Bowie, Joan Armatrading, Jools Holland, Boz And The Bozmen, Ronnie Dawson, the Deltas, John’s Children, Bluberry Hellbellies, and Edwyn Collins. Boz studied music to A-Level and plays several instruments (clarinet, saxophone, bass, drums, piano), although the guitar remains his biggest passion. Boorer has even toured Japan with the all girl rockabilly outfit, the Shillelagh Sisters. In 1995 Boz also did some live shows with Kirsty MacColl’s group. Boorer worked as a music studio engineer for The Shillelagh Sisters (1983-84) and was recruited by Chrysalis Records as a studio engineer in 1984. In 1991 he joined Morrissey’s band as musical director. Boz also runs his own label, NV Records, and the House of Boz Recording Studio, his private music studio.
Alex Lusty met Boz Boorer backstage at a Morrissey concert in December 2004 at London’s Earl Court. They were soon recording together. Their first musical collaboration was ‘The OneThree’ and the album Life Goes On, which was released on Black Records in the autumn of 2005. Now they have both finally found the time to record new material, and Happy Martyr was born. Described as ‘urban folk’ or ‘Ian Dury fronting early T Rex’, the duo’s music is a raw sounding, stripped down acoustic rap crossover. Tracks for the debut album were recorded between London and Boz’s Serra Vista studio in Portugal, which was also the backdrop for the video to accompany debut single ‘Painkillers’, released via download on 4 April 2011. The next Happy Martyr single is ‘Sleep Tight’ and will be released on 4 July, also on download.
What are your earliest memories of getting bitten by the music bug?
I remember buying the Monkees’ ‘I’m A Believer’, must have been 1967 or 8 – I was about five years old.
Was your family background musical in any way?
My dad sang in a choir most of his life and my mum plays piano by ear.
How did you find your way to the guitar as your main instrument?
Seeing T. Rex on Top of the Pops sowed that seed.
What were you original influences and how have they changed over time?
Well, T. Rex and glam rock, then Chuck Berry and rock’n’roll, then punk rock.
Tell us about your first band?
The Polecats, formed out of the teddy boy/punk ashes of 1978 At what stage did it get serious and start to happen for you? Late 1980, we toured with Dave Edmunds and signed a big record deal. Tell us about your guitar collection? Always changes; mainly 63 Fender Telecasters, various Gretschs, including my Pink Penguin and a White Falcon, a Gibson SJ200 acoustic, Martin D45 acoustic, James Trussart Tele, Fano, Hayman, Shergold, and a few more. What about Amps and Effects? At the moment, Blackstar combo, Fender Bassman.
How has your sound changed over the years?
A bit probably, I’m not aware though.
What have been the highpoints of you Career?
The last 20 years with Morrissey, Ronnie Dawson, recent Polecats shows, Vauxhall and I, the next Morrissey album.
And the lowpoints?
Early 80s after the Shillelagh Sisters, before I worked as a recording engineer – a short period of no work.
What about the present day set up?
I have a recording studio in Portugal where I go whenever I’m not on tour.
Thoughts on today’s music scene?
Very stale, seems like the business is all about getting one hit from someone then dropping them and not developing any artists.
What’s in the pipeline?
Hopefully a new Morrissey album then a tour should follow, I have a few bands booked in the studio to record, there’s a few Polecats gigs and I have an acoustic duo called Happy Martyr, album and gigs in the pipeline.
