There’s something about the British Isles that consistently produces musical greatness; it is inherent to the country, its people and its culture. Popular culture has been defined by bands and artists from the UK; they have consistently created new genres and musical subcultures – from the Beatles’ psychedelic rock in the ’60s all the way through to the explosion of dubstep and drum ‘n’ bass in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Read more...

Photo: Guitarist and founding member of the seminal ’80s indie rock band The Smiths, Johnny Marr has reinvented his image since his days in the shadow of Morrissey. Marr will perform at the El Rey Theatre Dec. 19 and 20. (Warner Brothers Records UK)