One of the founders of the Smiths -- synonymous with sullen, gloomy songs -- said he doesn't care for the 'weedy, mopey' music prevalent today.

Guitarist Johnny Marr told NME he now intentionally writes what he calls "outside" music to combat depressing songs and albums. "I've been looking for this way of writing cool music for the daytime, because I actually think it's more of a challenge, and is in some ways more impressive, to be able to do those songs that really work in the morning and in the afternoon," he said. "I started calling it 'outside music', as in you're looking outside rather than looking inside too much."

He did acknowledge the irony, however, by saying he doesn't believe the Smiths were mopey. "There's a lot of music around that's just celebrating a mopey attitude. It gets passed off as authentic, and I just don't like that kind of mopey shit," he said. "Which might sound ironic coming from the guitar player who formed The Smiths -- but the music was always intense in whatever direction it was goin' in, and I'm all for intensity. Weedy, mopey s--t we weren't."

Not all that surprisingly, Marr is promoting his new solo album, 'Playland,' which drops Oct. 7. Stream it below via Spotify:

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