Boomslang (album)

Boomslang is the only album by Johnny Marr + the Healers. It was released in 2003 through Artistdirect and iMusic. The band consisted of Zak Starkey, drummer for the Who and son of Ringo Starr, and Kula Shaker bassist Alonza Bevan, with Marr playing guitars, lead vocals and keyboards. The literal definition of the word "boomslang" is "a venomous, tree-dwelling snake... of tropical and southern Africa". The expression "I got boomslang..." in South Africa means to get caught up in something (like a boomslang snake hanging from a tree.) For example, "I was about to leave work when I got boomslang by a customer who needed something, and had to stay late."

The 2001 single "The Last Ride" – and its B-sides "Need It" and "Long Gone" – were included in the track listing. "Down On the Corner" was also released as a single, promoted by an appearance on The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn in February 2003. "Bangin' On" was released as a single in 2003 and got to #78 in UK. Its B-sides were non-album tracks "Here It Comes" and "Get Me Wrong". Videos were made for "The Last Ride" and "Down On the Corner".

The remastered version of the album was released on 20 September 2024 via BMG, which released on double-CD and for the first time released on LP, which to be exact a double-LP. This version featured the remastered of the original album, with the additional of seven unreleased songs, and also additional artwork, which featured the session musicians such as Adam Gray (guitar), Liz Bonney (percussion), and Lee Spencer (synthesizer) as a part of the band, instead of trio-only on the original artwork.