John Martyn
By All Music Guide
By All Music Guide
While on the road, Martyn continued to experiment with his sound, adding various effects to his electrified acoustic. One such effect, the Echoplex, allowed him to play off of tape loops of his own guitar, enveloping himself in his own playing while continuing to play leads over the swelling sound. This would become an integral part of his recordings and stage performances in the coming years. He also met Beverley Kutner, a singer from Coventry who later became his wife and musical partner. The duo released two records in 1970, Stormbringer and The Road to Ruin, the former recorded in Woodstock, N.Y. with American musicians including members of the Band. For one track on their second album, John and Bev hired Pentangle double bassist Danny Thompson, who remained a constant in Johns career through a better part of the 70s, on stage and in the studio. John planned his third solo album when Beverley retired to take care of the couples children, although there was supposedly pressure from Island for him to record on his own.
The next couple of years saw Martyn continuing to expand on his unique blend of folk music, drawing on folk, blues, rock and jazz as well as music from the Middle East, South America and Jamaica. His voice continued to transform with each album while his playing became more aggressive, yet without losing its gentler side. Bless the Weather (1971) and Solid Air (1973) which helped form the foundation of Martyns fan base, featured some of his most mature and enduring songs -- Solid Air, written for close friend Nick Drake, May You Never (recorded by Eric Clapton), and Head and Heart (recorded by America). By the time of 1973s Inside Out, Martyns use of the Echoplex had taken on a life of its own, while his vocals became more of an instrument: deeper and bluesier, with words slithering into one another, barely decipherable.
During this period, Martyns well-publicized bouts with alcoholism came to the forefront and began to affect his career somewhat. He became an erratic and at times self-destructive performer. He might perform an evening of electronic guitar experiments for a crowd of folkies or a set of traditional, acoustic ballads when playing to a rock audience. His shows would also range from the odd night of falling over drunk to sheer brilliance, as captured on the independently released Live at Leeds (1975).
Following Sundays Child (1974), the live record and a 1977 best-of collection, Martyn, for the most part, abandoned his acoustic guitar on record for a sort of rock, world and jazz fusion. Although his style was moving away from its folk roots, his songs retained the passion and structure of his best early work. Grace and Danger (1980), his first release since 1977s One World, painfully and honestly depicted the crumbling of John and Beverleys marriage in some of his most powerful material in years. It also seemed to gather interest in Martyns sagging career. With this new momentum and the help of friend Phil Collins, Martyn signed to WEA, where he recorded two records, Glorious Fool (1981) and Well Kept Secret (1982). Glorious Fool, a superb effort, produced by Collins and featuring Eric Clapton on guitar and Collins on drums, piano and vocals, looked to be his best shot at mainstream success, but failed to extend his cult status. Martyn released his second independent live record, the magnificent Philentropy, before returning to Island Records for two studio releases, a live album and a 12 single which featured a version of Bob Dylans Tight Connection to My Heart. He was dropped by the label in 1988.
Martyn, continuing to battle his alcoholism, resumed his career in 1990 with The Apprentice and 1992s Cooltide. He also released an album of his classic songs re-recorded with an all-star cast featuring Phil Collins, David Gilmour of Pink Floyd and Levon Helm of the Band, as well as various compilations and live recordings. After a four year layoff, Martyn issued And, an album with strong jazz, trip-hop and funk overtones, followed in 1998 by The Church with One Bell, a collection of diverse covers. In 1999 he also released a live double album which documented a classic concert at Londons Shaw Theatre in 1990 entitled Dirty Down & Live.
Whether with his characteristic backslap acoustic guitar playing, his effects driven experimental journeys or catalog of excellent songs, John Martyn remains an important and influential figure in both British folk and rock.
