Big Muff

More news on the JM cover album. Beth Orton, who once covered Don't Want To Know on her album Superpinkymandy, played a New York concert at the City Winery on January 17th. Elizabeth Hahn reports Beth played 'Go Down Easy' on this occasion, with Sam Amidon and Thomas Bartlett of Doveman.
The interesting part is Beth added they had recorded it for an upcoming John Martyn tribute album. So there's definitely something cooking...

Robert Smith of The Cure made an interesting blog entry for the official band website on the 13th of January.

I have recorded a cover for a John Martyn tribute album, as well as a couple or three other 'collaborations'.

So what we can tell from this is that someone must be producing a John Martyn tribute album. I have no further details yet and wonder if they will make it before the 29th of January.
Would be nice if they managed to get some people listed on this page...

From NPR radio. May You Never and Solid Air, recorded 26 September 1993 for Mountain Stage.

John starts at 6:50. The piano solo at the end of Solid Air is quite nice and jazzy.

Guitarist Pete Aves and double bass player Martin Roach present an evening of John's songs on 16th January at the Studio Theatre, Salisbury and on 22nd of January at Trinity Theatre, Tunbridge Wells.
More details at www.songsofjohnmartyn.co.uk.

The full top 10 of Lasting Tribute celebrity tributes to get the most messages in 2009 is:
1. Jade Goody
2. Michael Jackson
3. John Martyn
4. Dave Dee, DJ and 60s celebrity
5. Actress Natasha Richardson
6. Film star Patrick Swayze
7. Singer Stephen Gately
8. Patrick McGoohan, star of cult 60s show The Prisoner
9. Actress Wendy Richard
10. Phil Easton - veteran presenter and Liverpool FC match day announcer

Says the Coventry Telegraph.

It has almost been a year now but over here we still miss Big John in a big way. At least we might expect Willing To Work to be released in 2010...

Meanwhile I wish all of you a merry Christmas and a fantastic new year.

This site is technically up to date but I have had too little time for adding all the latest releases. Eventually I will do some catching up though, hopefully in the new year.

A version of the UltanJohn track Really Gone has been included on Ultan Conlon's debut solo album Bless Your Heart, which was presented 20 November 2009 with a free gig in Kelly's, Bridge Street, Galway. Ultan John (Ultan Conlon and John Conneely) worked with John Martyn on the track that appeared as a single November 2006.

Conlon played support to Martyn for a concert at the Cork Opera House that took place 3 August 2005. John liked the duo so much they were offered a second support act the next day, at Dolans Warehouse (Limerick). Afterwards Martyn asked if he could join in a recording session for UltanJohn, at Ross Studios, Clarenbridge.

The album was written and produced by Ultan Conlon and co-produced by Eoin McCann and Raoul Terzi. It was mastered by Ray Staff, best known for his work with Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, The Clash, and Muse.
The album is released on DarkSideOut records.

Found this on Amazon with a release date of 23 November.
I'd Rather Be The Devil looks like a Christmas casher. In fact it is another Permanent rehash of older material. No new stuff over there. Approach with caution.

During the Celtic Connections festival, held January 2010 in Glasgow, there will be two tribute concerts for songwriters Nick Drake and John Martyn.
Drake's record producer Joe Boyd will lead the Drake concert with contriubutions from Vashti Bunyan, Green Gartside and Danny Thompson.
Danny Thompson will lead the tribute to John Martyn. Danny was asked on several occasions to stage a tribute concert. But he believes this event - with contributions from Martin Simpson, Luka Bloom, Eddie Reader and Darrell Scott, provides the best occasion.

Pete Aves and bass player Martin Roach will be playing a set of John's songs at the Platform Tavern, Southampton on Nov 5th. More info at www.songsofjohnmartyn.co.uk.

They're playing the whole of Solid Air in The Button Factory.

Taken from Hotpress.com, 25 Sep 2009

Fresh from tackling Radiohead’s The Bends, The Universal Funk Orchestra perform the whole of John Martyn’s Solid Air on October 11 in The Button Factory (Dublin).

The roll call for the night includes musicians Max Greenwood, Dave McGuinness, Paul Carter, Garvan Gallagher, Kevin Kinney and Paul Byrne, and Karenrosanna Hammond who’ll be singing with both a heavy heart and a light head.

Given that Martyn wrote Solid Air’s title-track for him, the UFO-ers will also be encoring with a song by fellow folkie Nick Drake.

Tickets are € 10 before 9.30pm and € 12 after.
The Button Factory is new name of the refurbished Temple Bar Music Centre that opened October 2007.

Musicians Keith James and Rick Foot will be performing John Martyn’s music next Saturday, October 24, at the Anthony Minghella Theatre, Newport (Isle of Wight).

The partner of the late folk and blues artist John Martyn yesterday collected an OBE on behalf of the musician, who died in January at the age of 60. Teresa Walsh collected the honour from the Prince of Wales at the Buckingham Palace investiture service.

Today, 29 January 2009, it was announced that John Martyn has passed away, at age 60. Only four weeks ago he was awarded an OBE, probably through the efforts of John Hillarby. Quite rightly so.

What can I say? I feel sad of course but also grateful for all the music he has left us. Curious about the circumstances of his death. Surprised also, even though we all knew that something like this was bound to happen some time. Sorry for all the fans out there who love him so dearly.

Condolences to Teresa and all the people that have worked so loyally to make his music stand out. To my friend John Hillarby and to all the fans around the world without whom this website would not have had any point at all.

Rest assured, I recently estimated that it will take about 10 years to finish the work I started 10 years ago. I have no intention of giving up. For me, John will never die. He lived through his music and he will live on in his music. John Martyn was and will always be a legend.

For reasons beyond human understanding this demo tape has rested in the vaults for more than thirty years. Possibly John thought the structure of the song being too traditional. But somehow it seems appropriate to post it here, now. The typical Martyn twist is at the very end, by the way.

All For The Love Of You has been released on the boxed set Ain't No Saint. There are more great unknown tracks there to be found, like Working It Out, and In The Evening.

Well John, let's hope they have distortion pedals in Heaven. Give'm hell up there. We will be searching for the echoplex in the thunder. Thank you so much.