01 Mar 1977
Only six weeks or so gone, and already it looks as if 1977 is going to be a cracker of a year for rock music! In the month of January alone we had superb albums from Spirit and David Bowie plus the exceptional music of Ry Cooder and his band at the Hammersmith Odeon, and February promises long-awaited albums from Neil Young and Roy Harper, with the latter about to return to the road with his new band Chips.
I sincerely believe that there isn't a singer-songwriter in Britain who can hold a candle to him in terms of innovation and imagination.
For regional news aimed at the Northwest of England, ITV (Granada Television) brought and entertaining half hour called Granada Reports. It had different presenters, one of them being Tony Wilson with his arts round-up What's On. "He would often have interesting guests – one was John Martyn singing May You Never," recalled Alan Ashworth on The Conservative Woman.
17 Feb 1977
Glasgow-born, Martyn spent later 1960s building reputation on folk-circuit with albums like (1) and (2), before (3), recorded in the U.S. A. with members of The Band, brought him to wider attention.
Solo acoustic performance, recorded Maida Vale 4 studio 18 January.
01 Feb 1977
Fans of John Martyn have probably noticed that the genial songster has been a little elusive of late. We decided that it was about time we brought him out into the open and got some straight answers about what he's been up to for the last year.
Radio recording of solo gig at London, Regent's Park Open Theatre.
The gig took place 4 July 1976; Hedgehog Pie was supporting act.
23 Jul 1976
JOHN MARTYN
John Martyn is a man of paradox. A performer who interplays a cockney brashness in conversation with his audience against an emotive warmth in his singing and fiery virtuosity in his playing.
IT WAS about November when John Martyn announced that he'd be taking a year off from live appearances in Britain.
It wasn't believable at the time; and this wasn't the first gig since the itchy-fingered Martyn's pronouncement. But the small steep-tiered Open theatre in the heart of Regent's Park on Sunday evening must be just about the ideal setting for Martyn's music.
21 Feb 1976
THE news that Danny Thompson is getting back into jazz will please the many who have missed the big, fat tone of his bass during his protracted flirtations with other types of music.
