Even though John Martyn will be taking a year off from gigging in Britain after his current tour ends this month, there won't be any accusations of short-changing from the man's considerable British following.

ISLAND RECORDS and Transatlantic have combined to bring out a four-album compilation of folk rock artists.

AT THE moment my profile's so low I could crawl under a sink with a top hat on," suggests John Martyn, singer, guitarist and catholic stylist, in a bid for quotability. Although at present there's a crownful of thorns hanging above Martyn threatening to prevent the achievement of what he cherishes: a devolved, unproblematic independence.