LOOKING WORRYINGLY like one of those Gulf nutter Johnnies in his multi-coloured kaftan and shades, John Martyn strolls onstage plucking his acoustic and already bathed in sweat. What has he been up to backstage? John Martyn Live is a (sometimes gruellingly) accurate souvenir of one night from his recent Apprentice tour¹ and displays all that is attractive and unpalatable about this enigmatic, alluring figure.

When he's on form, as in Dealer, One World or the rightly perennial May You Never, there's something irresistible and warm about his craft. At other times, however, his songs atrophy into a slew of middle-aged jazz rock, all shimmering cymbals and flatulent fretless bass, sporadically enlivened by Martyn's heartfelt guitar playing.

John also feels compelled to prick about between every song and during all of the moody intro passages (and there are many). This habit, initially amusing, palls very quickly. At the death Dave Gilmour, of The Pink Floyd, is led on for a bit of a 'jam'.² I mention this merely to point out that I was still there at the end. Just.

Stuart Maconie

sitenotes:
¹ The footage was shot during the concert of 31 March 1990 at the Shaw Theatre, London.
² David Gilmour features as guest on the last three tracks.
Apparently the reviewer had to guess the title of the video tape. I assume he qualifies for membership of the acoustic mafia.
This rather rare video review was published in the NME of 8 September 1990. Material dug up by John Neil Munro.