News !
Last Site Update: 12th April 2008 Recording in progress
Recording
John is working hard on his new album ably assisted by recording engineer/producer Gary Pollitt. Arran Ahmun has laid down new drum tracks and Martin Winnings sax... New vocals and guitar courtesy of John. Can't wait to hear it! More news here soon...
Live and No Little Boy Re-mastered
Voiceprint have released remastered CDs of No Little Boy and Live (at the Shaw Theatre). Both releases include improved artwork and are available here.
Both CDs have been remastered by Dallas Simpson and sound quality is improved, particularly John's vocals and the mid range. New artwork from Jon Price including the addition of photos and sleeve notes makes both releases a worthwhile addition to your collection, particularly if your original versions have seen considerable action!
BBC Radio 2 Lifetime Achievement Award
John wwas presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2008 on Monday 4 February. Long time friend Phil Collins was honoured to present the award.
John performed Over The Hill and May You Never with special guest John Paul Jones from Led Zeppelin playing mandolin! Alan Thomson, Spencer Cozens, Arran Ahumn and Martin Winnings accompanied John who was in excellent form and is revcoering well from his recent illness. John received a standing ovation from the invited audience that included Whispering Bob Harris, K T Tunstall, Martin Carthy, Danny Thompson and from the world of film Bob Hoskins, Sean Bean, Geoff Hughes and Brenda Blethyn. And in a special message, Eric Clapton described John as: "So far ahead of everything, it's almost inconceivable." For some strange reason Over The Hill was not broadcast however it is avaliable online from the BBC Website.
John is looking well and very much enjoyed the evening. A short interview with John and his performance of both songs is available to watch on the BBC Website.
This weeks this week...
Pick up your copy of London Conversation and listen to Back To Stay.
Message from John
John would like to thank everyone for their messages of support and best wishes over recent months. Apart from suffering the Nora Virus just before Christmas, along with a plague of frogs and snakes (?!!) John is recovering slowly from his illness and is hoping to undertake a short tour in September, health permitting. Meanwhile John will be working on completeing his new album.
I
n Concert 1978 - The Man Upstairs DVD
Available now from Voiceprint is this fantastic release of John playing solo at Hamburg University. This stunning performance was filmed by WDR television on 17th March 1978 for the famous German TV Show Rockpalast. The DVD has been produced from the original master tapes of the concert that was originally broadcast shortly after filming. Whilst putting the release together a performance of I'd Rather Be The Devil was unexpectedly discovered. Not originally broadcast as part of the concert this song has been added as bonus material.
A classic solo performance with tremendous guitar work from John, emotion filled vocals and entertaining banter with the german audience - a stunning performance and must have release for all John fans! Available here now! The track listing is
1. One Day Without You 2. Outside In 3. Bless The Weather 4. Certain Surprise 5. Big Muff 6. Couldn’t Love You More 7. Small Hours 8. Solid Air 9. May You Never 10. Seven Black Roses 11. Singin’ In The Rain 12. I'd Rather Be The Devil
Scotland's Music - BBC TV (Scotland)
John appeared in this series of six programmes presented by Phil Cunningham. JOhn appeared in the programme broadcast on Saturday 10th November 2007 on BBC2 in Scotland at 8pm with a repeat the following Tuesday at 7pm. The series is about Love and Loss, and how we express our feelings and emotions through music. John performed Hurt In Your Heart and you can see it here. Also here.
Cained
Cained is the title of a new chill out album compiled by Sir Michael Caine himself! One of his selections is the Talvin Singh Remix of John's song Sunshine's Better. Other artists that feature in Sir Michael's compilation are Elton John, Stan Getz, Nina Simone, St.Germain, Eva Cassidy and many more.
Ireland Tour Dates Cancelled
John was forced to cancel the remaining dates of his Irish Tour due to ill health. John played Drogheda and three nights at the Rotterdam Bar in Belfast before being taken ill. Subsequent dates in Grange, Rooskey, Headford, Cork and Carrig on Bannow had to be unexpectedly cancelled at very short notice. Please accept our sincere apologies.
Our best wishes go to John for a speedy recovery. More information on John's recovery will be added soon!
Cooltide - Re-mastered and Expanded
Available now from Voiceprint here and priced at £8-49. Revised artwork and booklet along with 4 bonus songs!
1. Hole in The Rain
2. Annie Says
3. Jack The Lad
4. Number Nine
5. The Cure
6. Same Difference
7. Father Time
8. Call Me
9. Cooltide
Bonus Songs;
10. Jack The Lad (remix)
11. Jack Sez
12. Jack The Lad (live)
13. Hole in the Rain (live)
The Apprentice - Re-mastered and Expanded
Available now from Voiceprint here and priced at £8-49. Very nice revised artwork and booklet along with 5 bonus songs!
1. Live on Love
2. The River
3. Look At The Girl
4. Income Town
5. Send Me One Line
6. Deny This Love
7. Hold Me
8. Upo
9. The Apprentice
10. The Moment
11. Patterns In The Rain
Bonus Tracks:
12. Deny This Love (remix)
13. The Apprentice (live)
14. The River (live)
15. Send Me One Line (live)
16. Look At The Girl (live)
BBC Live In Concert
New from Universal is a 2CD release of BBC recorded In Concert performances. Release date is 4th June and price is likely to be around £12. There is some fantastic material on this release from 3 performances spanning 1971 to 1981 and its a well put together package with 16 page booklet.
Disc 1
Head And Heart (BBC Live In Concert - Paris Theatre 30/12/71)
Singin' In The Rain (BBC Live In Concert - Paris Theatre 30/12/71)
Bless The Weather (BBC Live In Concert - Paris Theatre 30/12/71)
Outside In (BBC Live In Concert - Paris Theatre 30/12/71)
Outside In (BBC Live In Concert - Hippodrome Golders Green 13/10/77)
Spencer The Rover (BBC Live In Concert - Hippodrome Golders Green 13/10/77)
Dealer (BBC Live In Concert - Hippodrome Golders Green 13/10/77)
Disc 2
Big Muff (BBC Live In Concert - Paris Theatre 25/3/81)
Some People Are Crazy (BBC Live In Concert - Paris Theatre 25/3/81)
Grace And Danger (BBC Live In Concert - Paris Theatre 25/3/81)
Save Some (For Me) (BBC Live In Concert - Paris Theatre 25/3/81)
Johnny Too Bad (BBC Live In Concert - Paris Theatre 25/3/81)
Willing To Work
John is still not happy with the mix on his new album and hopes to go back into the studio with engineer Gary Pollitt to do some more work soon.Couldn't Love You More Re-mastered
Available from Voiceprint is this re-mastered album with two bonus songs taken from Live At Bristol 1991. Some nice artwork from Jon Price at Kadu Ink makes a vast improvement on the original release. Priced at £8.49 and available now here.
1. Lonely Love
2. Couldn't Love You More
3. Sweet Little Mystery
4. Head and Heart
5. Could've Been Me
6. One Day Without You
7. Over The Hill
8. Fine Lines
9. May You Never
10. One World
11. Ways To Cry
12. Angeline
13. Man In The Station
14. Solid Air
15. Never Let Me Go
16. Couldn't Love You More (from Live at Bristol '91)
17. Never Let Me Go (from Live at Bristol '91)
Coming soon are re-mastered releases of Live and No Little Boy, and even more interesting are re-mastered and expanded releases of The Apprentice and Cooltide all with new artwork and bonus material!
One World Records Sampler CD
Voiceprint have released a sampler CD of material available on their John Martyn dedicated label - One World. This is available now via our online shop. Some excellent artwork by Jon Price at Kadu Ink features the original art of talented painter Philomena Mills. The CD contains a previously unreleased version of Amsterdam recorded at the Apollo Theatre, Oxford on 10th October 1982 - a date and venue that many John fans will instantly recognise as a gig that produced some classic versions of the songs that appeared on the album Philentopy!
1. Solid Air - (Live at Leeds OW107CD)
2. One For The Road - (Live in Nottingham 1976 OW124CD)
3. Seven Black Roses - (Sweet Certain Surprise OW119CD)
4. Outside In - (Live in Milan 1979 (2CD) – Collectors Series No.4 OW117CD)
5. Could’ve Been Me - (Live at The Bottom Line 1983 – Collectors Series No.3 OW116CD)
6. Hung Up - (Philentropy BP275CD)
7. Angeline - (Germany 1986 (with Danny Thompson) OW118CD)
8. May You Never - (The Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal 1986 with Danny Thompson and Arran Ahmun OW115CD)
9. Dealer - (Live at The Town and Country Club 1986 – Collectors Series No.2 OW109CD)
10. Cooltide - (Live in Bristol 1991 Official Bootleg Ltd Ed of 5,000 OW1006CD)
11. Big Muff - (And Live (2CD) OW122CD)
12. Suzanne - (And Live (2CD) OW122CD)
13. Step It Up - (Snooo…BP276CD)
14. Amsterdam - (Previously unreleased recorded at the Apollo Theatre, Oxford on 10th October 1982)
Then Came The Wheel
'Then Came The Wheel' comprise of four great musicians; Doug Morter (guitar and vocals), Alan Thomson ( bass and guitar), Arran Ahmun (drums and percussion), and Foss Paterson (keyboards). Two years after forming the band have recently completed their first album; 'I Think I Will Fall.
This album offers a taste of the band’s own unique blend of R&B which has an impressive and solid musicality to it and a rich soulful strength in songs. You can hear samples from the album here.