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Last Site Update: 19th April - Levon
Levon Helm
26th May 1940 - 19th April 2012
Levon was best known for his years with The Band, where he played drums, guitar and mandolin and sang until the group's 1976 "The Last Waltz" farewell performance, which was filmed by director Martin Scorsese.
Levon and his band mates, Rick Danko, Garth Hudson, Robbie Robertson and Richard Manuel, were musical virtuosos who mined the roots of American music in the late 1960s as other rockers veered into psychedelia, heavy metal and jams.
The group's 1968 debut, "Music From the Big Pink," remains a landmark album of the era.
Levon and John were good friends and last met up in November 2008 during John's trip to New York. The two had had a tremendous mutual respect and admiration and had worked together on a number of occasions with Levon playing on the John and Beverley's Stormbringer! album in 1970 and more recently on the song Rock Salt and Nails.
Announcing his death Levon's family said he would be remembered by “all he touched as a brilliant musician and a beautiful soul”.
We send our heartfelt condolences and love to Levon and his family.
Time to rediscover
Rock Salt and Nails from No Little Boy. Give that CD a spin and rediscover this wonderful song today!
Titanic Town - BBC One 15th February 00:05
BBC One television are showing this drama set in Belfast in the 1970s about one woman's heroic crusade to bring an end to the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Her friend is accidentally shot dead by the IRA, and her neighbours are constantly raided by the army. In this climate of fear, she dares to stand up and condemn the killings. Criticising both factions, her call for a ceasefire is interpreted as an attack against the IRA, and she and her family are even more in danger. Starring Julie Walters the programme features many of John's songs from Solid Air.
John Martyn O.B.E.
(11th September 1948 - 29th January 2009)
It's hard to believe that it is 3 years since John died. We announced John's passing to the world on this very webpage and John Hillarby's simple but heartfelt words were soon quoted on BBC radio, websites and media all over the world. "With heavy heart and an unbearable sense of loss we must announce that John died on 29th January." The sad news was met with disbelief and quickly followed by an uncontrollable outpouring of emotion from fans and sympathy for John's family and close friends.
We continue to celebrate John's life and every day his music is listened to and enjoyed all over the world. John wouldn't want it any other way. Pick up your favourite CD or vinyl album and listen to John today, and every day!
Live in joy, live in love, live in music...
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BBC Old Grey Whistle Test
2011 was the fortieth anniversary of the first BBC Old Grey Whistle Test programme. Doesn't that make you feel old? To celebrate John's contribution to the show Universal Music will be releasing a 2CD compilation of ALL of John's performances on the programme. Some fantastic performances by John on this essential release that is due for release in 2012. More details to follow...
New Year Musical Gems
Some exclusive live music is coming your way early in 2012! We will be providing some live John songs for you to enjoy. The announcement will be via our mailing list so to make sure you don't miss out just join our mailing list today!
HEAVEN AND EARTH
John's eagerly awaited final album is out now. Heaven and Earth was written by John and recorded over an 8 year period by John's friend, Producer and Sound Engineer Gary Pollitt. The finishing touches were made in accordance with John's wishes over the last two years and the album mixed over a few weeks in Chicago. Additional production by Spencer Cozens, Stefon Taylor and Jim Tullio. Thanks to everyone who made the completion of John's album possible, the musicians and friends... you know who you are! The album tells the story of the most recent years of John's life.
John's loyal and longstanding band are tremendous musicians and this shines through all the songs. It's a bittersweet and emotional experience listening to John's final studio album. We hope that you love it as much as we do! Let's keep celebrating John's life and his incredible unrivalled musical legacy!
Early reviews are very positive and The Sunday Times features Heaven and Earth as album of the week on 15th May. More details in the discography 2010s!
Track listing -
1. Heel of the Hunt
2. Stand Amazed
3. Heaven and Earth
4. Bad Company
5. Could've told you before I met you
6. Gambler
7. Can't turn back the years
8. Colour
9. Willing to work
It has been a long wait so lets celebrate John's final studio album together.
Share your thoughts on the album on our discussion board or through our Facebook page via the link on the left!
Ain't No Saint 4 CD Box Set for just £21.49!
This 4CD box set is packed full of previously unreleased songs including the delightful In The Evening, Keep On, Eight More Miles, All For The Love of You, Working It Out as well as live performances from 1973, 1975, 1977, 1986 and many more!
Packaging includes comprehensive sleeve notes and previously unseen photos!
Special Offer in our shop at just £21.49 (current as of 8th January 2012) get it while you can!
For a full tracklisting please visit our online shop here.
To celebrate John's Birthday and to raise funds for The John Martyn Trust Fund, John's band played at Carrolls Bar, Thomastown, Ireland on Saturday 10th September. Guests included artists from the tribute album Glen Hansard, Ultan Conlon and more! All 450 tickets for the event sold out quickly and and it was a fantastic night! What a great start for the Trust Fund!
A big THANK YOU from John's family and friends for supporting this event and the trust fund. We hope you had a great night! More details on how you can contribute to the John Martyn Trust Fund for young people soon!
Syd Kitchen - Rest in peace
We are saddened to learn that Syd lost a long and brave fight against illness on Tuesday 22nd March. Syd was an influential and inspirational guitarist and singer songwriter. Despite being terminally ill Syd flew to the UK in February to record his version of Fine Lines for the tribute album and also performed a concert in Glasgow. Syd was a true gentleman at all times and had a great sense of humour. He was always good company and will be sadly missed. We send our heartfelt condoloences to Syd's wife Germaine, family and friends. The world has lost a great man and a great musician.
Solid Air on High Quality Vinyl
Solid Air is now available again on vinyl thanks to Simply Vinyl who have secured exclusive rights to release John's trade mark album from 1973.
Simply Vinyl have a tremendous reputation for delivering the highest quality products and this release is no exception having been produced using the orignal reel to reel master tapes superbly remastered by Paschal Byrne of the Audio Archiving Company and used for the acclaimed CD Deluxe Edition of Solid Air.
Meticulous attention to detail has delivered the highest quality re-mastered analogue sound on supreme quality 180 gram vinyl and all beautifully packaged with the original gatefold sleeve. Simply Vinyl set themselves a very high standard and it certainly shows here in what is a superb quality release in terms of both sound and packaging. Audiophiles will love it and it's a fantastic addition to your John collection, a trip down memory lane for those of us who remember those pre CD days! Initial production is limited to 500 copies so it's worth getting in there fast, you will not be diappointed! Simply Vinyl have also expressed interest in further John releases if Solid Air proves popular so watch this space!
You can get your copy direct from Simply Vinyl here.
Live at Leeds Deluxe Edition
New from Universal Music is a 2CD release of John's classic concert at Leeds University in 1975. This is the first time that the entire concert has been released since it was originally recorded 35 years ago!
The band are John Stevens and Danny Thomnpson, with Paul Kossoff playing guest guitar on some of the songs. This superb concert is supplemented by additional songs from rehearsals, including much tomfoolery as you would expect and Paul Kossoff attempting to play Danny Thompson's double bass! Outstanding sound quality and deluxe packaging makes it a fantastic release. The tracklisting is-
- May You Never
- Outside In
- Spencer The Rover
- Make No Mistake
- Bless The Weather
- My Baby Girl
- You Can Discover
- Solid Air
CD2
- I'd Rather Be The Devil
- So Much In Love With You
- Clutches
- Mailman
- May You Never (Rehearsal)
- The Message (Rehearsal)
- Outside In (Rehearsal)
- The Man In The Station (Rehearsal)
- Head And Heart (Rehearsal)
- Clutches (Rehearsal)
Available NOW here.
Tribute Album - Johnny Boy Would Love This
Released on the 15th August 2011 this tribute album to John features some top name artists! The double CD is accompanied by a DVD which includes some interesting clips of interviews with contributing artists, a music video and some footage of John playing two songs.
Some tremendous interpretations of many of John's classic songs including Back To Stay recorded by Ultan Conlon, Small Hours by Robert Smith, You Can Discover by Cheryl Wilson and many many more! Paolo Nutini recorded One World, Bombay Bicycle - Club Fairy Tale Lullaby, Beck - Stormbringer, Skye Edwards (Morcheeba) - Solid Air, Snow Patrol - May You Never, Ted Barnes and Gavin Clark - Over The Hill, Judie Tzuke - Hurt In Your Heart... the list makes for fine reading and the songs are superb listening!!
Order Here
Recommended Artist - Dan Arborise
Its not often that we recommend another artist, in fact we’ve never done it before! There’s a first time for everything and Dan Arborise is an artist well worth a listen. Inspired guitar work, heartfelt lyrics and beautiful vocals abound on his debut album Around In Circles and 2009s Of Tide and Trail.
Visit Dan's website here.
Around in Circles and Of Tide and Trail are both available in our online shop here.
BBC Live in Concert
Time to rediscover this 2CD release of classic John performances for the BBC?
Four solo acoustic songs from 1971, another three from 1977 and then five performed with his band in 1981, all in superb sound quality courtesy of the BBC and stunningly mixed and mastered by Universal Music!
Further details here.
John Martyn O.B.E. 11th September 1948 - 29th January 2009
With heavy heart and an unbearable sense of loss we must announce that John died on 29th January.
Live in joy, live in love, live in music...
BBC2 TV Mastermind 15th January
Question; Which singer-songwriter who died in January 2009 wrote May You Never which was covered by Eric Clapton on his Slowhand album?
After a long pause...
Answer; Reg Presley?
I can just hear John guffaw and his face contort!! "Agh F~~k em!"
Solid Air Deluxe Edition
Universal Music have announced a 2CD deluxe version of Solid Air is to be released on 25th May 2009. Tracklisting is -
Disc 1 (Remastered original album)
Solid Air
Over The Hill
Don't Want To Know
I'd Rather Be The Devil
Go Down Easy
Dreams By The Sea
May You Never
The Man In The Station
The Easy Blues / Gentle Blues
Disc 2 (Out takes, demo and live)
Solid Air (Alternative Take)
Over The Hill (Alternative Take)
Don't Want To Know (Alternative Take)
I'd Rather Be The Devil (Alternative Take)
Go Down Easy (Alternative Take)
Dreams By The Sea (Alternative Take)
May You Never (Alternative Take)
The Man In The Station (Alternative Take)
The Easy Blues/Gentle Blues (Alternative Take)
Keep On
Never Say Never (Demo)
In The Evening
May You Never (Single Version)
The Easy Blues (Live in Paris)
May You Never (Live in Paris)
I'd Rather Be The Devil (Live in Paris)
Universal Music Press Release, "Compiled, with John Martyn's blessing, by John Hillarby from the official John Martyn website and with sleeve notes by Record Collector's Daryl Easlea, Martyn's landmark album from 1973 has now been digitally remastered and expanded into a two CD set. Disc One contains the original album, considered by many to be his best album, digitally remastered and sounding better than ever. Disc Two contains twelve previously unreleased out-takes, three live tracks and the 7" single version of "May You Never".
Available here.
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