John Martyn R.I.P

[creegstor]

A great great musician and songwriter. Very sad day.

[Barish]

May you never make your bed out in the cold :(

I saw him live in Glasgow last year or so. Or was it even earlier than that. He was really pushing it. Drugs and alcohol and amputations and all...

His bassist Alan and I used to frequent the same blues pub and jam occasionally, and it was then talked that it could be his last tour.

Very sad indeed, but I guess that's the price of being a genius living on the edge.

God rest the man in somewhere warm.

B.

[ninjaneer]

r.i.p.

[Knox]

it's a real shame

[theblue1]

RIP, Mr Martyn. Another genuine original gone...

[Schaap]

That's very sad news. RIP

[timtoonz]

Very sad. 'Solid Air' is one of my all time fave mellow records -- was introduced to his stuff by a room mate from Glasgow in college. "I'd rather be the Devil" became a kind of anthem for a while...

Saw J M live twice in the 80's, once with Max Middleton on keys (promoting the Grace and Danger album, I think). Absolutely magical performance. He always seemed to have a killer fretless player with him too. John Giblin played on the album I think, and a young whiz kid filled in capably at the live gig.

I remember reading a quote from him in Mojo saying that his early inspiration was a far out echoey jazz album by sax great Pharoah Saunders (who I also saw live once in LA). It inspired him to start messing around with echo pedals, and a new psychedelic folk sound was born!

Very sad to see him gone. But I think he left behind so much enduring and timeless music, his name will be known for a long time yet.

[GOD]

Had the great pleasure and honour to gig with the legend in the 80s.
Gonna be truly missed.

[caledoniamission]

Originally Posted by theblue1

RIP, Mr Martyn. Another genuine original gone...

Yep too true.

[leaper]

Such a warm, sensitive musician.. "solid air" helped me and my friends to remember that feeling is paramount to self expression. RIP

[Unclenny]

Ah.........a major early influence for me.

Bless the weather.......and his soul.

[Jules]

Me and some school friends went to see him in 1977, we had sparked up a big one before the gig.. OOOPS!

OMG it was like the devil himself was swooping down on us - JM was in a very dark musical phase (at least that night) he was doing a lot of amazing work with delays (surely an influence on U2's Edge?) and the musical atmosphere was very spooky and disturbed.. It really gave us the heebie jeebies! I think he cheered up the set towards the end (thank god) or else we would have had to go to sleep with the lights on!

Powerful emotions..

RIP JM

[themaidsroom]

i love john martyn
my favorite is the song
"fine lines"

[Knox]

John Martyn: A music legend remembered | Music | guardian.co.uk

perfect . . . in all it's imperfections

[Dr.Wu]

what a tragic loss.
i love his music.

[stealthbalance]

John Martyn, an absolutely amazing artist.
I had the great pleasure of mixing one of his albums. While mixing in the dimly lit control room, I will never forget when I turned back to the outboard gear rack behind me to tweek a reverb , only to turn back around to ride a fader and jump out of my skin when suddenly I was face to face with a dripping wet huge lobster carcus sitting on the SSL vca group faders - OMG - John was so pleased with his prank ! Hilarious !!
Rest In peace John , your music will live forever.

s

[LeMauce]

Damn it is of 2007 till now that all great musicians/songwriters/producers die... Time for new person's?
Sad to here about J.Martyn..RIP.

[gurubuzz]

John Martyn's Solid air

Saved my marriage once....


It was all over, in the car, my wife was going to leave me and that was it..


I put on Solid Air and listened both in silence on the way home at some stage past halfway through the album we were both crying and holding hands...


What a powerful Album...simple but complex and still moves me every time I hear it.

[samw@SSL]

He is a legend

Always loved the fact that he couldn't decide whether he was a sensitive poet or a drunken street fighter. And what a capacity for booze and weed!

His use of the Echoplex is masterful, so many people asked "Where are the other musicians?" yet it was just John with an acoustic in sync with his echos. Even Lee scratch Perry was impressed (Listen to the "One World" album).

And if "Small hours" doesn't move you, you can't be human.

We will miss you, RIP

Sam
Solid State Logic

[dlmorley]

RIP indeed.
His stature will grow and grow as time passes, I am certain.

[mrhenry76]

Nooooo!
Wtf
no!

[bcgood]

"I won't be fancy but I will be free."