John Martyn Dies aged 60

One of the most innovative and experimental musicians of our time has died in Ireland from double pneumonia aged 60.

en.wikipedia.org...(musician)

www.johnmartyn.com...

He was an inspiration to artists who cared less about fame and fortune, and more about the respect afforded them by their peers.

His album Solid Air was one of the best albums ever wrote, and he lead a life blighted by drug addiction and alcoholism, which lead to him losing a leg. from a burst cyst and subsequent infection.

Despite his faults, he was one of the most gifted musicians and songwriters of his or any other generation.

RIP









John Martyn 1948 - 2009

R.I.P. JM


Solid air... awesome tune...

today i listened for the first time to the songs of john maryn
really sad i have missed them for so long. i just liked what i was listening to


thanks to budski to get me in touch with his musci




rest in peace john martyn

Don't mind admitting there's a tear in my eye.

I saw him at Glastonbury in 1979, and he was fantastic. One World had just come out - it's still my favourite album of his. I borrowed a friend's Echoplex and a volume pedal and detuned my bottom string to get those beautiful chords in "Small Hours"...

The drink took its toll, of course, and it was really sad to see that he'd lost a leg recenty. But a unique talent, and a sad loss.

RIP JM.

Yes, I saw him a year after that, a small, intimate university gig. The first half was solo and for the second he brought on a rhythm section of Phil Collins and, I think, Tony Levin. Which gives you an idea of the kind of reputation he had among musicians. The music was great but he was a mess - and he got worse throughout the evening, because whenever a bottle or something else was passed down the front row, it was passed up to him and back down.

Phil Collins wore a heavy Victorian-style black beard and was unrecognizable until he started pounding the skins.

Yeah - Collins was at Glasto, too. I can't remember who the bass player was. I was very young, and I wanted it to be just like the record, so when PC started playing drums on things where JM had just used a simple drum machine pattern, I was disappointed. Duh.

I don't remember him being a mess on that gig, but as we know, he liked a dram. Apparently he had to stop touring with Danny Thompson because when they used to drink together, they'd egg each other on to the point of unstoppability.

Oh, and thank you budski for your tribute. Good work fella!