John Martyn - May You Never (RIP)
I for one will be cranking out Solid Air tonight. Good obituary here. There's something beautiful about Martyn's voice, guitar playing and his bohemian troubadouring. Ever since I first heard Stormbringer and Over The Hill 'I'm going away to leave you, I'm gonna leave you in disgrace, got nothing in my favour, wind in my face...". Fellow blogger Landcroft House puts it like this...
Meeting John Martyn - never mind going to his local pub with him, then retiring to his house for rum and orange juice - was one of the great pleasures - honours even - of my life. John was a heroic person in every sense, not all of them good. He drank and drugged and fought and swore to the limits of anyone's capabilities, but, Jesus Christ, he could really play. And really sing. And really write. He was as alive as it's possible to be when the weight of illness and the discomfort is upon you. He didn't slow up - he still, as I said in WORD's cover feature - stared people out in the pub, and he could still roar with anger when needs be. But he was excellent, hilarious company ...
2 comments:
I initially read that as 'cranking one out' over Solid Air. But I'm with you. Absolute masterpiece, I will re-listen in his memory.
Funnily enough, I'd never listened to or heard any John Martyn until recently, though I remember selling the odd copy of Solid Air to bedraggled hippies and respectable bespectacled older gents during my time working in the record shop (remember those?). I caught a guitar heroes show on BBC Four over Christmas that featured I'd Rather Be The Devil and I was somewhat captivated by his playing. I didn't know he'd passed away, but will, rightly or wrongly, now be checking out some of his work.....
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