Name: Solid Air - Half Speed Mastering
Brand: John Martyn

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

ARHSLP3

Colour

Black

Colour details

Discogs ID

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Format Music GB

Limited edition

Release date

2023-03-03

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier GB

Universal

Tax rate GB

Standard:20

UPC / Barcode

602547558978

Total Cap

Black LP

Artist

John Martyn

Genre GB

Folk

Label GB

John Martyn OBE was a British singer-songwriter and guitarist known for his acoustic guitar playing. Born on 11 September 1948 in New Malden, Surrey, England, he started out in the folk clubs in the UK before expanding into more mainstream areas. In 1970, he released two albums with his then-wife as a duo. One of his notable works is the album Solid Air, released in February 1973, which includes a tribute to singer-songwriter Nick Drake. John Martyn passed away on 29 January 2009 in Ireland at the age of 60.
Throughout his career, John Martyn's music showcased his exceptional talent as both a songwriter and guitarist. His unique style and ability to blend genres made him stand out among his peers.
With numerous accolades to his name, including being appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), John Martyn left an indelible mark on the music industry and continues to be celebrated for his contributions to folk and beyond.

By 1973, John Martyn - still at the tender age of 25 - had racked up five albums (two with then wife, Beverly). At the age of 17 his jazzy folk had caught the ear of Chris Blackwell of Island records and while he was a favourite on the club circuit prevalent in those far off days, he had yet to really define his sound. Solid Air changed all that for good. The real breakthrough in Martyn's sound had really come with the previous album, 'Bless The Weather'. The reasons were threefold: Firstly he'd joined forces with a man with whom he'd be linked for decades to come - ex-Pentangle bass player, Danny Thompson. Danny's double bass profundities were the perfect accompaniment to John's fine finger picking. The second was the adoption of the Echoplex tape delay machine as his weapon of choice when it came to laying down the smoky, fuzzy vibe that made Martyn such a smoker's choice in years to come. The third was his voice. Maybe by this point he'd done enough smoking (and drinking) to really let the slurry, laid back delivery kick in, but suddenly the combination of the modal picking and almost horizontal attitude made perfect sense. 

Above all this was folk filtered through jazz. Take the inclusion of Tony Coe on sax throughout. His own slurred delivery was second to none (his was the sax on those Henry Mancini Pink Panther themes). Martyn, himself, was a fan of artists like Pharaoh Sanders, and it was this combined with the finest in British folk rock (most of Fairport Convention, including Richard Thompson, make an appearance here) that lifted 'Solid Air' above previous efforts. The album kicks off with Martyn's lament for close friend Nick Drake on the vibe and sax-assisted title track. On the way we get the bluegrass jauntiness of 'Over The Hill' (with its famously positive reference to Martyn's favourite pastimes); the voguishly pastoral 'Don't Want To Know', the Echoplex frenzy of his version of Skip James' 'Rather be The Devil', and the eerily mournful 'Man In The Station' (showing Martyn to be a master of the autobiographical soul-bearing that was to riddle his later album 'Grace And Danger'). Of course the one track that most remember here is May You Never - his paean to brotherly love that was to be a staple of every performance he's given since. Yes, it's a classic with not a note out of place.. And ably assisted by John Wood's late night production it's now firmly esconced in the hearts of chillers, smokers and music lovers the world over. Everyone needs a copy.

Solid Air - Half Speed Mastering

Music GB