Met my now wife, jackie, in 77 at art college. When I asked her where she came from she said Hastings. I said John Martyn lives there. That clinched it.
Love the slow seductive mood of the first 1.45, with the long organ notes and the clipped notes on the ride cymbal and high hat giving that soft percussion. Beautiful intro and classy vibe 🎶 🎸🎹 🥁
Absolute natural legend. The quality of music this artist creates is just utter sublime!! Timing, tempo , pace you name it he’s got it down to a T. If only artist of today could match this quality of soul touching quality.
Wash away every negative comment about this sublime artist. I have followed him for more years than I can remember (70 this year) every time I revisit him he still knocks my socks off.thanks for posting this , beautifully filmed.
raymond scott I’m 55 and grew up on solid air and have listened to his music all my life and never tire. I was fortunate to catch him live in London. What a talent but personally flawed.
This just oozes class and innate musicality. A chilled jazzy vibe about the way he sings, always re-intepreting Solid Air differently every time he sang the song. A national treasure and music genius, often beset by his own demons who never achieved the popular status and recognition he fully deserved, not with standing his MBE award. I guess John never wanted such popular acclaim. He lived his life the way he wanted on his own terms, so never becoming a top selling record artists. What he did leave behind was a legacy of enduring wonderful music , that continues to speak to, and infuse the lives of many of his listeners now and future future generations who discover him.
Dear John, your music was the soundtrack of my growing up years….such brilliance doesn’t come along too many times in a life time . Not sure we will ever see the likes of you again. Rest easy Big man.
Been fan since the '70s. "And" is my favourite album of John's, this is simply divine, the cool, the groove , the playing is sublime. I just keep playing it over...I'm a painter (not walls) and this is on all the time, helps with the process no end, but as a piece of music it is just so beautiful...
Bloody hell, coming up on 10 years without JM but still a big part of me in some ways, certainly a big part of my musical tastes. Been to many of his gigs in UK & Ireland - Rest well John, love you mate.
I’ve just finished reading john’s biography and, while I do love the man and his music and have done since the early seventies, it wasn’t easy or pleasant reading. I had the impression of him being a “jack the lad” but the truth seems to be much more than that. He was a tortured soul deep down and his behaviour hurt a lot of people physically and emotionally. It seems something of a contradiction that he could be like that and at the same time make music of such gentle beauty that touched people positively. I thought this might change my feelings towards him but I find myself hearing the hurt and pain behind the music for the first time. Couldn’t love him more !
Well said, Paul. It's tough finding out that one of your musical heroes could be such a prick. Took me weeks after finishing the biography to go back to his music. It stood the test
I am JM's biggest fan. I organized concerts with him, carried him from the train to the venue, showered him and tried to talk sense to him. Shit concerts sometimes. And then he would appear 30 minutes later at the bar with a guitar and mystify everybody with his charm and wit and his lyrics. He was so self destructive that it hurt to watch. He was so beautiful.
669 Solid air So sad so dismayed Your fall from grace You Big ol muff With your powder puff With your soulful ways You king of sway Always time to play Tricky finger style A nibble 1 2 3 a smack of the string Molten sugar words That you ebb and flow As you eat thro solid air Thro the soul and the blues Such a tear i spent To see your decay To hear your last lament Chairbound footloose huge Having shot the breeze Your soulful lyrics Your inimitable beats Your incredible feats You are always a breathe Of solid air I dont want evil I just want love May you Never... In one world. Dedicated to john martyn An ode to solid air Md/13/9/20
love it, a musical god. You live johns life - ups and downs - thru his beautiful, soulful art. Saw him in '04 at Connallys in west cork, ireland and personally met my all time R&B hero. RIP. Great post
WoW! That was a real privilege to witness! Even through many years and on my phone. Felt the magic embrace me and cuddle me for what could have been hours.
Saw John many times but when I see great performances like this I always wish I had seen him more. I appreciate his style and his genius more now than ever. Many of his albums are great but his live performances always came with moments of brilliance that could take you to another place and so often you knew you had witnessed something magical.
I missed this gig at the time in that great Dublin venue Vicar Street. But i did see the great man back in the 80`s when he was touring Sweet Little Mystery album in The National Stadium in Dublin. One of the best gigs i have ever been to. And i have seen the best over the past 4 to 5 decades. R.I.P. John Martyn.
Sitting in my studio with my guitar on this Sunday afternoon and playing along with this exquisite music. I'm 68 years old and first saw John as a solo artist opening up for, God, I wish I could remember who at Maple Leaf GardensToronto. It was the early seventies and I remember thinking beforehand , who is this guy and lets get it over with so we can get to the main act. I was entranced!! Here I am , close to 50 years later and the memory of that main act has long dissapeared but the memory of John Martyn lives on. Bless you John may you finally have found peace. p.s. if there was anyone else there that remembers the main act please post. I'm curious.
I have been listening to JM for over 20 years, this is just an amazing performance. The man never ceases to amaze, this turns Solid Air into a real groove.
I'm assuming this has been watched by 28,758,000 and they just left the noughts off the end? I, too, miss JM hugely - truly one of the musical giants of my lifetime.
utterly sublime. I saw john martyn live and he performed the whole solid air album at symphony hall birmingham. I melted. I will always be grateful for that memory
Saw him with my ex on a date at Leeds Roundhouse some 30 or so years ago I think, we all sat cross-legged on the floor in a semicircle around him. I was a metalhead at the time, she changed me in many ways, and in many more.
His music means so much to me I have avoided reading the book, bit selfish but I need his music badly in my life due to stuff going on. Love this mood he managed to evoke.
+ELEMAY100 Listening again Now! Great that You captured this footage for us. I saw John Martyn play Castlebar Mayo Ireland in 1995 and this is the kind of groove he was in that night too, One for the Memory Bank!
I was at this and the night before in cork and the night before in wexford! Had a few drinks with the big man too☺ Sadly missed ,but he left plenty of music with us R.I.P
She's a lover, that's what she is Natural born She's a lover, that's what she is Natural born i can tell her from a mile away She can't keep that smile away from me I can tell by everything she says That girl's a lover, that girl's a lover She's a lover, she's a lover Out all alone with my face in the sky I'm too lazy to sing, I'm too crazy to cry Her father told me, her mother did too I should have known she'd break this Beat of mine in two Cause she's a lover, that's what she is She's a lover she's a lovеr, she's a lover They comе around my house, tried to shoot me I was a fool with that little girl I said, hey brother dear You've got to understand A certain kind of people in this world She's a lover She's a lover, a natural born lover Her father told me, she's a lover Her mother tried to tell me too But I was a fool who loved That little girl so much And let her break this heart of mine in two She's a lover, she's a lover She's a lover, a natural born lover Moving on down the street, got no Heart to talk to nobody, wondering why Running on up the road Talking to no-one and wondering why She's a lover, she's a lover She's a lover, she's a lover Natural born lover, natural born lover Natural born lover wondering why Natural born lover, wondering why Natural born lover
Listening to John Creedon show when this came on. Felt compelled to stop & listen. Def John Martyn but never heard it before. Soundhound failed to connect but eventually found it here. Tarra what ya do to click with something else, something that takes you
