Iain David McGeachy (11 September 1948 – 29 January 2009), known professionally as John Martyn, was a British singer-songwriter and guitarist.
Martyn began his career at age 17 as a key member of the Scottish folk music scene, drawing inspiration from American blues and English traditional music. He signed to Chris Blackwell's Island Records in 1967 and released his first album, London Conversation, the same year.
By 1970 inspired by the saxophonist Pharaoh Sanders, Martyn had developed a wholly original and idiosyncratic sound: acoustic guitar run through a fuzzbox, phase shifter and Echoplex. In February 1973, Martyn released his seminal fourth solo album Solid Air; the title track a love letter to the singer-songwriter Nick Drake, a close friend and label-mate who would die 18 months later in 1974 from an overdose of antidepressants.
The album was recorded over eight days with legendary Island Records engineer and producer John Wood (Nick Drake, Pink Floyd, Cat Stevens, Sandy Denny and Fairport Convention) and features instrumental contributions by jazz bassist Danny Thompson and members of Fairport Convention.
A widely revered, mesmerising, quiet masterpiece and one of the defining moments of British music, Solid Air has continually grown in stature since its 1973 release becoming a cult touchstone. Blending traditional acoustic songwriting with the fluid, improvisational textures of late-night jazz the album beautifully balances hypnotic, gentle folk melodies with dark, avant-garde blues-rock grooves. Its unique sonic landscape would become a blueprint for future genres, directly influencing the development of trip-hop, post-rock, and ambient electronic music in the UK throughout the 1990s and 2000s.
Alcohol and substance abuse problems marred Martyns personal life throughout the 1970s and 1980s, though he continued to release albums while collaborating with figures such as Phil Collins and Lee "Scratch" Perry. He remained active until his death in 2009.
Cut directly from the original analog master tapes, through our unique all valve 1965 Ortofon / Lyrec vinyl cutting system in stereo. No equalisation, compression or any other processing was added during the cutting process.
Sleeve artwork made by hand and authentically letter-pressed on a 1963 Heidelberg SB.
This edition of 300 copies is priced at £395.00 UK pounds. Order here.
