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Heaven and Earth
One World 2CD Deluxe
Live at Leeds 2CD Deluxe
Solid Air 2CD Deluxe
Grace & Danger 2CD Deluxe
BBC In Concert CD
4CD Boxed Set
Boxed Set
Live at the BBC DVD
BBC In Session CD
very much looking forward to the forthcoming album. never imagined it was going to be the last one from John. Does that mean that there will be future releases of stuff 'from the vaults'? After the Ain't No Saint set - are there any more vaults to be plundered? And is the quality of future releases likely to decrease and the available material lessens? Do we want quality or quantity?
ReplyDeleteI think any unreleased material would be worth hearing if properly produced and presented. I'm also very much looking forward to hearing 'Willing To Work', but that will be a pleasure tinged with sadness.
ReplyDeleteIt would be very interesting to know if there are 'out-takes' still around from any of the albums.
There are already a number of out takes available on the deluxe reissues that are around at the moment, from Bless the Weather to Grace and Danger, the standard of material is always usually high and, at times, interesting as pure curios. It would be good to hear more of this stuff from later album sessions, such as sapphire and well kept secret. Hopefully such possibilities are already in hand and we will be exposed to all manner of beauties in the years to come. For me, the real pleasures are found in the criminally unreleased stuff, like 'Working it Out'from the recent box set, which is a gem of a song and, in my opinion, up there with JMs best stuff.
ReplyDeleteI,m sure there are loads of out-takes, demos and live performances out there somewhere - perhaps we'll hear more sometime ??
ReplyDeletethe fascination and warmth which John's music holds is largely managed through his use of different guitar tunings and the varied rich tone and efficiency of playing that these offer - watch him play small hours to marvel at the control and time on the ball (sorry for the footie speak - but you will know what I mean)
ReplyDeleteI would be really interested to hear some of the other great folk guitar players who also spend their time in different tunings to run some of their versions of JM tunes from the period 71-85. Could be interesting to hear a Martin Simpson version of Satisfied Mind or Mr Carthy with Over the Hill - maybe Bragg doing Fishermans Dream - food for thought...
aaah...the covers album, sometimes a blessing, sometimes a curse. It would certainly be an interesting project to embark upon. Not sure if i would offer it out only to other 'folk'artists. It does seem a little restrictive to be so genre specific. How about Prince doing Perfect Hustler or Ian Brown doing Sapphire?? The possibilities could be endless...any other fantastical ideas? (do i feel a list coming on!).
ReplyDeleteI could see Girls Aloud doing Certain Surprise...maybe not.. Tom Waits would do a great John Wayne or On The Cobbles
ReplyDeleteOn the cover theme...
ReplyDeleteTake a peek at Jim Lampi and his chapman stick http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJ2MP8wacIE saw him with JM at Ronnie Scotts in the 90's and had a natter afterwards. Ordinary sort of fella, does a nice job here - JM would approve of the really minimal stick work - he seems to have picked a few of John's vocal musings...
Tom Waits and Marc Ribot - Doing Amsterdam now that could get off beam nicely....
Hmmmm...ok then, here's two more possibles...how about Adrian Belew doing One World...and...The White Stripes doing Clutches.
ReplyDeleteAll we need now is some hot finance and a lear jet!
Going back to the subject of out-takes, does anyone know which six recorded songs were left off The Church With One Bell? According to the 'Some People..' biog he recorded 16 tracks in total, 10 of which made the album.
ReplyDeleteOn the subject of lost material...somewhere I came across free download of 'Live at Les Cousins' about 5 or 6 songs from 1968. Poor quality but like Golddust to me! In addition theres an even poorer (deteriorated taped by mike from AM radio about 68) recording of John doing The River. Its like being time transported-incredible. I read the bio on John over Xmas, got back home after being in the 'outback' (here in Oz), then next thing-the tragic news. I had fantasised about being able to hear that Les Cousins stuff-actually being there even-and then it appeared somewhere on an obscure webpage. Maybe someone should grab that legally somehow and officially produce and get some royalties for Johns estate and family.
ReplyDeleteCovers of John?...many amateurs already have a bash (see youtube), but I myself don't like the idea of well known artists covering his work (I can almost feel JM saying 'F--k em'-they didnt do it when he were alive did they! So its gonna be the Nick Drake thing all over again). If done certainly not limit to just Folk artists. I wouldn't say no though to Danny T plus a well chosen person maybe...but when it gets to Wet Wet Wet and so forth...sacriledge!
I don't ever do the you tube trawl, so I've never seen the JM covers on there. Although, i have to admit to watching the transatlantic sessions stuff after John passed away. It is really fantastic to see. Does anyone know if it's available on CD anywhere? If James1213 is right, who has the tapes of the missing six songs? I'm guessing it'll be the record label, are we awaiting another 'deluxe'reissue? And...to IanG...you are right, Wet Wet Wet, would be a really, really, really bad dream, But then again, there is that shared Scottish common ground.
ReplyDeleteCovers? How about Portishead doing Glory Box. Properly.
ReplyDeletehi the JM community !
ReplyDeletei have an audio recording of the rockpalast show from 83 in Ludwigshafen (sent a copy to john h. a few years ago). The gig was fabulous and John was really far out that night !
question : in what point are the discussions with the TV team to realese the concert ?
cheers to all
raphaël
Here's my tribute concert:
ReplyDeleteDanny Thompson on double bass plus:
Dick Gaughan (Couldnt Love You More, The Mesaage, May You Never-guitar and vocals)
Sade (Solid Air, Hurt In Your Heart-vocals)
Jim Lampi (Small Hours and One World -on stick and vocals)
I have recently acquired the original photos for the Live at Leeds cover with John in the boxing ring,taken from slides that were found in the skip of one of johns managers according to the seller, three in total, and also six shots of John in concert at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in 1975 from photographer Jon Bouchier. Anyone have any idea as to how rare these are or does anyone have similar or indeed any more info on either?
ReplyDeleteSuggest you email John Hillarby info @ johnmartyn.com
ReplyDeleteWouldnt mind a peek at those myself. It would be great to get them up on the website. (Ian G)I like the idea of Sade doing the JM songs, I never really place Johns songs in the mouths of female singers - but its a great idea, another potential concept for another imaginary album! (nowandever)In respect of the Rockpalast gig - is it the same one that is now available as the Man Upstairs DVD?...you may want to check that out...its worth getting.
ReplyDeleteI tried to post this in March but failed, so the birthday reminder of John's untimely death has prompted me to have another go:
ReplyDeleteI first saw John in the late Sixties on the college and folk club circuit around London and North Kent. He made a huge impact on me, second only to Dylan, and I subsequently bought the first two albums 'London Conversation' and 'The Tumbler', which I played almost to death. I was fortunate to see quite a few of John's early gigs, but after moving from the area, I went through a long period of not buying recorded music although still going to local gigs, but alas John never seemed to be playing in the area when I was at home, so apart from the occasional play on radio by the much-missed John Peel, and some of the BBC sessions on TV, I missed out on much of John's transitional work.
A few years ago I heard 'May You Never' on the radio and the lyrics seemed as though I should have written them. I had to buy the album and have since been buying remastered CDs from the back catalogue as well as more recent work. When I discovered he was on tour last year I was one of the first to buy tickets for the St.Albans gig and persuaded my wife to come, although she does not share much of my eclectic musical taste and knew nothing of John or his music. My first live experience of John in over 35 years was no disappointment. His musicianship was even greater than in those early solo days, and it's easy to see why he has always been able to attract the very best musicians to support him. Although it was difficult to hear the lyrics of some of the less-familiar songs (never having heard 'Grace and Danger'), it's possible to just enjoy the blend of instruments and voice, almost as an instrumental and even my wife was greatly impressed. The following day I found a lone Johm Martyn CD in my local music shop. It just happened to be the De Luxe issue of 'Grace and Danger' so I was able to relive the concert and determined to make sure I caught the next tour and make up for the missing years. Alas, it was not to be and whilst I have learned many truths about life from John's songs, his untimely death has reminded me that life is for living, regardless of what it throws at you and that whatever you want to do, do it now because tomorrow may be too late.
By the way, I really enjoyed the recent music links - pity they weren't video.
Brian Chidwick
i'm a stateside jm fanatic since 1970's "stormbringer" . i've managed an almost complete collection but i've never seen a listing for 2007's "live at the roundhouse" anywhere but on this site . can anyone give any more info or hope as to it's availability ?
ReplyDeletethanks - jim , on the oregon coast
Anyone know if John Martyn at BBC DVD (2006 piblished?) has a region free (region 0) version?
ReplyDeleteSeen plenty for region 2(UK, europe) but I live in Oz and would need either region 4 or region 0.
This region coding stinks by the way.
And please tell if you know, I am a man in real NEED of this DVD!! It's hurting me not having it-after seeing whats on it!
as a u.s. fan ( who never got the chance to see john in concert ) i too have been frustrated by incompatible formats of jm videos and dvds . but the "0 format" version of "the man upstairs" dvd - fairly easy to obtain here even via amazon - does play on my standard u.s. player . and it is wonderful, wonderful, wonderful .
ReplyDeletejim again , from the oregon coast
ian_g:
ReplyDeleteyes, "JM at BBC" is region 0... go for it!
Just seen a 'new'JM release on Amazon - it has the working title of Í'd Rather be the Devil'and it seems to be cooltide and the apprentice, together with some live stuff and a DVD of a gig with Danny T in Dublin. Does anybody know about this? Is the live stuff previously unreleased? I hope that the release has Mama T's / JM's family's blessing and is not just some ruthless, money making scam.
ReplyDeleteIts a money making scam
ReplyDeleteBastards!
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know if the recording of Spencer The Rover from The Sight and Sound Concert of 1977 was released It featured on the BBC tribute programme to John earlier in the year.
ReplyDeleteI have n'y got the Aint no Saint box set , but live version of it is on there.
Like everyone else I really will miss the Big Man in concert. Does anyone know what the Girls are doing - Alan Thompson and the gang.
Gerry
Spencer The Rover is on this release I think Gerry
ReplyDeletehttp://www.johnmartyn.com/?location=/web/2000s#bbclic
well well well...just what has happened to Willing to Work???...there seems to be very little in the way of info/updates...are we to be held in limbo much longer?...and what about the tribute album?...any further news?...it's not that i'm completely materialistic - just eager and very very curious. My latest JM train of thought is kind of an extension of the church with one bell...what other songs could JM have turned his hand to?...my first offering is Judy Tzukes - Stay With Me Til Dawn...I bet he would've nailed that one.
ReplyDelete