The Downward Pull of Human Nature....AKA...When an Old Cricketer Leaves the Crease
Down to Salford Quays on Sunday evening to see the living (just) God that is John Martyn. Now I knew he was in bad health, losing a leg and all that and I knew he'd put on some weight. I knew, but I still remembered him as the railing thin acoustic 'fuck-you' folkie with the electric sensibility from the early seventies.
When they wheeled him on stage he looked like Falstaff and Orson Welles' love child. His right leg ended in a swaying wizard's sleeve of trouser leg while his left encompassed a straining thigh with a little white-socked stubby foot dangling from the cuff. With the white beard and fat face I thought he'd make a great Santa. I feared the worst - especially when he spoke, Most of it was unintelligible to normal ears. Broad cockney with sudden bursts of Glaswegian - semaphore may have helped. His bloated face was wreathed in smiles though when he strapped on a gorgeous Les Paul and launched into the whole of the Grace and Danger album.
Now I'm not the greatest fan of Martyn's Phil Collins collaborations from t'early eighties but I've got to say he won me over. He's got a great little jazzy band behind him that helps a lot obviously, but he can still do it even stuck in a wheelchair and weighing over twenty stone. 'Cooltide', Some People Are Crazy', 'Sweet Little Mystery' and 'Johnny Too Bad' stood out for me and the bass playing was exquisite. Mr Martyn can still sing and play a bit an' all.
After the 'Grace and Danger' album the old acoustic was placed in his chubby hands. Once again I feared the worst. The fingers looked too fat for the fretboard - playing lead runs and vamping chords on a nice electric with a four piece band behind you is a world away from sitting musically naked apart from your voice and a some wood and steel on your lap (or in John's case belly.)
I needn't have worried, he rattled off a masterful 'Jelly Roll Blues' followed by 'May You Never' and 'Don't Want To Know About Evil' before embarking on a truly heart-stopping 'Solid Air'. A couple of covers followed before he was wheeled off stage to a standing ovation. We knew we wouldn't be getting an encore so headed for the bar.
I've been listening to him ever since. A one off! We'll miss his like when he's gone. Bless the Weather.
I don't think I'll get the chance to see him alive again, although he has given up smoking dope and drinks in 'relative moderation'. On the other hand his description of a typical day back home in his Irish cottage doesn't sound too healthy. Up to devour a healthy Irish breakfast and then an afternoon in the pub before wheeling home for a slap up dinner replete with the finest wines known to mankind.
He reckons he's hard to kill and is looking forward to his 70th.
When he does go he should leave his liver to medical science, there's lessons to be learned from it I can tell you.
Driving to work this morning and surprise surprise! Another main road into Manchester has been closed for 'essential' roadworks. Once again a trip that has never taken longer than 35 minutes became an hour. Coincidence? I think not.
8 comments:
How come you rarely see anybody actually working at these "essential" roadworks?
It really does sound as if time is catching up with John Martyn...he's been around such a long time. I first heard him on an Island sampler album when I was sixteen... can't remember waht it was called but there were little biscuits flying around on the album sleeve.
Eeeee YP, that would've been 'Nice Enough to Eat'. The first album I ever bought with my own money.
I know you're a little anti Mr Martyn and if I had met him during his drug/drink-fuelled pomp I would've probably punched the fecker, but I think of him in the same mould as your Brendan Behans, Richard Burtons and a thousand and one other testosterone-fuelled hard men with the soft centre.
Still 60 years of age - he beat both Behan and Burton so, who knows, leg or no leg, he may surprise us yet.
Can't believe I had to miss that gig.
BTW - is that a Roy Harper song, 'When an Old Cricketer...'?
You didn't happen to catch the excellent BBC4 show last Friday did you?...you'll know what I mean if you did.
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You lucky, lucky bleeder....
Fancy seeing John Martyn. What I'd give... I might have to go pour a Knockando, listen to Solid Air and then some of Mr Burton reading Under Milk Wood...
As usual excellent photos...love the traffic blobs
took my husband to see Mr Martyn - he had no knowledge of him - whereas as a young girl I used to dream of him singing JUST to me...he was dark and handsome with a voice that was just so...so..well....anyhoo the concert evening arrived and seeing him on stage just as you described him was such a strange feeling....but I loved it and my husband,well, not so much.....
Crofty - yeah Roy Harper. I did miss the BBC4 stuff you referred to - what was it?
Thanks for the comments Pondlife and Deirde.
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