There's a UA-cam video of him doing this live on British TV when he released the album. You'll see him reproducing most of the sounds here by himself - guitar and reverb pedals. I saw him live in 1978/9. Brilliant guitarist but awkward person.
@@keithdixon6595 you just beat me to it! the effects were actually produced by an Echoplex unit. Here is some further information I found: "Martyn used to play I'd Rather Be The Devil in his earlier acoustic sets; this version grew out of his first experiments with Echoplex. The song by Nehimiah 'Skip' James was originally titled Devil Got My Woman. John switched the original 'change my baby's mind' for 'knows my baby's mind'. Skip James recorded this song in 1931 but it was rereleased 1968 together with I'm So Glad, which inspired Cream."
@@lashers I saw him do the live version on The Old Grey Whistle Test in - it must have been - 73 or 74 and went out and bought the album the next day. I bought nearly all of his albums after that. When I moved to France I discovered that the landlady and landlord of my ex here (it's complicated) used to do his sound when he was on tour. I think they ended up not liking him very much because he was very stroppy and difficult. Then he got diabetes and lost a leg and then he died. Sad end to a good talent.
There's a live performance of this track at ua-cam.com/video/YvFMEiVX_Ck/v-deo.html I also suggest you listen to Glistening Glynebourne on the Bless the Weather album.
Outstanding stuff. Martyn was one of the first to experiment and create grooves with delay on the guitar. This is a cover btw, yet very much turned into Martyn's style.
I was already enchanted by the sounds occurring in this music when a spare ticket came my way. There were only two men onstage - Danny Thompson on upright bass, and John Martyn, sat on a stool with an acoustic guitar; but it had gafffered to it a pickup which fed the signal to some pedals and FX boxes. You can see something of him at work here, from about the same time: ua-cam.com/video/1X5qDeK3siw/v-deo.htmlsi=RS7nJKLRNUgvZ5sQ and the technology is shown in detail here: ua-cam.com/video/eq9H_nZK-Q4/v-deo.htmlsi=v871GMlq7p5TfxJm
One of the greats. Great voice, great guitar (enhanced by the Echoplex which stood out then and even now judging by Justin's reaction!) and great songs.
I call it “underwater music,” 😂 where along the way you come across mystical things, and you try to understand them, to delve into the fact itself, very few people perform such music now, it’s unique, I can listen to it for hours.
Changing colours is a good description of the motion of the song, I reckon, largely just because Eberhard Weber had a band of that name, and they played free jazz. I think the freedom of free jazz included the freedom to funk, and the freedom to folk? If you want some more colours, here's *More Colours* ua-cam.com/video/KevHaSqdt7U/v-deo.html (I'm guessing you might know plenty more than I do about him, given the music you grew up with round the house that you've mentioned. I generally have the lucky breaks UA-cam version of any artist I know of. We grew up with opera in the house. My little brother loved it, and would fall asleep in front of the speaker trying to get as close to it as he could, and I would run off outside to escape. There was other music, but the best music on Earth was opera. So I heard. I quite enjoy some of it today. The lucky break UA-cam version, obviously.)
Eberhard Weber was a great composer, improvisor and bassist. I was lucky enough to see a superb solo recital by him in Cyprus in the early 1990s while I was teaching at the university there. Sadly his career was cut short by a debilitating disease. The Colours albums are great, but they are not really free jazz. Yes, the band stretch out, but there is a clear structure based on modes, rather like the ragas of Indian classical music, reflecting the contribution of saxist Charlie Mariano, who worked with a lot of Indian musicians. Therefore I'd classify them as post-modal fusion... Sorry if I am being an insufferable pedant. I occasionally suggest Justin dabbles in more ECM jazz from this period: Weber, of course, worked with Pat Metheny to whom JP has reacted.
@@martinpaterson6535:D Thanks for being a completely _sufferable_ pedant! I was making guesses, whereas you have knowledge to share - which is often better than guesses, I think. Thanks.
Didn't get to this review until 0400. Wasn't the sound I was looking for this morning. Enjoyable all the same. I was hoping the song would return to the original groove which it did not.
I think he experimented a lot with effects on his guitar creating delay which would build up sound, check out Dealer, or Big Muff. There is also a fantastic traditional arrangement of an old Scottish piece of music of which it's title my memory can't quite recall.
Ah, one of the lesser known tracks off Solid Air. John Martyn had such a unique vocal delivery. Mainly because he was semi-high all the time. 😇 EDIT: Your unknown instrument is probably the Clavinet, in this case, played by John Bundrick, an American keyboardist who has played with virtually everybody of note over the years.
The instrument is an Echoplex attached to his guitar. It's responsible for the delay and all the overlapping. Probably the most blissful sound for when is stoned, and John took full advantage of this!
Part of the appeal of John Martyn is his slurred style of singing. However, he was an alcoholic, and often gave shambolic live performances - I almost walked out of one he was so bad!
@@terrybnad2959 A really great live performance he gave was as support to Genesis/Gabriel (Six Of The Best) at Milton Keynes Bowl in 1982. It was raining all day, but the rain stopped briefly and the sun came out for his performance!
That sound is an Echoplex Justin. You need to see a live performance to witness his technique. In a small room the sound is mind blowing.
Another great analysis and perfect summary of John Martyn's genius.
There's a UA-cam video of him doing this live on British TV when he released the album. You'll see him reproducing most of the sounds here by himself - guitar and reverb pedals. I saw him live in 1978/9. Brilliant guitarist but awkward person.
The video: ua-cam.com/video/YvFMEiVX_Ck/v-deo.htmlsi=CcI5ZFufoQ-RIUL3
@@keithdixon6595 you just beat me to it! the effects were actually produced by an Echoplex unit. Here is some further information I found: "Martyn used to play I'd Rather Be The Devil in his earlier acoustic sets; this version grew out of his first experiments with Echoplex. The song by Nehimiah 'Skip' James was originally titled Devil Got My Woman. John switched the original 'change my baby's mind' for 'knows my baby's mind'.
Skip James recorded this song in 1931 but it was rereleased 1968 together with I'm So Glad, which inspired Cream."
@@lashers I saw him do the live version on The Old Grey Whistle Test in - it must have been - 73 or 74 and went out and bought the album the next day. I bought nearly all of his albums after that. When I moved to France I discovered that the landlady and landlord of my ex here (it's complicated) used to do his sound when he was on tour. I think they ended up not liking him very much because he was very stroppy and difficult. Then he got diabetes and lost a leg and then he died. Sad end to a good talent.
There's a live performance of this track at ua-cam.com/video/YvFMEiVX_Ck/v-deo.html
I also suggest you listen to Glistening Glynebourne on the Bless the Weather album.
Outstanding stuff. Martyn was one of the first to experiment and create grooves with delay on the guitar. This is a cover btw, yet very much turned into Martyn's style.
I was already enchanted by the sounds occurring in this music when a spare ticket came my way. There were only two men onstage - Danny Thompson on upright bass, and John Martyn, sat on a stool with an acoustic guitar; but it had gafffered to it a pickup which fed the signal to some pedals and FX boxes.
You can see something of him at work here, from about the same time: ua-cam.com/video/1X5qDeK3siw/v-deo.htmlsi=RS7nJKLRNUgvZ5sQ
and the technology is shown in detail here: ua-cam.com/video/eq9H_nZK-Q4/v-deo.htmlsi=v871GMlq7p5TfxJm
Clapton was Dead...Right..???
The inimitable Danny Thompson on bass.
... and *that* is the maverick genius of John Martyn 😎
I seen John Martyn in Salford. It was just after he had his leg amputated, so had leaving party for said leg😮
One of the greats. Great voice, great guitar (enhanced by the Echoplex which stood out then and even now judging by Justin's reaction!) and great songs.
I call it “underwater music,” 😂 where along the way you come across mystical things, and you try to understand them, to delve into the fact itself, very few people perform such music now, it’s unique, I can listen to it for hours.
Changing colours is a good description of the motion of the song, I reckon, largely just because Eberhard Weber had a band of that name, and they played free jazz. I think the freedom of free jazz included the freedom to funk, and the freedom to folk?
If you want some more colours, here's *More Colours* ua-cam.com/video/KevHaSqdt7U/v-deo.html
(I'm guessing you might know plenty more than I do about him, given the music you grew up with round the house that you've mentioned. I generally have the lucky breaks UA-cam version of any artist I know of. We grew up with opera in the house. My little brother loved it, and would fall asleep in front of the speaker trying to get as close to it as he could, and I would run off outside to escape. There was other music, but the best music on Earth was opera. So I heard. I quite enjoy some of it today. The lucky break UA-cam version, obviously.)
Eberhard Weber was a great composer, improvisor and bassist. I was lucky enough to see a superb solo recital by him in Cyprus in the early 1990s while I was teaching at the university there. Sadly his career was cut short by a debilitating disease. The Colours albums are great, but they are not really free jazz. Yes, the band stretch out, but there is a clear structure based on modes, rather like the ragas of Indian classical music, reflecting the contribution of saxist Charlie Mariano, who worked with a lot of Indian musicians. Therefore I'd classify them as post-modal fusion... Sorry if I am being an insufferable pedant. I occasionally suggest Justin dabbles in more ECM jazz from this period: Weber, of course, worked with Pat Metheny to whom JP has reacted.
@@martinpaterson6535:D Thanks for being a completely _sufferable_ pedant!
I was making guesses, whereas you have knowledge to share - which is often better than guesses, I think. Thanks.
Aaahhh stoner's favourite album. Mr 2am we used to call him.
Cats so do have a sweet tooth. I have 7 and they love all cake, nectarines, jam, custard, breads of all kinds and chocolate (if we let them).
Didn't get to this review until 0400. Wasn't the sound I was looking for this morning. Enjoyable all the same. I was hoping the song would return to the original groove which it did not.
I think he experimented a lot with effects on his guitar creating delay which would build up sound, check out Dealer, or Big Muff. There is also a fantastic traditional arrangement of an old Scottish piece of music of which it's title my memory can't quite recall.
Spencer The Rover?
@@Macilmoyle sorry I had to copy and paste this, and for god's sake don't ask me to pronounce it!.... Eibhli Ghail Chiuin Ni Chearbhail
Try the live version definitely
Great singer, guitarist & songwriter. R.I.P. John. It sounded to me like a guitar using a Wah-Wah pedal.
An Echoplex.
Ah, one of the lesser known tracks off Solid Air. John Martyn had such a unique vocal delivery. Mainly because he was semi-high all the time. 😇
EDIT: Your unknown instrument is probably the Clavinet, in this case, played by John Bundrick, an American keyboardist who has played with virtually everybody of note over the years.
The instrument is an Echoplex attached to his guitar. It's responsible for the delay and all the overlapping. Probably the most blissful sound for when is stoned, and John took full advantage of this!
@@Owlstretchingtime78 Fair enough.
It may not be original to say this, but Dealer is a great John Martyn number.
That keyboard sound is probably a clavinet.
Certainly! ...and probably combined with a wah pedal.
Nope ... John's guitar through Echo plex 😎
What a surprise. Who is this guy? Got to check
A very good idea!
I like this live version more ua-cam.com/video/YvFMEiVX_Ck/v-deo.htmlfeature=shared
Part of the appeal of John Martyn is his slurred style of singing. However, he was an alcoholic, and often gave shambolic live performances - I almost walked out of one he was so bad!
But when he was on top of his game, one could forgive him anything!
I've seen him four times spanning 20 years. He's a maverick, but also a pro
@@terrybnad2959 A really great live performance he gave was as support to Genesis/Gabriel (Six Of The Best) at Milton Keynes Bowl in 1982. It was raining all day, but the rain stopped briefly and the sun came out for his performance!