John Martyn

One of my favourite singer songwriters has just passed over. The person who told me had his life changed by booze and drugs too .. he developed an illness in his teens from which he never really recovered .. though medication has helped quite a bit. He was one of the people who developed schizophrenia through smoking dope. He started smoking very young and developed schizophrenia at a very young age too.

John Martyn did a lot of drugs and drunk a lot of booze and I guess they ruled his life to a great extent. I've always thought of drugs as more of a prison than freedom. His performances became rambling though his earlier years produced some of the best music I have ever heard.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x38zpg_john-martyn-may-you-never_music

On the Old Grey Whistle Test. How I used to love that programme in the early days .. used to be full of the most wonderful music that you didn't get to see or hear on most of the other radio and tv shows that much. Just like John Peel's show.

He comes over as a bit of a musician's musician rather like Steve Earle. Playing and improvising and playing music that was from his own depths.

Steve Earle

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=sHyGuI3N2x0

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ytHMQyJfVfg