He came to the attention of Chris Blackwell at Island Records, and became the first solo white act to join the roster of his reggae-based label. A debut album, 'London Conversation' (Feb. 1968), only hinted at what was to follow with small touches of blues, and Martyn's distinctive voice, but it was mostly a straightforward folk record. On the follow-up released the same year, 'The Tumbler', he began to experiment with other styles including elements of jazz.
Out on the road, Martyn continued to experiment with effects added to his electrified acoustic guitar. One effect, the Echoplex, allowed him to play off of tape loops of his own guitar, enveloping himself in his own playing while continuing to play leads over the swelling sound. This became a main feature of his recordings and stage performances for many years. Whilst on tour he met Beverley Kutner, a singer who became his wife and musical partner, and they released two records together in 1970. Pentangle bassist Danny Thompson helped out, and he remained with Martyn for most of the '70's both on stage and on vinyl. His third solo album followed when Beverley retired to raise the couple's children.
Over the next few years Martyn continued to add to his unique style of folk music, touches of blues, rock and jazz as well elements from the Middle East, South America and Jamaica. His distinctive vocal style developed with each new album, and his playing became more aggressive whilst also retaining a sense of delicate beauty.
'Bless the Weather' (1971) and 'Solid Air' (1973 - his most popular album) earned him a solid, lasting fan base. The title track of 'Solid Air' was written for his close friend Nick Drake (who stayed at Martyn's home whilst struggling with severe depression), and "May You Never" from the same album was later recorded by Eric Clapton.
With the release of 1973's 'Inside Out', Martyn had developed his use of the Echoplex further and his vocals became more expressive, with his words slurring into one another leaving some lyrics barely decipherable. Perhaps another reason for this development was Martyn's descent into alcoholism which began to affect his career, as he turned into an erratic, self-destructive performer. He would alienate audiences by performing a set consisting of electronic guitar experiments in front of a folk audience, or traditional ballads when playing to rock fans. Shows would also veer between falling over drunk to sheer genius, and the latter of these was captured on 'Live at Leeds' (1975). In the second half of the '70's, Martyn mostly abandoned acoustic recordings and stuck to a fusion of rock, world music and jazz.
'Grace and Danger' (1980) was his first release since 1977, and the painful lyrics reflected the dissolution of John and Beverley's marriage. Whilst continuing to battle his alcoholism Martyn has stayed fairly active, releasing albums and touring right up to the present day, with recent releases adding modern elements such as trip-hop to his sound.
With his unique style of backslap acoustic playing, effects-led guitar experiments and a bluesy vocal delivery delivering a catalogue of classic songs, John Martyn remains an influential figure in both British folk and rock.
IF YOU LIKE THESE, YOU'LL LIKE JOHN MARTYN: Richard Thompson, John Renbourn, Ralph McTell, Roy Harper, Nick Drake, Bert Jansch, Beth Orton, Jeff Buckley, Eric Clapton.