Do you remember the moment you became a fan of your now favorite group?

Oh...I do get your point. It just so happens that with those listed who are my favorites it was love straight away. There are others whom I enjoy that took me little longer to fully appreciate such as Zappa, Ray Charles, Opeth and a few others!

 

I don't always get it 'right off the bat', as it's been described. Henry Cow took me a nearly a year after I bought the 1st album. It didn't make any sense but I was interested in the band and persevered through repeated but occasional listens until one day I suddenly realised that I knew the music, and I knew how to listen to it.

Another band was Hanatarashi. I went back to the Hanatarashi CDs sitting on my shelf after repeated exposure to The Boredoms had cleared a path. I was suddenly thrilled by the pop-anarchy I could now hear in the chaos of albums like AIDS-a-delic. Unfortunate title, that one.

 

Playing pool one Friday evening with my best friend in student union bar. The tv was on (the Tube, UK Channel 4 rock show from the early 80's) along comes Tom Waits singing 'In The Neighborhood' with a great little 'noir'- ish video. One of those perfect musical moments when it all makes sense.

 

November 4 1980.

I saw John Martyn play in a small hall at university.

Just him, an amplified acoustic guitar and assortment of pedals.

What a night, at one point, when he was slightly the worse for wear with drink, he fell over his amplifier, landing flat on his back.

He lay there for about 5 minutes, carried on playing, not missing a note.

Then someone helped him up, handed him another whisky and he carried on playing to riotous applause.

All this time his cigarette remained lodged in its place in the strings by the tuning pegs.

Something like this:



I thought to myself, "Wow, this guy is interesting "

I was only 21 at the time and didn't fully get him, not enough life experiences at the time, I guess.

But that is when I first became a fan of my favourite artist.

I saw him several more times in later years, he never disappointed and now I fully get him, as life has dealt me great and not so great experiences.

There will never be, for me at any rate, anyone who comes even remotely close to him.

Rest In Peace, "Big Man" and thank you.

 

I've heard a lot about john martyn but never really listened to him - where should i start ? What song would you recommend me to listen to first ? What album is his best ? Thanks

 

Tough question!

His catalogue of work is very large.

His most popular album is probably "Solid Air" and his most famous song, "May You Never", mainly because it was covered by Eric Clapton.



Lots of his performances are available on YouTube.

There are also several compilation CDs available at good prices to give you a taster.

May You Never: The Essential John Martyn: Amazon.co.uk: Music

The thing is he never performed the same song in exactly the same way on different occasions.

In addition he changed style many times, being influenced by folk, jazz, blues, reggae etc.
He refused to be stereotyped by record companies etc.

Good luck, if he gets into your soul, there is no escape.

 

I was in school I in the late 80's - driving around Baltimore with a bunch of friends. In the Court of the Crimson King came on the radio and my girlfriend cranked it way up. I had never heard it before - I liked it but didn't really get into the band. A couple of years later a friend gave me a tape of Red insisted I had to give KC another chance. I remember the first time I listened to it - totally different from anything I owned at the time and totally amazing. That started a long, expensive journey...

 

Cheers... lovely guitar work in that video..my kind of style.. it looks like it would be fun learning some of his work on the guitar..
I may have to start with a compilation album and go from there.. i didnt realise he had so many albums...

 

My pleasure,

Yeah he liked to work and perform.

Good luck

 

1970 - Led Zeppelin I and II albums were left at our house by my sister's boyfriend...

 

I just picked up Absent Lovers CD yesterday. The Below Era is my least favorite so far but live, UT comes across much better.that is a pretty good line up as well.

 

I've had several favorite groups over the years. Still like most of them. Got big into country rock in the 70's. Poco, Pure Prairie League were my favorites. Listened to The Beatles so much I got sick of them and seriously I did not listen to them for a solid ten years. Appreciate them more now as a result. Got into The Allmans. Other than the late 70's to the 90's I still love them. Last year or two it's been jam bands. String Cheese, Widespread Panic, Tedeschi Trucks are my favorites right now.

 

Some bands, I don't remember the first time, but I grew up with them I think I saw the Hollies more than any Liverpool band at the Cavern,. As a kid I saw most of the early Rock and Rollers live.
And then there is the Throwing Muses, I bought all their stuff on release but how I found them is beyond me, they were not on the radio, it's not as though I fancied Kristin from a cover photo it did not happen.
I don't remember someone playing them for me, I remember the first time I heard Jesus and Mary Chain at a really odd house party were I knew nobody, but Throwing Muses?.....

 

I've listened to the Beatles constantly over the decades. I guess I got more dedicated though when I was in third grade after seeing the Yellow Submarine movie. The song Eleanor Rigby was just incredible! It seemed mind blowing that this band, singing with the string orchestra about a lonely woman, was the same group that I knew had also done Love Me Do and I Want to Hold Your Hand. After that I borrowed my uncle's Sgt. Pepper and Magical Mystery Tour and listened to them over and over, particularly Pepper. Not long after that I saw the horrible Bee Gees movie of Sgt. Pepper but being a kid I couldn't tell at the time that it was as bad as it really was and accidentally liked it. The good thing about that is it prompted me to go to record stores to find the original Beatles' versions of the songs the Bee Gees ruined, and that is what led me to Abbey Road. From there it has pretty much been a mad scramble to acquire every burp and fart the Beatles ever recorded.

 

Have you heard Discipline? It's my favorite of the Belew era. They played that whole CD at Toads Place in New Haven, CT. It's a small venue in the heart of Yale. I think it was summer 82. Belew belew me away. I'm a big fan of his Crimson work. Peace

 

The Beatles aren't my favorite group but ... back when I was 13 in the mid '80s I had become tired of popular music on top 40 radio and was searching for something more. So I spent many a night twisting the dial of my radio tuning in to any radio station I could find to hear something different. One night I came across a station that was doing a Beatles special — back to back Beatles over the course of a few days covering a good deal of their studio albums along with commentary. I taped as much of the show as I could and immediately became a fan of the Beatles and in turn music of the '60s. This was the beginning of my journey exploring the music of the '60s, '70s and beyond.

 

Another convert to the Kings Court! I'm amazed at how many people dig KC here. Lol and here I thought I was unique! Lol it warms the cockles of my heart! Lol peace, Iam

 

My favourite band is the Mahavishnu Orchestra. Im Indian so even the name of the band resonated with me and piqued my interest. At that point I was already a huge fan of Miles Davis and his fusion era records like Bitches Brew, Tribute to Jack Johnson, In a Silent Way etc. John McLaughlin's name kept popping up on many of Miles' fusion records and Miles even named a song after him on Bitches Brew so I decided to check out his other stuff and got turned on to the music of Mahavishnu. I was blown away and still am by the sheer intensity and passion of the guys in the Mahavishnu Orchestra.

 

I've got many "favorite" bands. I was 9 when my sister came home from school and all excited says Iam you gotta hear this new group they're called The Beatles. I was hooked. They're the ones I always go back to. Ringo's the reason I played drums. Then as I got older I discovered Hendrix and Cream etc. A whole new sound. Wow. Then a friend of mine played In The Court of The Crimson King. Wow! You have to remember that album came out in 69!!! It's as fresh today as it ever was. I didn't hear it til my junior year hs. But I was hooked. So Pop The Beatles rule, hard or psychedelic rock Jimi, progressive rock the King is God. Everything else in between? Well it's just Great! Think about it people What Would You Do or Be Without Music? It lifts you, it brings you to new worlds, changes your view. There goes the Preacher again lol peace friends, iam

 

I didn't really like this post. I freaking love it! You put a big smile on my face. Thanx, Iam

 

Back in the summer of 72 I was baby sitting for the lady down the street. Once the kids were in bed I turned on the tv and the Dick Cavett show was on.

He was at Madison Square Garden backstage for the Stones concert. I was mesmerized !!!

The next day I used my baby sitting money and bought Exile On Main Street.

I've been hooked for life!

 

It was indeed the Bee Gees worse moment of their career. They did make up for it in another movie soundtrack however.

 

I can't seem to get into Discipline.
It is slowly growing on me, but taking some time , I must admit.

 

I was at a friend's house and he had the Carpenters album Horizon. By the time I finished listening to the album I was a fan, and I soon sought out their albums and singles at garage sales and managed to assemble a small collection. It wasn't until about the time of Passage that I got my first new Carpenters record (a 45 of "Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft), and it wasn't until 1981 that I got my first Carpenters album that I purchased new (a cassette of Made In America, which I must have worn out from repeated listenings).