Webmaster's blog

Another Hastings Surprise..

Glen Veness has posted another JM at Hastings video, this time from 1992. It starts with John visiting the Lord Nelson pub. Then he plays Big Muff on a free beach concert. With a band, of whom we recognize John Giblin on bass and Spencer Cozens on keyboards. The saxophone player is Jerry Underwood and Jeff Allen plays the drums. It was a charity gig for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. John played Couldn't Love You More and Sweet Little Mystery, too.

The audience (especially the dancing children) are as amusing as the music. The date was a mystery, as with the 1991 Big Muff video. But it now has been established that it took place on Sunday 9th August 1992. One day after a scheduled charity Beach Concert that John missed.

Making Signs..

photo
We all know John will not be forgotten by his fans. Some people make an effort to enhance the memory further.

Some people are trying to put a blue plaque above the door of the house John used to live in during the Hampstead period. They are still thinking about which house would be best: Pilgrims Place or Denning Road. Bob Cunningham writes: "There is no rush as the earliest a plaque can be put up is Jan 29th 2019. There is a 10 year gap period. Personally, I think the Blue Plaques are a long lasting tribute to people who lived in London; and JM probably wrote Solid Air while living in Hampstead." So we will have to wait some more.

Jim McKnight, who knew John well, got another idea. He had this plaque made and installed in the Scotia Bar, Glasgow on 18 February 2012. "It is placed under Hamish Imlach's, which has been on the wall since Hamish died, as Hamish was John's mentor." Nice touch.
The Scotia Bar (established 1792) is the oldest pub in Glasgow; 112-114 Stockwell Street.

Hastings surprise..

Every once in a while some unique material pops up on YouTube.
This clip was published by Glenn Veness and features live footage of a spontaneous beach concert that took place in Hastings in 1991 so during the Cooltide era. I don't have an exact date, yet.

Glenn: "John was drinking in the Lord Nelson with the fishermen when, after a few drinks, they talked him into playing on the beach. He played all afternoon for free, and went round with a wellington boot collecting money for local charities. This is a great track from that afternoon called Big Muff."

A happy new year..

This is to wish you all a fine and healthy 2012. The year is going to be an interesting one from a John point of view.

First of all there will be a release of an edited version of the Tell Them video on DVD, under the title One World, One John.

Then Universal have announced a 2CD compilation of all of John's performances on the Old Grey Whistle Test, on occasion of the 40th anniversary of the famous BBC program.

Furthermore someone is preparing a bootleg release of the Regent's Park open air concert of 4 July 1976. This was a solo performance broadcast by Capital Radio at the time.

And of course there is a fair chance that Reginald Hastings will be organizing a second edition of the JM Tribute Festival. Last year was a blissful blast of a party. Bless the Irish.

Meanwhile this site will continue to grow and expand even though I have a very busy job in the wonderful town of Venlo. People still contribute new information to this date, and on YouTube it is apparent that John Martyn's music keeps on gathering momentum among young people, too.

Follow @bigmuffsite on Twitter to keep up to date!

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