John Martyn Island Remasters

The re-mastered 'Solid Air' is much better than the original CD.

(However, I subsequently bought a very ordinary LP of it s/h for a couple of quid. And guess what...? Yes, even with a few pops and clicks...)

But I think that, overall, you should be able to buy thses remasters with confidence.

James

..but have they been re-issued on vinyl ?

The Island remasters of Free's albums are superb, better than the vinyl.

(Waits for vinyl fundamentalist backlash.)

Whether this is because the original issues were crap or it wasn't possible to do better then, I don't know.

I have no idea whether these have been / are being re-released on vinyl.

Perhaps there was a Simply Vinyl repress once?

As I said, I think you can buy this set of CD remasters with confidence - much better than the original CD version.

And I am equally with Steve1 on vinyl fundamentalists. In my own case, I bought the LP of Solid Air because it was so very cheap, in order to compare. And I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality, even with a few clicks and pops. Sometimes I think it is worth doubling up on formats, for fun.

James

hi malky,
where did you get your jm remasters please.
scotty

Amazon, but I have seen them in the local shops.

thanks malky - uk amazon or us amazon ?
scotty

Hi JWM,

I ran both for years and I still think that vinyl at it's best - is best.

But the gap in sound quality for most CDs against the vinyl is not enough (for some of us) to put up with the inconvenience of returning bad pressings, needing larger storage space etc.

Also some CDs are genuinely better and the Free discs are a case in point, not to mention the fact that so much is not available on vinyl.

I loved the romance (sic) of the old arm tracking the record - all very soothing but it reminds me of a gag, I think about trainspotters.

How many does it take to change a light bulb?

Ten. One to change the bulb and nine to reminisce about how good the old one was.

I'll get me coat.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by scottyhammer:
thanks malky - uk amazon or us amazon ?
scotty
___________________________________________________

Uk,£5.97. Think I'll go for Bless the weather next

Don' forget Sundays Child and Grace and Danger. Classics!

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Simon Matthews:
Don' forget Sundays Child and Grace and Danger. Classics!
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Indeed they are. Sunday's Child especially is an overlooked gem. Don't think Grace and Danger was part of the reissue series though,

BTW, John is Andy Kershaw's live in session guest. Sunday, Radio 3, 22:15.

While you are all listening to the remasters, (these ones are particularly good and include a few extra tracks , especially good is 'Sundays Child'), look out for a newly released live recording from Radio Bremen called 'On Air'. It's on the german label Tradition & Moderne..T&M 037. It is a live show recorded in 1975. It is just JM and is wonderous. It takes me back to seeing him then on the college circuit and the hairs standing up on the back of your neck when the echoplex started rolling.
james

I saw John sevearl times in the eighties.His recent on the cobbles album is top notch, difficult to get though , anybody know of a vinyl source ?
"
Your order #203-3861500-7738317 (received 19-May-2006)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ordered Title Price Dispatched Subtotal
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 O.K Computer £4.97 1 £4.97
1 Solid Air: Remastered £6.97 1 £6.97
1 Stormbringer: Remastered £5.97 1 £5.97
1 The Road to Ruin: Remastered £4.96 1 £4.96
1 London Conversation: Remaster £5.97 1 £5.97
1 The Tumbler: Remastered £5.97 1 £5.97
1 Bless the Weather: Remastered £6.97 1 £6.97
1 Inside Out: Remastered & Expa £6.97 1 £6.97
1 Sunday's Child: Remastered & £6.97 1 £6.97

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal: £47.41
Delivery Charge: £3.24
Total tax: £8.85
Total: £59.50
"

gotta be done

In the BBC4 documentary shown a year or two ago, there is OGWT footage of John (1973,I think) doing Make No Mistake. This is not (to my knowledge) available as a commercial release, damn.

I saw that and made a DVD copy.

Oh yeah, I made sure to record the documentary, I meant I wish the OGWT performance was available as a DVD.
Incidentally, try to catch him on his current tour. I saw him in London last week, it was effing brilliant.

Working my way through these. Highlight at the moment I would say is a live version of "I`d rather be the devil" on the end of Solid air. The band really do rock. The drumming was reminding me however of something else. The drumming from Atrocity Exhibition Joy Division Closer Album, How unreal is that!

Would you say the remasters are worth getting for the unreleased stuff, improved sound quality, or both?

All my John Martyn music prior to these has mostly been on vinyl

London conversation
Solid air
Inside out
Grace and Danger
Glorious fool
And Well kept secret

Recently on CD
On the cobbles and one world deluxe edition

The extra material makes all the difference as far as I am concerned, plus I can spare my vinyl somewhat, esp Solid Air.

The Sundays child remaster has some interesting extra tracks x 4 with echoplex in use.

Sundays child has 5 xJohn Peel sessions tracks which are well worth the price.

Sound quality is fine, not compared this to the vinyl issues I have yet.

Thanks David, I've got the Sunday's Child remaster and very good it is too, as is On The Cobbles. BTW, from your list it appears you don't have Bless The Weather. An essential JM album.

Maiky

I used to have this on vinyl, girlfriend walked with it though, Liverpool 1983!
I now have it on the remastered CD with no less than 7 extra remastered tracks.

Agreed it is amongst his best

New DVD coming up in Aug some bbc materials here.
http://www.hillarby.freeserve.co.uk/hotnews.htm

Great! I was at the UCL gig and would love to own a DVD of it. It was broadcast live, so I never got to see it on the telly.

Just got my set of John Martyn remasters. Excellent. Many thanks for alerting me to them.