Solid Air

Solid Air

February 1973

In July 1972 John was back in the studio to record Solid Air at Sound Techniques in Chelsea with producer John Wood. Further sessions took place in September and recording was completed by 9 December 1972, much more quickly than John would have liked, so that the album release coincided with his extensive tour of the USA with Free and Traffic during January and February 1973.

Solid Air is regarded by many as the John Martyn album. The title track was written for friend and peer Nick Drake and concerned Drake’s mental strife at the time. (Drake took his own life the following year, a great loss to John personally, and to music generally). Adventurous, dynamic, with a rare depth and power, the album demonstrated John’s slurred vocal style, reaching the state where it became fully integrated into the overall sound as an improvisational instrument used for it’s colors of tone, something John has always aimed for. Musicians included Danny Thompson, Richard Thompson, John ‘Rabbit’ Bundrick, Dave Pegg, Dave Mattacks and Simon Nicol.

John said, “Now Solid Air… I really like the title track. It was done for a friend of mine [Nick Drake], and it was done right with very clear motives, and I’m very pleased with it, for varying reasons. It has got a very simple message, but you’ll have to work that one out for yourself.”

May You Never / Just Now was released by Island as a single in November 1971. This early version of the later album track featured drums and Paul Kossof of free on the guitar. John didn’t like the way the track was turning out and left the producer “Robin somebody or other” to overdub and put it together. According to John it, “sold four copies.” The album sold well in the UK and America.

“A great album…as a single overall expression ‘Solid Air’ flows beautifully and shows the entire spectrum of music that John Martyn has at his fingertips.” (Sounds 7/4/73)

“Solid Air…if I had to decide, would probably rank as my favourite of the whole lot.” (Andy Childs, ZigZag No.41)

“Solid Air shines out like a beacon in the darkness.” (Pippin)

“Once in a while you hear a song that finds its way deep into your memory, and you find yourself humming along. This album has more than its share of fine songs like that, but noticeably Go Down Easy and May You Never.” (Pippin)

“With mellow jazzy flourishes and warm acoustic sounds, Solid Air is the musical equivalent of a reassuring hug…the man Beth Orton calls The Guv’nor achieved the impossible: he made a quiveringly sexy folk record.” – (Q, 1999 voting Solid Air as one of the best chill-out albums of all time)

Many of these songs were used for the soundtrack to the film Titanic Town in 1999.

Love – Nuff Said

Half-Speed Master

Released by Universal Music on 6 May 2016 (delayed from 15 April 2016) on high quality audiophile vinyl. Unlike previous reissues the album was cut at half-speed at Abbey Road Studios. This technique results in the very highest quality sound reproduction.

The process involves the original 1/4 inch studio master tape being played back at precisely half its recorded speed while the cutting lathe is similarly turned at half the desired playback speed. This allows the cutting head twice the time to cut the intricate groove, affording considerably more accuracy with important matters such as frequency extremes and micro-dynamic contrasts. The resulting cuts have excellent high frequency response and very solid and stable stereo images.

Further details

Translucent Green

Exclusive HMV store release of Solid Air on translucent green vinyl released 18 June 2016. Limited edition of 500 copies available in store only priced at £19-99p. Catalogue number 478 527-7.

HMV Press release, “LIMITED EDITION GREEN VINYL LP, 500 ONLY, HMV EXCLUSIVE AVAILABLE FOR ONE DAY ONLY ON 18TH JUNE 2016.

JOHN MARTYN Solid Air (2016 UK limited edition audiophile issue of the classic 1973 9-track LP issued exclusively by HMV pressed on heavyweight Green Vinyl, gatefold picture sleeve reproducing the original album artwork. Both sleeve and vinyl remain near ‘as new’)
**Limited to 500 Copies Only**.”

Translucent Blue

The translucent green Solid Air must have sold well for HMV and so they decided to have another go, this time on blue vinyl! The exclusive HMV store release of Solid Air on translucent blue vinyl was released 13 October 2018.

Limited edition available in store only. Bearing the same catalogue number 533 763-6 as the Solid Air Back To Black vinyl edition and with the same artwork, the only obvious differences being a sticker over the bar code and you guessed it blue translucent vinyl! Deep pockets required on release day priced at £24-99p.

HMV Press release, “National Album Day Saturday 13th October 3:33pm. Today is National Album Day and what better way to celebrate the significantly influential format than with John Martyn’s Solid Air. The HMV team have pressed limited edition vinyl of timeless records to celebrate the vital impact albums like Solid Air have had on all of us. Visit your local HMV now to get your hands on a copy.”

1. Solid Air (J. Martyn)
2. Over The Hill (J. Martyn)
3. Don’t Want To Know (J. Martyn)
4. I’d Rather Be The Devil (S. James)
5. Go Down Easy (J. Martyn)
6. Dreams By The Sea (J. Martyn)
7. May You Never (J. Martyn)
8. The Man In The Station (J. Martyn)
9. The Easy Blues (J. Martyn)

Catalogue Number: ILPS 9226 Island
Matrix / Runout: Side A – ILPS 9226 A -1U GO STERLING 2H 2 1 and Side B – ILPS 9226 B-1U STERLING 1H 2 CR

Cassette: ZCI 9226 Island
Vinyl: SW 9325 Island (USA)
Vinyl: ILPS 19226 Island (Italy)
Vinyl: 86 671-I Island (Spain)
Vinyl: ILPM 9226 Island (1986)
Vinyl: SW 9325 Island (USA)
Vinyl: L 36019 Island/Festival (Australia)
Vinyl: 8425542 Phonogram/Island (France)
CD: CID 9226 Island (March 1987)
CD: IMCD 85 (842 554-2) Island (April 1990)
2CD: ITSCD 2 (514 285-2) Island (1 November 1992 with One World)
Cassette: ICM 9226 Island
Cassette: ICT 9226 Island
Cassette: ISLC 9226 (Canada)
Vinyl: SVLP 102 Simply Vinyl (30 August 1999)
CD: IMCD 274 Island (Remastered and expanded) (October 2000)
CD: 531 793-3 Island (2CD Deluxe Edition) (25 May 2009)
Vinyl: SVLP 501 Simply Vinyl (11 October 2010)
Vinyl: 533763-6 Island (Back To Black Series) (2013)
Vinyl: ARHSLP003 Island (Half-speed Mastered Series) (15 April 2016)
Vinyl: 478527-7 Island (Translucent green) (Limited Edition of 500) (18 June 2016)
Vinyl: 533763-6 Island (Translucent blue) (13 October 2018)