Grace and Danger

Grace and Danger

13 October 1980

Grace and Danger was recorded in Spring 1979, mixed at The Townhouse, London and eventually released on 13 October 1980.  Island boss Chris Blackwell who was a close friend of John and Beverley’s delayed release for a year as he found it too personal and openly disturbing. Only after extreme pressure from John was it finally released and John got the exorcism that he needed. In the late 1980’s John would cite this album as his favourite. The album features Phil Collins and John Giblin. Giblin’s harmonic bass playing was in the style of Weather Report’s late (and great) Jaco Pastorius, a band and style John had long admired. Relying increasingly on his Gibson S.G. electric guitar, John’s playing was highly inventive and beguilingly. With John’s distinctive vocal delivery and painfully honest lyrics, Grace and Danger became a stunning exposition of confusion, heartache, love and remorse. John later said that it was “probably the most specific piece of autobiography I’ve written. Some people keep diaries, I make records.”

“At times the blending of Martyn’s voice and guitar, John Giblin’s beautiful bass and Phil Collins immaculate drumming is simply breathtaking.” – Melody Maker

John said, “I was in a dreadful emotional state over that record…I was hardly in control of my own actions. The reason they finally released it was because I freaked: Please get it out! I don’t give a damn about how sad it makes you feel – it’s what I’m about: direct communication of emotion.”

“Grace and Danger was very cathartic, and really hurt, I was really in love with that woman.”

Island released Johnny Too Bad/Johnny Too Bad (Instrumental) and Johnny Too Bad/Johnny Too Bad (Version) as singles. In March 1981 a 12 inch extended dub version of Johnny Too Bad was released with an extended version of Big Muff on the reverse. In May 1981 Sweet Little Mystery/Johnny Too Bad was released as a single.

1. Some People Are Crazy (J. Martyn)
2. Grace And Danger (J. Martyn)
3. Lookin’ On (J. Martyn)
4. Johnny Too Bad (Slickers)
5. Sweet Little Mystery (J. Martyn)
6. Hurt In Your Heart (J. Martyn)
7. Baby Please Come Home (J. Martyn)
8. Save Some (For Me) (J. Martyn)
9. Our Love (J. Martyn, B. Martyn)

Catalogue Number: ILPS 9560 Island
Matrix / Runout: Matrix Side A – TOWNHOUSE ILPS9560 A-2U 1 and Side B – TOWNHOUSE ILPS9560 B-2U 11

Guitars and Vocals – John Martyn
Keyboards and Synthesisers – Tommy Eyre
Bass – John Giblin
Drums and Backing Vocals – Phil Collins
Produced and Engineered – Martin Levan
Additional Syntesisers – Dave Lawson (on Sweet Little Mystery and Baby Please Come Home)
Design – Bruno-Christian Tilley
Photography – Sandy Porter

Thanks and various blessings for all concerned love John

Cassette: ZCI 9560 Island (October 1980)
Cassette: ICT 9560 Island
Vinyl: L 37469 Island (Australia)
Vinyl: SMAS 9560 Island (USA)
Vinyl: ILPS 19560 Island (Italy)
Vinyl: AN 7081 Island Antilles (Canada and USA)
Vinyl: 6313 160 Phonogram (France)
Vinyl: 202 932 Island (Germany and Holland)
CD: CID 9560 Island (May 1987)
CD: IMCD 67 Island (November 1989)
Cassette: ICM 2040 Island (July 1990)
Vinyl: SVLP 0174 Simply Vinyl (25 February 2000)
CD: 984 268-7 Island (2CD Deluxe Edition) (12 February 2007)
Vinyl: MOVLP717 Music On Vinyl (2013)
Vinyl: 478 528-0 Island (2016)