Some People Are Crazy: The John Martyn Story
by John Neil Munro

Difficult biography of a cult hero, hellraiser and guitar genius

John Martyn is an appetising subject for a biography. Drunken excesses, legion drug adventures, endless bad behaviour, bad-tempered intolerance of the music industry, ill-health, leg amputation… all this, a long, genre-defying catalogue and moments, from Solid Air to Glasgow Walker, of pure genius. Respect to Munro, then, for his diligent research in piecing together the tale of one of Britain’s most charismatic artists. Apparently Martyn even co-operated, though the lack of real insight, which is the biography’s failing, suggests he didn’t impart much emotional background to go with the factual history.

Several key witnesses, such as first wife Beverley, early producer/ manager Joe Boyd and Island boss Chris Blackwell, haven’t spoken and, for all its painstakingly detailed fact-collecting, it lacks soul. We are reconnected with important reviews, learn of his debt to Scots folk hero Hamish Imlach, the jazz influence of McCoy Tyner and Miles Davis and his pioneering introduction of the Echoplex, but we are reliant on the observations of contemporaries Steve Tilston, Dave Pegg and, especially, old partner in crime Danny Thompson for the stories that occasionally bring this overly polite telling to life, colour the narrative and illuminate Martyn’s character. He’s an enigma, and as readable as it is, this doesn’t change that.

ISBN 9781846970368

Reviewed by Colin Irwin
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