Born in Scotland in 1949, John was the first white solo artist to be signed to Chris Blackwell’s Island records releasing his debut album London Conversation in 1968. A number of critically acclaimed albums followed over the years including two albums with his then wife Beverley (Stormbringer and The Road to Ruin). During this period John also worked extensively with Pentangle bassist Danny Thompson, the apex of this working relationship coming with the albums Bless the Weather and Solid Air although Thompson has continued to work with John Martyn extensively over the years.

In 1975 John actually became an independent act releasing a live album, which he literally sold from his front door due to the fact that Chris Blackwell didn’t think John should be releasing a live album at that point in his career. The Live at Leeds album however was a success and subsequently released in the nineties in expanded form. Island did however retain his services as a recording artist and even pressed the album up for John to sell. Following a split with Island in the early eighties John moved to the larger Warner records although returned to Island again briefly at the end of the contract. Following this coming and going John moved from between a number of smaller labels before setting up his own One World Label in order to release archive and live material.

Empty Ceiling is a film of the concert that John and his band performed in Baden-Baden in West Germany in April 1986. 1986 was an incredible year for John Martyn in that he was celebrating his twentieth anniversary in the music business The performance includes the title track of the then recent album Piece By Piece alongside tracks like Dealer, Johnny Too Bad and a quite awesome version of John Wayne a song that would go on to become a fan favourite.

The DVD comes housed in a box complete with unique and specially commissioned artwork by the renowned Dales artist Philomena Mills and is a package that every John Martyn fan will want to own.

 » £14-99 + shipping

 » Special limited edition

 » 1000 copies only (356 left)

 » Artwork by Philomena Mills

 » Both DVD + CD of the concert