Yesterday's Boy's Own post had a reference to Martin Stephenson in it, an interview with him in the first issue of the Boy's Own fanzine. On checking my back pages I saw that in the thirteen years I've been writing this blog I've never posted anything by Martin Stephenson and The Daintees and there's no better time than today to put that right.
Martin Stephenson was a regular fixture in the music press and gig guides in late 80s. His 1986 Boat To Bolivia and the follow up Gladsome, Humour & Blue both got good reviews and the band were on the road often- their mixture of punky folk, rootsy- indie, pop and rockabilly went down well in that period. The albums came out on Kitchenware, home to many north- east acts (Martin is from Durham) and the group continued through to 1992 when falling sales led to them being dropped and the group splitting. They reformed in 2000 and have toured periodically ever since. I saw them in autumn 1988, one of the first bands I saw when I pitched up at Liverpool university as a young eighteen year old. Martin was an entertainer, a raconteur, telling stories and jokes from the stage in between songs, his hat pushed back on his head. It was a really good gig. I had Gladsome, Humour & Blue, the single Wholly Humble Heart on 12" and someone had a taped Boat To Bolivia for me. I didn't stick with them for long- my head was soon turned by other more contemporary bands, nightclubs and the zeitgeist but I've always held a soft spot for the first two albums.
Wholly Humble Heart is a lovely song, slightly dated by some very late 80s production. Martin wrote it as a protest against Clause 28, the homophobic legislation the Thatcher government were pushing through in 1988. The single had a video made for it and got some wider media coverage- they appeared on TV to promote it (as seen here on Channel 4's late night music show Wired) and the album reached the top forty.
Boat To Bolivia, the Daintees debut (produced by Gil Norton), came out in 1986. The title track was added to a Kitchenware re- release a year later. Martin's skills are evident throughout the albums, a talented songwriter and singer. Fame and fortune were not to be. Revisiting him recently I definitely feel like the next time he plays anywhere near here I should go.
5 comments:
I'd completely agree with most of this post Adam. I became aware of The Daintees around 84/85 I think, and their sort of skiffly take on folk was a real tonic, fitting in well with other similar stuff of the time. I think the first few singles and couple of albums probably are all you really need though, because he does get patchier after that. About 8 or 9 years ago I went to see him, solo, just with an acoustic, at a small gig in the bar of a local football club. It was alright but I found my attention wandering a bit towards the end. Good on him though-you got the impression he would be happy playing anywhere who'd put him on.
Martin Stephenson is an artist who by rights I should've been all over in the mid-80s, but for some reason he passed me by. I have a mate who's a big fan and still swears by him as a live attraction. Perhaps I should tag along next time round.
That sounds right Nick, happy to play to an audience, any audience. Someone somewhere said he decided to swerve fame and just do it a level he was happy with. If so, more power to him.
I agree Swede, keeping my eyes open for his next appearance in an M postcode.
A genuinely talented and lovely bloke. First saw him back in the 80s and have continued to do so over the years. His biography is a decent read. I thought it was only a few years old, but it actaullly dates from 2009. Seems to be out of print and not many sesond-hand copies kicking around. I'll be happy to lend you mine if you fancied.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Song-Soul-Authorised-Stephenson-Biography/dp/0954867866
I'd be interested in reading that JC- no rush though, I've got a substantial 'to read' pile
Post a Comment