Recorded at Sound Techinques, Chelsea, London in May 1971, Bless The Weather is an album of pure, simple but mature songs which John says was “very innocent, very beautiful and a pleasure to make.”

John and Beverley had moved from London to Old Town in Hastings, a move that greatly influence his writing. Hastings is a seaside resort and fishing town on the South coast of England “where you just can’t get away from the weather.” Island Records decided that John should revert to recording solo and Bless The Weather was completed in just three days by 21 May 1971. “The record company weren’t too wild about Beverley” he later recalled. “They began to put pressure on me to record on my own”. John Wood and John himself co-produced the album and it was released in November 1971.

Some of the songs were written in the studio on the day they were recorded, satisfying John’s desire to be spontaneous. Danny Thompson provided bass accompaniment and Richard Thompson, Tony Reeves (Colosseum), Ian Whiteman and Roger Powell (Mighty Baby) all played on the album.  Glistening Glyndebourne showcased John’s technique of playing acoustic guitar through the echoplex to stunning effect, although Rolling Stone magazine dismissed the track as “rambling !” The short but sweet sleeve note “So nice to see our John again” was penned by Paul Wheeler.

“A masterpiece… John continues to stay several steps in front of his contemporaries with tracks like ‘Glistening Glyndebourne !” (Sounds 27/11/71)

“Most of the songs on Bless The Weather were very quick. I’d been writing songs in the studio on the day they were recorded. It’s much nicer like that…to be spontaneous. There was no re-writing, it just came out very naturally. I much prefer that approach,” said John, “People kind of sat up and took notice of me after that album, I don’t know why…”

“Without elaborating on Bless The Weather too much, let me say that it is a fabulous album, quite definitely one of the very best of 1971, and one which you should spare no amount of trouble over to possess. Every song is a gem…” (Andy Childs, ZigZag No.41)

“Glistening Glyndebourne, seven and a half minutes of heat shimmering instrumental.” (Dark Star)

1. Go Easy (J. Martyn)
2. Bless The Weather (J. Martyn)
3. Sugar Lump (J. Martyn)
4. Walk To The Water (J. Martyn)
5. Just Now (J. Martyn)
6. Head And Heart (J. Martyn)
7. Let The Good Things Come (J. Martyn)
8. Back Down The River (J. Martyn)
9. Glistening Glyndebourne (J. Martyn)
10. Singin’ In The Rain (Brown, Freed)

Catalogue Number: ILPS 9167 Island
Matrix / Runout: Side A – ILPS 9167 A-1U RR and Side B – ILPS 9167 B-2U C11

All Guitars and Vocals – John Martyn
Musicians – Danny Thompson, Beverley Martyn, Ian Whiteman, Richard Thompson, Roger Powell, Smiley De Jonnes, Tony Reeves
Photography and Ablum Design – Visualeyes
Producer – John Martyn, John Wood
Engineer – John Wood and Steve Mayberry