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So where did it all begin ? Martyn was born in his grandparents' house in Plymouth, Devon, and lived in Mombasa, Kenya for two years before settling in Bath, Somerset. He bought an electric guitar when he was ten and started to learn the violin at eleven. After Hendrix died, the electric guitar was soon swapped for an acoustic and Donovan became a major influence, along with the Incredible String Band, Roy Harper, Leonard Cohen, and Tom Paxton. Learning fiddle tunes from Fairport Convention and other LP’s, (which soon destroyed these albums!), he formed “GULL MAC MORNA” with three school friends and they began playing around the local folk scene. |
In 1974, he went to Warwick University and was roomed with Keith Donnelly from South Shields, who played acoustic guitar and shared the same musical tastes. Together they formed “WATERFALL”, and became residents of the University Folk Club, mixing songs by Jonathon Kelly, Gerry Rafferty, Al Stewart etc with traditional ballads and tunes, and slowly began including their own original compositions.
After graduating in 1977, they took the plunge and decided to commit themselves full time to music. Joining an alternative country/rock band for 6 months, called “VAN DE HOOG’S ELDERFLOWER REMEDY”, (with Martin Bell , later of the WONDERSTUFF), they quickly learnt all about PA systems, sleeping in vans and life on the road. WATERFALL were still playing floorspots whenever possible in folk clubs up and down the country, and in September 1977 they recorded their first LP “THE FLIGHT OF THE DAY” at Woodbine Studios, a 4 track studio built into the front room of Johnny Rivers’ small terraced home in Leamington Spa. (Now available on CD – see discography). In February 1978, Martyn and Keith were playing at Lanchester Polytechnic Folk Club (previous residence of Steve Knightly ), in Coventry when they were stunned by the voice of one of the floor singers, Gilly Darbey , and so WATERFALL became a trio.
After another six months of floorspots and self-promotion, WATERFALL began gigging full time, and on 1st November 1978 had their first national radio broadcast on BBC Radio 1’s “Kid Jensen Show”. They recorded the LP “THREE BIRDS” for the Avada record label in spring ’79, at Millsteam Studios in Cheltenham, produced by Johnny Coppin. (“Oram’s fiddle playing is appealing” Melody Maker Album Review 6/10/79.) Constantly travelling
the length and breadth of England, playing in folk clubs and colleges,
they also toured in Germany, Belgium and Holland, where a live
recording of a gig at the Matrix Folkclub, Rotterdam was broadcast
on Hilversum 3. In Spring ’81 they recorded a new LP “BENEATH THE STARS”, at Gateway Studios, London, produced by Phillip Goodhand-Tait, from which Martyn’s composition “MON COUER EST LA” was selected for a 6 month play on British Airways world flights. WATERFALL made their first TV appearance in 1981
on BBC Midland’s “Dennis McCarthy’s Weekly Echo”,
and then on 24th July, BBC 1 broadcast a half hour “Waterfall
In Concert”. Although critically acclaimed, and very popular on the folk scene, WATERFALL were unfortunately never able to break out to a wider market, and the pressures of touring and sharing lives saw the group split in February 1982. (Keith and Gilly continued playing as a duo under the names “Little Aeroplane” and then “Nothing By Chance”, but in the '90’s separated to begin solo careers.) |
