YOU CAN BUY ALL THREE MARTIN HARLEY BAND ALBUMS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK
http://martinharley.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=92&Itemid=147
Martin Harley is a contemporary singer/songwriter and an extraordinary guitarist who has a gift for making music that feels as right and comfortable as your favourite pair of shoes, shoes that you can’t help but tap to the beat. Word has been spreading and Martin’s infectious songs have been winning new fans of all ages, from all walks of life and generating invitations to play across the globe. With a new album due out in Spring 2008 and his gig diary filling up rapidly, this trend looks set to continue.
In his early twenties, disenchanted with suburban life in the UK, Martin went looking for adventure and music armed with a little money and an acoustic guitar. His travels took him across the continents, from the United States, to Africa, to India, and somewhere along the line he found himself writing music and playing in small bars across Australia whilst living out of a car. Using a converted 12-string he bought from a junk shop for $30 (and still uses to this day), his warm voice, earnest yet poetic lyrics, and distinctive guitar style made an impression.
Upon his return to the UK he set about recording his debut album, “Martin Harley” (2003), enlisting Adam Wolters on two-string stick bass and Pete Swatton on a minimal cock-tail drum kit and balalaika. With three musicians whose combined sound is hugely greater than the sum of their parts, The Martin Harley Band was born. Martin’s other passion besides music is surfing, and his music has been enthusiastically carried around the globe by fellow disciples of the wave. This word of mouth phenomenon has opened new doors already; Barbados is a shining example, where the Virgin Music Red Eye Festival 2007 was partly staged in order to enable the band to play there. Everywhere that Martin goes people fall in love with his songs, clamour to buy his CDs and urge him to visit again soon.
Martin’s sense of adventure, his love of travelling and his thirst for a deeper understanding of music all cease to diminish and propel him along his journey. In 2005 he took part in what is now officially the “Highest Gig in the World”, playing at 21,000 feet up in the Himalaya. In early 2007 he spent 6 weeks wandering though Mali, Guinea and Senegal in the company of some of the finest of those countries’ musicians, making music day and night, soaking up the experience and most importantly making friends. A French sound and film crew were along for the ride too, and the hundreds of hours of footage and audio files are now being patiently distilled into another Martin Harley gem.
Five years, two albums, and one bass player later, it would seem that the MHB have come a very long way. With the success of their second offering, “Money Don’t Matter”, it is astonishing how much they have accomplished in such a short space of time and almost all of it on their own. With the departure of Adam Wolters, the band enlisted Graeme Ross on double bass. Poached directly from the chaotic dissolution of his previous band, Graeme makes his mark on the MHB sound with his distinctive brand of percussive bass playing. Combined with Martin’s unique take on slide guitar, and Pete’s animalistic, groove infused drumming, they make a formidable trio indeed.
2008 sees a busy year for The Martin Harley Band; a month-long solo tour of Australia, regular sorties to France, Germany, and Holland, an autumn tour of Scandinavia, and an extensive UK tour are now being booked. The forthcoming album “Grow Your Own”, under license to Villainous Records, will be released in the UK in April, accompanied by a single, “One For The Road”. Mastered by studio guru Bob Katz, this collection sees Martin and the boys broadening their sound with tasteful use of strings, horns and electric guitars on odd occasions. The feel of the music drifts from mournful ballads to jazzy swing to bluesy hip-hop and beyond into full blown rock, with not a weak track on the album.
The astonishing journey of The Martin Harley Band continues to roll on, and it has just changed up a gear. Perhaps 2008 will be the year when it rolls past your front door……
Hey there Mr Harley....wheres all that lovely hair gone!!! Am thinking about maybe heading to Barbados for the music festival in Oct, as was there in April and met Steven, sounds like a well cool event. Small world eh! You must still get over to Jersey sometime. xx
Thank you for brightening up a very wet and windy oceanfest, especially for my little boy and girl who were dancing at the front!! Keep on keepin on!!!
ello!! just to let you know we're releasing our debut album this weekend!! theres some new songs from it up on our myspace and we'll keep em rotatin so be sure to check in.. hope to see you at a show in the summer!
I'm jus chillin - finished my exams, sittin my driving test any day now, soaking up the sun and generally doing not a lot :) and yourself? Was at the beach and saw all the surfers and thought of you! X
