The Road to Ruin (John and Beverley Martyn album)

The Road to Ruin is a 1970 album released by husband and wife John and Beverley Martyn. It was the second (and last) album released as a duo. Island persuaded John Martyn to resume his solo career as they believed that the public was more interested in John as a solo artist rather than as part of a duo.

The album's first track "Primrose Hill" written and sung by Beverley Martyn, about the simple joys of domesticity, was extensively sampled by Fat Boy Slim for the track "North West Three" from his 2004 album ‘'Palookaville.

Track listing

All tracks composed by John Martyn; except where indicated

"Primrose Hill" (Beverley Martyn)
"Parcels"
"Auntie Aviator" (John & Beverley Martyn)
"New Day"
"Give Us A Ring" (Paul Wheeler)
"Sorry To Be So Long" (John & Beverley Martyn)
"Tree Green"
"Say What You Can" (John & Beverley Martyn)
"Road to Ruin"

The remastered CD release includes the following previously unreleased track:

"Here I Am"

Personnel

John Martyn - vocals, guitar, harmonica, keyboards
Beverley Martyn - vocals, guitar
Dudu Pukwana - saxophone on "Road to Ruin", "Sorry To Be So Long", "Say What You Can"
Lyn Dobson - flute on "New Day"; saxophone on "Say What You Can"
Dave Pegg - bass on "Say What You Can" & "Give Us A Ring"
Rocky Dzidzornu - congas
Paul Harris - keyboards
Wells Kelly - drums on all tracks, except "Auntie Aviator"; bass on "Auntie Aviator"
Mike Kowalski - drums on "Auntie Aviator"
Alan Spenner - bass on "Primrose Hill", "Road to Ruin", "Sorry To Be So Long"
Ray Warleigh - saxophone on "Primrose Hill"
Danny Thompson - double bass on "New Day"
John Wood - engineer

Arrangement for "Say What You Can" by Tony Cox. All other arrangements by John Martyn and Paul Harris.

External links

John Martyn

John Martyn studio albums	London Conversation (1967) • The Tumbler (1968) • Bless the Weather (1971) • Solid Air (February 1973) • Inside Out (October 1973) • Sunday's Child (1975) • One World (1977) • Grace and Danger (1980) • Glorious Fool (1981) • Well Kept Secret (1982) • Sapphire (1984) • Piece by Piece (1986) • The Apprentice (1990) • Cooltide (1991) • Couldn't Love You More (1992) • No Little Boy (1993) • And (1996) • The Church with One Bell (1998) • Glasgow Walker (2000) • On the Cobbles (2004) • Heaven and Earth (2011)

Albums with Beverley Martyn	Stormbringer! (February 1970) • The Road to Ruin (October 1970)

Live albums	Live at Leeds (1976) • Philentropy (1983) • Foundations (1987) • Live (1994) • The Battle of Medway: 17 July 1973 (2007) • The Simmer Dim (2008) • The July Wakes (2008; recorded 1986)

Compilations	So Far So Good (1977) • The Electric John Martyn (1982) • Sweet Little Mysteries: The Island Anthology (1994) • Late Night John (2004) • Anthology (2007) • Ain't No Saint (2008)