The death of Sir George Martin at the age of 90 has understandably prompted a wave of tributes. Both Robert Fripp and Ian McDonald have cited The Beatles, and therein Martin's work with them, as being an important influence.
John Wetton worked with Sir George on many occasions as he told me in 2014. "Back in 1970 I was taken under George Martin’s wing. for some reason he liked what I did and he used me again and again on sessions. He was great. It was like having the Duke of Edinburgh for your grandad. He’d show me around and tell me about his new engine he’d got in his car and all that sort of stuff. I’m very grateful to him because I earned so much money when everybody else was starving at that point in 1970. For a while I was part of the furniture at AIR when it first opened. He had me playing on loads of singles, Kodak adverts, and I did one album with Larry Norman and I also did the second Edwards Hands album with him.”
Jakko Jakszyk also paid tribute to Martin via his Facebook page.
"Saddened to hear of the passing of the great George Martin. A unique talent and true innovator. Indeed the shaper of the music I grew up with. The inventor of numerous studio techniques that we've all copied since and an amazing arranger of strings and brass. There really will never be anyone comparable I suspect."
You can also read about own favourite George Martin moments over on the blog.
John Wetton worked with Sir George on many occasions as he told me in 2014. "Back in 1970 I was taken under George Martin’s wing. for some reason he liked what I did and he used me again and again on sessions. He was great. It was like having the Duke of Edinburgh for your grandad. He’d show me around and tell me about his new engine he’d got in his car and all that sort of stuff. I’m very grateful to him because I earned so much money when everybody else was starving at that point in 1970. For a while I was part of the furniture at AIR when it first opened. He had me playing on loads of singles, Kodak adverts, and I did one album with Larry Norman and I also did the second Edwards Hands album with him.”
Jakko Jakszyk also paid tribute to Martin via his Facebook page.
"Saddened to hear of the passing of the great George Martin. A unique talent and true innovator. Indeed the shaper of the music I grew up with. The inventor of numerous studio techniques that we've all copied since and an amazing arranger of strings and brass. There really will never be anyone comparable I suspect."
You can also read about own favourite George Martin moments over on the blog.
