Martin tells the stories behind the songs on his new solo album “The First And Last Freedom” - released 6/2/25.

 

1. Courage (Intro)

While preparing to record live guitars on "Courage", Jack Hues (Wang Chung) started to rehearse and experiment with the voicing and his approach to the playing of the song's chords. While he was rehearsing, it occurred to my manager, Diane Poncher, who was at the session, that the way Jack was playing was beautiful, so we hit the "record" button, and caught his rehearsal and improvisation in real time (without the rhythm track). I later added atmospheric, ambient drone synthesizers to his playing ... and it occurred to us that this was the perfect intro/prelude to the actual song, "Courage", which follows right after. Thank you, Jack Hues.

2. Courage

"I see courage in every simple act of love". When I wrote this lyric, I knew I was approaching this song's subject matter in a more unusual way. The concept of courage has been expressed in myriads of ways ... my personal take on it here is that it takes courage to battle fear, oppression and the fact that we are all transient & face death, and yet still act with love, and that is a courageous act. Love is the most noble of human traits - every simple act of love is momentous and often very brave. Against all the odds, we show courage when we act in the name of love.

3. Fade
I was once asked, a long time ago, by a supporter of my music to try and write a song about the awful effects of Alzheimer’s Disease. Most of my songwriting is about restoration and psychological healing … so this particular fan thought I may have some musical insights or sensitivity into this delicate subject. This is what the song, “Fade” is about - through the eyes of someone who is in contact with, looking after, watching over their partner who has Alzheimer’s; the awful vision of their loved one slowly losing the cognitive recognitions of their partner, the fading of their history together, of their love, into the abyss of the disease. But still, the hope is there, because, at times, ‘contact’ is re-made and recognition returns. There is the terrible frustration as well when the caregiver is exhausted, scared and angry at the loss of communication and recognition, angry at the “fading” of their loved one.

4. To Feel
This is a song about allowing yourself to "feel" - being open to sensation and, more importantly, "love". We often shut down our senses in fear of being hurt. But real beauty is only sensed in openness and surrender.
There is a vague Celtic feel to this track - my love of Gaelic influences creeps in, hence, the additional keyboards here by Paul Joseph Moore (of the Scottish band, "The Blue Nile").

5. Your Whole Heart
This song is dedicated to my good friend and drummer, Jimmy Copley, who succumbed to the disease of Leukemia, just before he could play on this album. It's also dedicated to all those who bravely fight terminal illness. During Jimmy's last days, I could feel and see his whole heart - what he was made of, his unbelievable bravery and resolve, his beautiful character and nature. It humbled me. We spoke a few days before he passed and his "whole heart" was evident to me. In fact, this whole album was started, unknowingly, by me writing just a few initial songs to encourage Jimmy to get out of hospital - written purely for his recovery. "Your Whole Heart" is testament to Jimmy's memory, and that he was the conduit to this album's birth.

6. Eve
"Eve" is a song about womankind, what the women of the world mean to the world: The strength, resilience, inspiration and love of womankind. As my lyric says, "Eve, you're the comfort of the world". Eve represents the first woman of Earth, and for me, she represents the best of the world. From mother, sister, nurse, lover, caregiver, comforter, guide, motivator, validator, etc. Eve is beauty personified in her inner nature

7. Black Sun
I was tremendously inspired by the story of Hugues De Montelembert, a New York artist who was blinded in a viscious attack in 1978, when paint thinner was thrown into his eyes by his assailants. Eighteen months after being blinded, Hughes began traveling the world alone and rediscovered his human nature through his four other senses. My lyric, "I see more now that I am blind", references Hughes' remarkable story and how he combated his ego and other negative emotions.
I'm a huge fan of reggae, so this track was a delight to record; highlighted by Trevor Thornton's drums and Neil Taylor's Cajun-inflected guitar licks.

8. Simplicity
It was a thrill to have Ray Parker, Jr., playing guitar on this track. I have R&B roots, and grew up learning bass guitar to the music of Motown, Hall and Oats, Al Green, etc. "Simplicity" allowed me to touch upon my love of soul music. I'm particularly pleased with my lead vocal on this song, which was a first-take mostly. The search for simplicity and peace of mind in our lives is a noble, but tough ask ... I know, it's a constant search of mine.

9. Little Bird
This is a jam - a fun groove that I think breaks the seriousness of the album. Thanks to the intervention of my long-time manager, Diane Poncher, "Little Bird" makes its appearance here. Diane also sings on the track and even arranges it with me ... such is her belief in this funky spark.
The track was recorded in a loose, live jamming feel - very Junior Walker vibes.

Again, Ray Parker, Jr., graces the track with his unmistakable funk guitar licks, and the great Gary Meek added stunning saxaphone and horn arrangements. My lead vocal was taken from my first-day guide vocal session ... such is the rawness and the fun of the moment and the sessions. "I'm looking for my Little Bird, she's dancing in New Orleans".

10. Abraham
This is possibly my favorite song on the album. It holds a special place for me because it was written when I was hoping to get Jimmy Copley over from England to play with me again - we were quite a strong rhythm section together (bass and drums). So it was written right at the beginning of the whole project, when a spiritual motivation was ruling my instincts and my writing.

Also, at that time, I was feeling that we lacked in our political leaders an inspirational elegance - in their speeches and messages. Gone was the deep-souled, compassionate voice of reason, replaced by cheap, quick, hollow soundbites. I had been reading the speaches of Abraham Lincoln, and I could not help but to be inspired deeply and emotionally. The angels of our better natures were stirred. His words were authentic (I missed that in this contemporary time). Also, in the Bible -- in many religions and beliefs, Abraham represents the image of holiness, goodness. I tried to bring these two resonances together in "Abraham".

The beautiful guitar playing of the extraordinary Canadian guitarists, Bill Dillon and Russell Broom, are featured here augmenting my keyboard playing.

11. Breathe In My Heart
I see "Breathe In My Heart" as a hymn; a song about trusting in love. From early on, I knew it was the song to end the album. It's also a song I believe was built to play "live" ... I'd be eager to beseech the audience to breathe in with me, breathe in the air of love.

And what a privilege it was to have Andy Innes (in Johannesburg, South Africa) record and arrange a Zulu Choir to "breathe" passion into this song. After Andy did an amazing transcription of my lyrics from English into Zulu, I realized I had a universal song and message on my hands. Again, sublime guitars by Bill Dillon and Russell Broom add to the spiritual elements and character of the song. My lyrics are free thought, formed mostly from organic phoenetic vocal phrasing. In many ways, it's purely a poem, asking someone to trust in another's devotion and love; to surrender oneself, and allow oneself to simply be loved for who they truly are. To be emotionally open and brave. Breathe in the love that is being offered.

martinpage.bandcamp.com

ART IS THE REMEDY

Art is precious to me. As far back as I can remember, I have been under its delicious spell. Whether it be painting, literature, drawing, poetry, sculpture, theatre, photography, dance or music, art – in all its forms – has inspired, encouraged and enriched my life. I can still recall as a young boy, marveling at the magical illustrations by Sir John Tenniel that adorned Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”. I remember my extraordinary delight when reading C.S. Lewis’s allegorical fantasy, “The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe,” and I remember being profoundly moved by the stirring and beautiful hymns that I sang as a schoolboy in the English schools and churches. Right from the beginning, I was enchanted by creative expression, and today, as I write this, I can’t imagine my life deprived of art. When I have needed consolation for disappointment and sorrow, when I’ve needed a spark to motivate my footsteps forward, and when I have needed a balm to heal my fears and anxieties – art has been my medicine. Many times in my life, I have used the transforming strategy of creativity as a defense against despair. Oscar Wilde wrote: “It is through … art and art only that we can shield ourselves from the sordid perils of actual existence.”

I have always felt a certain reverence when entering art galleries, museums, theatres, concert halls and libraries, for in these places, something noble is revealed about the human spirit. Man’s psyche drops its fragile mask for a moment and allows itself to be seen naked by way of visions, representations, words, melodies, images and performances – be they disturbing or beautiful – that disclose the emotional inner landscape of the human condition. In these places, we are stimulated to dream, to question, to speculate and to ponder, and our imagination is asked to soar above the humdrum existence of our daily lives. Hopefully, when touched by man’s expression, a revolution occurs within us and our better nature becomes inspired. Art is the response of the living to life. It is, therefore, the record left by civilization. I am at my happiest and most-consumed when lost in the act of creating. And when writing, I am always searching to connect with some illusive transcendent beauty – a certain “beyondness”. To quote Oscar Wilde again, “Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, and creeds follow on another like the withered leaves of autumn; but what is beautiful is a joy for all seasons and a possession for all eternity.”

In today’s society, our lives move at breakneck speed, and the pressures of modern living weigh heavy upon us – can even cripple us. But, if we are wise, we can choose to take refuge and to restore ourselves in the sanctuary of art. Let me finish with the words of writer Saul Bellow: “Art – the fresh feeling, new harmony, the transforming magic which by means of myth brings back the scattered distracted soul from its modern chaos – art, not politics, is the remedy”.

“A work of art is the trace of a magnificent
struggle”
- Robert Henri

Thanks for stopping by.

- Martin

For future reading on the healing power of art, please investigate these following fine books:
Writers On The Art of Writing - by Nancy Crampton; The Art Spirit – by Robert Henri; Creation, Artists, Gods and Origins – by Peter Conrad; and The Quotable Artist – by Peggy Hadden.

THANK YOU TO MY LOYALISTS

“THANK YOU TO MY LOYALISTS”


I wanted to take the opportunity in this blog to thank all of you who purchased my new album, “IN THE TEMPLE OF THE MUSE,” upon its recent release. You gave my “ship” a wonderful launch, enabling the CD - in its first week - to reach #2 in CD Baby’s independent artists Top Sellers list. Its early success is made all the more rewarding, and even more personal, by the fact that this is my first release on my independent record label, IroningBoard Records. So, I owe a great big THANK YOU to those of you whom I like to call “my loyalists”; your faith in my new music is extremely gratifying.

In the meantime, while rehearsing some of my songs recently, a performance of "Blessed" (which is Track #6 on the new CD) was taped. “Blessed” is a simple song about the commitment that two people make to each other when they decide to spend the rest of their lives together within the union of marriage. The video was shot in one take, without any edits, and we felt that it captured the song’s intimacy, so we decided to share it with you. I hope you like it.

Also, a week ago, I was featured on Audionowcast’s 50th “birthday” podcast show. It was a fun night and a great celebration. I had the chance to talk about various songs on the new album – within a slightly different context from previous interviews I’ve done. Mike Rodriguez, who hosted the show, presented me with some intriguing questions that focused more on the production, technical and musical inspiration behind the recording of “Temple”. A great deal of my studio recording process involves “planned mistakes” and “controlled chaos”, so I found it refreshing to recall some of those behind-the-scenes moments. Check out the link to the Podcast on my websites, and enjoy the interview and birthday party!

Before I sign off, I want to say once again, thanks guys, for your support of my new record.

Until next time ….


- Martin

Early Review of Page's New CD

A&R Registry,
“…Because Sometimes the Difference Between Success and Failure is Information"

Ritch Esra, Publisher

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In The Temple of the Muse - No OrdinaryAlbum

“What we choose to fight is so tiny! What fights with us is so great!”
- Rainer Maria Wilke

This has always been a favorite quote of mine; it sums up so much of the heart’s vast and conflicting emotional landscape. It’s also the metaphorical and much of the musical framework that Martin Page has created his latest body of work on. With In The Temple of the Muse - the long awaited follow-up to
In The House of Stone and Light, Page has created a soulful and timeless work that takes us on a musical journey that reflects on spiritual surrender, keeping love’s intention in everything we do, forgiveness and the inarticulate speech of the heart in the face of profound and devastating loss. It’s his most powerful and personal work to date.

As a recording artist, he had his first success in 1982 with the release of his band Q-Feel which garnered the hit single Dancing in Heaven. Its success is what brought him to America. Instead of following up with another Q-Feel album at the time, his path lead him to focus more on his songwriting.

Over the last 25 years, he has written or co-written such memorable songs as We Built This City, (Starship), These Dreams (Heart) - both with Bernie Taupin, King of Wishful Thinking & Faithful (Go West), Fallen Angel (Robbie Robertson), just to name a few. In addition, he has also had his songs recorded by Josh Groban, Barbra Streisand, Bryan Ferry, Tom Jones, Earth, Wind & Fire and Kim Carnes, just to name a few.

In 1994, Page released his first solo album In The House of Stone and Light, which garnered the Top 10 Hit for the title track. There were other standouts on the album, especially Shape the Invisible, Keeper of the Flame, Monkey in my Dreams and the profoundly moving closer to the album The Door; a disturbingly evocative and chilling portrait of a grandmother who reflects on her childhood experience at Treblinka, a concentration camp during WWII.

It’s been fourteen years since In The House of Stone and Light, and I was very excited to hear his new work. I came to Martin Page’s new work as a past admirer and what became evident as I listened to In The Temple of the Muse was that as an artist, he has experienced ineffable loss and gone through some deeply personal transformations as a result of it over these past fourteen years. What has come out of it artistically is a very powerful work that reflects his journey through those experiences.

With In The House of Stone and Light, there was a gallantry and a driving spirit to many of the songs, (In The House of Stone and Light, Shape the Invisible, Keeper of the Flame), whereas in In The Temple of the Muse, Page has framed much of the work in a more subtle and internal way musically as many of the songs examine the various emotional landscapes and experiences of the human heart.

The beating of a human heart is slow, deliberate and provides life. That’s the best way to musically describe the opening track “I Guess I Will” , a song about spiritual surrender that’s built around a heart-beat like rhythm,

“The open vein, the ashes rain
A spirit shed upon our bed
Forever and a day I’ll be with you”

This theme runs through many of the songs of this great new CD. Musically, I Guess I Will is a richly layered and atmospheric track of subtle rhythm, as well as the majestic and beautifully articulated guitar textures (courtesy of Russell Broom, Jack Hues and Page) that add a hymn-like quality to the song.

In "Everything You Do" and “Try,” this rhythmic quality of the human heart is continued in both songs that remind not to lose sight of love’s power and intention in everything we do in life. There’s a great sense of intimacy Page brings to them vocally. In "Mi Morena", the most richly romantic song on the CD, Page holds the emotional intensity by grounding the track in a wonderfully lyrical and subtle bass line that carries the melody throughout the song. There’s a beauty to Spanish acoustic guitar that compliments the track as well. The bridge melody and lyric elevate the song’s feel; making it reminiscent of a prayer.

“Take this cross of feathers and bone
Take this heart I’ve carved in stone
In your name”

This song was originally recorded by Josh Groban on his last CD of original material. It was written and produced by Martin Page. While Groban has an excellent voice, it’s Page’s version that moves me more. Groban’s recording is more overtly lush and romantic where Page’s version is more organic and soulful in its approach especially vocally. This is often the case when you get to hear songwriters’ versions of their songs (who don’t normally sing them - ala Pete Townshend)

"Man In The Moon" looks at what we’re doing to the planet from the point of view of a conversation with the Man In The Moon who sees the truth of the way we’re treating the planet.

“Man In The Moon
Look What We’ve Done Down Here…..
All in The Name Of Fear
When The Black Cloud Clears
Another Forest Disappears
I Guess We Need The Room
Yeah, That’s our Excuse
Man In The Moon”

"Blessed" is a beautiful and powerful song. It’s a song that you can imagine hearing at weddings for years to come, but it’s also more than just an ordinary love song. It’s a song about true gratitude which is the heart’s memory. It’s a song that expresses what one feels when life’s journey blesses them with the someone who truly contributes to them in many ways emotionally and spiritually. The subtle acoustic guitar and musical textures underneath provide the perfect vehicle for this beautiful expression of genuine fulfillment.

"The Long Walk Home" conveys someone who’s trapped in the darkness of fear and can not let go. The hypnotic rhythm and musical build toward the end of the song give it a wonderful sense of melancholy and encouragement.

"Song for Ruth" is an exquisite song of reflection and remembrance on one level. On another, it speaks to the permanence and lasting value that true love has in our lives. With Song for Ruth the subtleties and various emotional melodic releases throughout the melody are highlighted by Pages best vocal on the album. In the final fade of the song Page’s voice captures the wide range of nuances without any false inflation of emotion, as the song recalls the scattered memories of jewelry and cigarettes and of the hearts that were blessed; and then recalls birthday hats and wedding rings, Dolphin Fins, Dignity and Lace – All in your lovelight! It brings to mind The Blue Nile at their evocative best. This is where you really see the growth in Page as both a songwriter and especially as a vocalist.

"When Johnny Sang The Blues" is another song of reflection and remembrance but much lighter in its tone. England of the 60’s provides the backdrop this time for an uplifting song that recalls the joys and exuberance of growing up during the era of the Mersey Sound and The Beatles where romance was always accompanied by the music of the day. It sings of a time when young lovers’ hearts were as open as the northern sky.

The final song "WhereThe Sun is Buried" is where the theme of In The Temple of the Muse culminates in an incredibly powerful metaphor. Its power isn’t from the examination of man’s dark nature by recalling some of the most ineffable human losses over the last 20 years – (The Schoolyard Massacre in Dunblane Scotland, The Bombing in Oklahoma City, The War in Sarajevo). Instead, its power is derived by the answer it provides; an answer that can only be expressed through the open and inarticulate speech of our heart.


In The Temple of the Muse is such a wonderfully rich body of work that looks at a wide range of emotional landscapes within the human heart. Like a great wine, it’s a work that deepens your appreciation of it upon each subsequent listen you give it.

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