Website: www.dommart.in
YouTube: Dom Martin YouTube
Facebook: Dom Martin Facebook
Instagram: Dom Martin Instagram

Some people play the Blues because they love the Blues. Some play because they have lived it and it comes out of them in a way that leaves you holding your breath until the silence falls.

Enter Dom Martin: an Irishman with a troubled background and the strength to push through to become one of the most ferocious talents to come out of the Emerald Isle.

Recent accolades include:

Acoustic blues artist of the year 2021 UK Blues Awards

Acoustic blues artist of the year 2020 UK Blues Awards

Best Solo/Acoustic Act 2019 European Blues Awards

Dom is playing solo at the Callander Jazz and Blues Festival 2021 when I catch up with him and his crew. His easy Irish banter has the crowd warming to him instantly, but he also openly shares the challenges he has had to overcome to get here: his struggle with addiction and his personal quiet celebration of getting through it with the help of those around him.

He is delighted when the crowd burst into applause at the mention of his fellow countryman Rory Gallagher and is clearly enjoying himself throughout. After the gig he agrees to have a chat and a photo…

Interview

K: What a gig man! I can’t believe I only paid a fiver to see that. Best fiver I’ve ever spent!

D: (Laughs) Yeah, I’ve heard that before, thanks buddy.

K: Sounds like you have had a tough 10 years?

D: I’ve had a tough 30 years.

K: Was music a constant throughout?

D: As the story goes, when I was born, my father just held me over a guitar and I ended up biting, scratching it, kicking it…it’s been a whole life-long thing. It’s all I had. It’s all we had. My dad had five kids. He should never have had any kids because he had no means to look after anybody, he couldn’t even look after himself. But…the music was always there while we were growing up. It’s all we ever did. We played every day. I don’t feel like I missed out on anything growing up because I had nothing to compare my childhood to. To me it was the best gig in the world.

K: Are your siblings musical?

D: Some of them are.

K: What are The Blues to you?

D: I always say the only way to get rid of the Blues is to play the Blues. That’s why so many people play the Blues. It’s that simple (laughs)

K: You said earlier, during the gig that you had stopped listening to other guitarists in order to develop your own style.

D: Yeah, that’s true but there are certain people that have stayed with me and there’s a similarity between them. Rory Gallagher, John Martyn, Roy Buchanan; there's a playfulness in their playing that I can’t find in any other guitar players. It’s the seriousness that I don’t like. This is meant to be fun. It is fun! That’s why we do it. If it was a burden, I wouldn’t do it.

So, I’m very lucky, I have the best job in the world, I’ve got the best team in the world i.e. this guy and his lovely wife Audrey. They are the very best.

K: Who is he?

D: That’s Fenton. Fenton and Audrey. They single-handedly restored my faith in humanity. Honestly, I could not feel anything before I met them. They really did turn me around and turned me into a better person. They gave me the capacity to change. I want to be a better person and I think about that all of the time and I will be. I want to try and help people. If I can make somebody feel something by playing a song, then I’ve won.

When I’m playing a gig it’s not about me it’s all about the audience and that’s the only thing that matters because without the audience there is nothing.

You’re only as good as your last gig.

K: Is that weighted to what the audience think of you or what you think of yourself?

D: It’s probably more about what I think of myself. I can be really hard on myself like that if I don’t think I’ve given the audience the best of me. I can be in tears. But when I feel like I’ve had a good gig, musically, there is no better feeling. I’m on top of the world!

K: You mentioned that you love every guitar you own. Do you believe that guitars have personalities? Do you feel you transfer some of your own soul over time as you play them?

D: Yep! Definitely! Some guitars kick like mules. You have to work really hard to make them sound good. It can be a real struggle, but I love that. If a guitar is easy to play, it can be nice, but I like a guitar that makes you have to work for it. That’s why I love the Telecaster so much. If I had my “Sophie’s Choice” moment and I had to pick one guitar, my Telecaster would be the one I would choose.

It can sound really harsh and trebly and can be quite unforgiving.

There’s nowhere to hide but when you get that sweet spot… it’s glorious! It’s all in the hands. You can get someway there but that last 20% needs the feel of the hands.

K: I noticed you doing some lovely work with harmonics and bending the neck on the Resonator and the acoustic.

D: Yeah, that kind of happened accidentally. It was a happy accident that fitted in well with the style I play, and I just developed it.

K: Your second last song was about a cowboy, and I noticed you are wearing a Stetson. If you were a cowboy what would your horses name be?

D: Trigger!

K: And what would your cowboy name be?

D: Eh….Dom?

K: Nope, it’s a cowboy name man! It needs something else…

D: Eh, ok…Red?

K: Is that just Red or Red Dom?

D: Red Dom (laughs)

K: And what would be in your saddlebags?

D: Guitar strings, capo, slide, spare slide, spare capo… and another slide… and more strings… and pickups. That would probably be it.

K: Yeah, that’s good saddle bag material.

D: Oh! And a carrot for the horse…and an apple too.

K: Nice touch.

You are playing the Green Hotel at Kinross on the 20th of November this year (2021). It’s the full 3-piece band line-up. What is that going to sound like?

D: I’m not blowing smoke here, but I have watched a lot of 3-piece bands over the years and this one is the biggest sound you’ll hear. Really big, really bold.

It’s quite difficult to get because the players all have to complement each other. I see a lot of trios where it’s just guitar, guitar, guitar with no regard for the bass player or the drummer. The bass and drums are the most important part. Without them, you are just a dick with a guitar!

I’ve had experiences with other 3 pieces where the dynamic hasn’t worked out for me and I’ve had to walk away and it’s hard. I’ve lost good friends over it. But for me the music has to come first. You only get one chance at this, and you have to feel like you are doing the right thing for yourself. There are a billion other players out there just like you trying to do the same thing. So yeah, the music has to come first.

K: That’s good note to end on. Thank you for the gig, thank you for the interview and I will see you and the band at the Green Hotel on 20th November.

D: Thanks Kirk, it’s a pleasure.

Date: 02/10/2021

Location

Callander Jazz & Blues Festival

Camera info

Camera: Sony A7R3
Lens: Sony 24-105 f4
Focal length: 62mm
Exposure: 1/100s @ f4 ISO 100
Time of day: 17:47
Conditions: Exterior, overcast
Lighting: Natural light