Fans mourn death of Fairporter Maartin Allcock

Tributes have poured in from around the world to Maartin Allcock, former Fairport and Jethro Tull multi-instrumentalist, who died on Sunday aged 61.
Maartin Allcock - photo by Kevin Smith NNL-180918-093621001Maartin Allcock - photo by Kevin Smith NNL-180918-093621001
Maartin Allcock - photo by Kevin Smith NNL-180918-093621001

Maart - as everyone knew him fondly - had been suffering from liver cancer.

A former resident of Barford, he had lived in Harlech for a number of years and returned to Cropredy for this year’s Fairport’s Cropredy Convention to play to a massive and adoring crowd of fans for one last time.

His webside said: “It is with overwhelming sadness that we have to announce the death of our wonderful husband, friend, father and genius musician, Maart.”

Born in Manchester in 1957, Maart played in folk clubs and dance bands before running away to join the Celtic folk group Bully Wee Band.

This led to an 11-year stint with folk-rock legends Fairport Convention, four years with rock band Jethro Tull and a session career which has included over 300 albums.

His enormous experience was much in demand in record production.

As well as being a superbly talented musician, Maart was a great baker and cook and a competent linguist. He loved travelling and made friends wherever he went.

His approach to his terminal illness was serene and philosophical.

After his diagnosis he wrote to fans: “I will go with dignity, good humour and good grace.

“I just have to wait now for transport back to my own planet. I only came for the curry anyway.

“So do not be sad. I achieved everything I ever wanted to do from daydreaming in a council house in north Manchester to travelling the world with my heroes, playing to thousands and thousands of people and getting paid for it.

“I have lived a lot, laughed a lot and loved a lot and I shall leave this planet with eternal love and gratitude for my wife Jan, my three children Madeleine, Jered and Jane and their mum Gill and all of you who took any interest in this mad northerner.

“Thank you all so much. Be happy and shower the people you love with love.”

Simon Nicol, lead singer for Fairport, said: “Music was a major driving force in Maart’s life and it was a joy to see him join the band on stage one last time at last month’s Cropredy festival. We’re all going to miss ‘Metal Matty’.”

www.maartinallcock.com