Martin Kelly (musician) facts for kids

Martin Kelly (born 17 July 1965) is a talented person who works in music. He is a musician, helps manage bands, runs a record label, publishes music, and writes books! He is best known for being a partner at Heavenly Recordings, a cool independent record label in Britain. He ran it with his friend Jeff Barrett between 1993 and 2009.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Kelly was born in RAF Akrotiri, Akrotiri and Dhekelia, Cyprus, in 1965. His father was a leader in the Royal Air Force. His family moved to the UK in 1968. Martin grew up near Princes Risborough in Buckinghamshire. When his father passed away in 1976, and with the rise of punk rock music, Martin became very interested in music. By the late 1970s, he was playing guitar and bass in different school bands. In 1983, at age 17, Kelly started a new band called Episode Four with his brother Paul Kelly and two friends. Episode Four released one special record in 1986 called 'Strike Up Matches'. This record is now very rare and sought after by music collectors.

The East Village Band

In late 1986, Episode Four met Jeff Barrett, who worked for a record company. Jeff wanted to sign the band but suggested they pick a new name first. The band became East Village. Their first song was recorded just as Jeff's first record label closed. Jeff then started a new label called Sub Aqua, and East Village released two more records in 1987 and 1988. In 1989, the band started working on their first album, "Drop Out." This album was finally released in 1993, even though the band had already split up two years earlier. Original records by Episode Four and East Village are now quite valuable, and the band has become very popular with a special group of fans.

Heavenly Recordings and The Social Club

While still with East Village, Kelly started working for Jeff Barrett's press company. He helped with public relations for famous bands like Happy Mondays and New Order. During this time, Martin and Jeff became close friends. In 1990, Jeff came up with the idea for a new record label called Heavenly. Over the next 20 years, Heavenly helped start the careers of many well-known artists. These included Saint Etienne, Manic Street Preachers, Beth Orton, Ed Harcourt, Doves, and The Magic Numbers. After working for another label briefly in 1992, Jeff asked Martin to become his partner at Heavenly in 1993. Martin also started managing one of the label's main bands, Saint Etienne, which he still does today. In 1994, Kelly helped start The Heavenly Social club with Jeff Barrett and others. This club became a very important place in London's music scene. It even helped create a new type of music called "big beat." Martin Kelly is still a partner in The Social, which is a popular nightclub and bar in central London, open seven days a week. In 2009, Kelly changed his focus from making records to publishing songs. He set up Heavenly Songs Limited in early 2010.

Authoring Books

In June 2010, Martin Kelly's first book was published. It was called Fender: The Golden Age 1946–1970. He wrote the book with Terry Foster, and his brother Paul designed and took the pictures for it. The book tells the detailed story of the early years of Fender musical instruments. It has been published in many languages around the world. In November 2021, Kelly's second book came out: Rickenbacker Guitars: From the Frying Pan into the Fireglo. This book was also written by Kelly and designed and photographed by his brother Paul. Martin Kelly is currently working on a new book about Vox guitars made in the 1960s.

Heavenly Films Productions

As the manager of Saint Etienne, Martin Kelly was involved in making three full-length movies with the band and his brother Paul between 2004 and 2008. The first film, Finisterre, was a documentary about London. It was released at the same time as a Saint Etienne album with the same name and received great reviews. What Have You Done Today, Mervyn Day? (2005) and This Is Tomorrow (2007) were also directed by Paul Kelly. These films further showed the team's skill in making high-quality documentaries. In autumn 2010, brothers Paul and Martin started Heavenly Films Limited with Bob Stanley from Saint Etienne and Kieran Evans. Their goal was to produce a series of new documentary films.

Personal Life

Martin Kelly married Sarah Cracknell, who is a member of the band Saint Etienne, in 2004.

Selected Music Releases

• East Village - Hot Rod Hotel 1994 LP
• East Village - Drop Out 1993 LP

Selected Films

• Finisterre 2002
• What Have You Done Today Mervyn Day? 2005
• Lawrence of Belgravia 2011
• How We Used To Live 2014
• "Dexys: Nowhere Is Home" 2014