In 1978 I moved from Belfast to London where I began working for Warner Bros. in their writers studio doing sessions for among others Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols) Gary Holton (Heavy Metal Kids/actor) and Clive Langer (producer of Madness, Elvis Costello, Gil Evans and Hothouse Flowers). This led to my recording two albums for the sixties band The Searchers who were signed to Warners at the time. 

After leaving Warners I worked with Langer on his own album and several other projects including singles by Pete Wylie (WAH) and Robert Wyatt. Wyatt’s ‘Shipbuilding’ was voted single of the year in 1983. With Clive I toured extensively with Madness and Elvis Costello throughout Europe, appearing at the 1980 Montreux Jazz Festival. 

For a number of years I freelanced as a session musician working for Phonogram, Polydor Records, EMI , Stiff and Demon Records. This involved albums, singles, tours and videos with Joan Armatrading, John Isley (Dire Straights) Desmond Dekker, Carlene Carter (step daughter of the country singer Johnny Cash) Sally Oldfield (sister of ‘Tubular Bells’ Mike Oldfield), Keith Emerson and Jack Bruce, Bill Hurley (The Inmates), The Adventures, Any Trouble, Gregson and Collister & Deaf School (featuring guitarist Reeves Gabrels). 

During the same period I spent two seasons in the pit at the Young Vic Theatre in London and worked on the musical drama ‘Motherland’ which explored the cultural and historical background of black residents in the Brixton area. 

Martin Hughes by Mark Griffiths

In 1990 I collaborated with the flautist Guo Yue to present Chinese folk music and culture to western audiences. Our concerts in England, France, Austria, Spain, Belgium and Australia (where we played the Adelaide Festival) were widely acclaimed. 

From 1992 to 1998 I spent time teaching and presenting percussion workshops in primary and secondary schools in the London area. I recorded tracks with Clive Langer and Chris Difford (Squeeze) for the movie ‘Still Crazy’ (featuring Billy Connolly, Stephen Rae, Timothy Spalls and Jimmy Nail), worked with Richard Thompson and Danny Thompson on Boo Hewerdine’s ‘Baptist Hospital’ album and played with contemporary folk and jazz musicians in the project Scarp. 

Through 1999 I recorded and toured with fellow Belfast exile Bap Kennedy promoting his highly praised ‘Lonely Street’ album and toured with Mark Nevin (Fairground Attraction, Morrisey) promoting his ‘Mighty Doves’ record. 

In 2000 I had a brief encounter with Pete Docherty’s embryonic ‘Libertines’. In the Spring and Summer of 2002 I worked with Nicky Scott & Jimmy Smith on a project in Ireland with Belfast legend Van Morrison. 

Between 2005 and 2007 I toured with Dr. Hook vocalist Dennis Locorriere on his ‘Lucky Ones’ and ‘Hits and History’ tours (now on DVD), recorded Ed Deane’s ‘Slideshow’ album at my home in Portugal where I write, record and produce music. 

In May 2007 I played on Any Trouble’s long awaited reunion record.’Life in Reverse’ for the resurrected Stiff label. 

2009 saw me back in Ireland to record Errol Walsh’s ‘No Borders’ album for the Huntington’s Disease charity, Anthony Toner’s ‘Duke of Oklahoma’ record and tracks for Bap Kennedy’s forthcoming record. 

Albums

Searchers 1980 

Searchers “Play for Today” 1980 

Clive Langer “Splash” 1980 

Any Trouble “Wheels in Motion” 1981 

Bette Bright “Rhythm Breaks the Ice” 1981 

Avant Gardeners “Inner Cosmos” 1984 

Christophe Johnson 1985 

Bill Hurley “Unchained Melody” 1986 

Keith Hancock “This World We Live In” 1986 

Hobson and Lees “Hand Made” 1987 

Panic Brothers “In the Red” 1987 

Gregson and Collister “Mischief” 1987 

Fire Next Time “North to South” 1988 

Deaf School “Second Coming” 1989 

Gregson and Collister
“Change in the Weather” 1989 

 Stephen Fearing “Blue Line” 1990 

Clive Gregson “Welcome to the Workhouse” 1990 

 Late Night Band “Strange Survivals” 1990 

Gregson and Collister “Last Word” 1992 

The Adventures “Lions, Tigers and Bears” 1992 

Guo Yue “Red Mansions” 1993 

Pat Shaw and Julie Mathews “Lies and Alibis” 1994 

Scarp “Scarp” 1994 

Julie Mathews “Such is Life” 1996 

Boo Hewerdine “Baptist Hospital” 1996  

Clive Gregson “People and Places” 1996  

Bap Kennedy “Moonlight Kiss” Serendipity (Movie) 

Still Crazy “Soundtrack” (Movie) 

Ed Deane “Slideshow” 2004 

Edwina Hayes “Out on My Own” 2005 

Bap Kennedy “Bigger Picture” 2005 

Dennis Locorrier ”Hits & History” DVD 2007 

Any Trouble “Life in Reverse” 2007 

Errol Walsh ‘No Borders’ 2009 

Clive Culbertson (To be Released) 2010 

Anthony Toner ‘Duke of Oklahoma’ 2009 

Singles

Clive Langer & The Boxes “It’s All Over Now” 1980 

The Searchers “Another Night” 1980 

Any Trouble “Trouble with Love” 1981 

Pete Wylie WAH “Remember” 1982 

Desmond Dekker “Book of Rules” 1982 

Robert Wyatt “Shipbuilding” 1983 

The Escape “Russian Lady” 1984 

Round-a-way Wrong “Boy” 1984 

Christophe Johnson “What’s the Next Step” 1985 

Van Rumst “I’ll be seeing you” 1985 

Big Heat “Watch me catch Fire” 1985 

Fire Next Time “I can’t go Back” 1987 

Fire Next Time “Too Close” 1988 

Gregson and Collister “Wouldn’t treat a Dog” 1988 

London Irish

Audio Tracks by Martin Hughes 

London Irish (Hughes) 

Under Simpson’s Skies (Hughes)