Music - Joe Martin

"Dammit" by blink-182 at Northside Bar in Wicker Park, the whole room in on it. Musicians kept coming up to add their take as the song rolled on.

Open mics

The way back.

When my band fell apart, I turned away from music like it was a bad relationship. My guitar sat tucked away in my sister's basement for years, untouched. Then in 2017 something shifted, and I started finding my way back. Since then I've met a whole new group of people I feel lucky to have found in this life, and now get to call friends.

"No Sensitivity," a Jimmy Eat World cover, at an open mic in Grand Rapids, Michigan. My first time back on a stage after the band.

“Unbroken Promise”

When I play live, I generally stick to my acoustic hip-hop stuff. I don’t do very many slow songs. So when Heather Humphrey asked me to do a slow one, I had to reach into the vault to pull out this Erick Baker jam.

And this one, I don’t play live, ever. It’s more of a love song. Felt kind of naked at the end after putting it out there, hence my vacant expression as I just kind of froze. But I love having this recording of it now. Thank you for the push, Heather.

And now, for you. From a live show to your screen, here’s a little Joe Martin performing “Unbroken Promise.”

Fun moments

Acoustic percussion.

These lean on a style I call "acoustic percussion," where the guitar is a drum and a guitar at the same time. I made it up. I'd seen fancy guitarists bang on their guitars mid-song (like Colin in my 99-Second Pitch Competition for The Q), but I'd never seen anyone use the guitar for percussion and sing at the same time, let alone use that style to play rap, hip-hop, and pop. As far as I know, I'm the first person playing and performing this way. Tap any of them to turn the sound on, and it keeps playing while you scroll.

Add to the museum

Shared a set with me?

An open mic, a cover, a night out with live music. Post a photo, a clip, or a memory.