With a new CD in the racks, MARTYN JOSEPH sets out afresh to conquer the dizzy heights of the pop rock mainstream. He spoke to Lukas Willcocks.

Martyn: "Not necessarily from a church point of view, but as people in the street would see them. Then I'm trying to point beyond that and raise questions about life and issues of further development and doing this in the market place. I mean either you say this place is terrible and that's it, then you die, or you do what I'm trying and say yes these are dark days but ask questions such as is there meaning to life, are we made in God's image, and so on. From where I've come from, people would like me to give more direct answers and try and paint a different picture. But I honestly feel this is the picture I should be painting."

Lukas: Fair enough. You've got to be honest anyway.

Martyn: "Yes, you've got to express the way you feel it and speak from where you stand at that moment in your life. I think as Christians we are always ready to give answers before we realise what questions people are asking. I'm just trying to raise the odd question and give a little hope at the same time. I mean, it's only music!"

Lukas: Yes, but it's also your life as well.

Martyn: "It is at the moment, yeah, this is a very important time for me now and a lot of questions will be answered for me personally with the results of this record. It's gonna be a very interesting year for me."

Lukas: What sort of support do you get from your local church?

Martyn: "Yeah, I try to present things as I see them -"It would be incorrect for me to say 'not much' because you get as good as you give. I would have to say that I'm not there very often. I've been going to Penarth since I was 16, but when I'm there it doesn't always scratch where I'm itching. They support me very practically by giving me an office that my assistant uses (when not in London) to take care of people that write to me and for smaller projects. There are people there I've known for a long time and I know they love me but I don't think they fully understand what I do or what I'm about. I can't say I've got a big support team in the church or that I support the church in a big way, but we have some mutual understanding. I find it hard to line up with the rest of the evangelical movement at the moment. But I don't have a big axe to grind. I'm just doing what I feel I should be doing. I'm not one of these people that prays through issues with a church group -perhaps that's a fault, I don't know."

Lukas: What about friends? Do they not help with that?

Martyn: "Yes, I've got a few good friends. One's a minister in Swansea and I hang out with him regularly and we're always talking about spiritual things. But in terms of having a group that 'supports you in your ministry', that doesn't take place for me on that level and it's not something I'm seeking at present. If people read that they might be horrified, and think I'm wrong. But does the accountant in the church have a group that supports him? I'm just a singer/songwriter and I don't see why I should have specialised treatment."

Lukas: I just think everybody needs pastoral care of some sort.

Martyn: "I agree. It depends what you mean by that. I've got one or two friends that look out for me and I know they'd put me straight if they felt I needed straightening out. I get letters asking why don't I sing about Jesus any more and all that. I don't really have any more to say on that, I reply to those letters as best I can and tell people what I'm doing now is what I believe is right. You've got to get on with what you're doing whether it's flying planes or playing in bars."

Lukas: What are your expectations for this album?

Martyn: "If I listen to the folk around me they are very high. But all my safety nets are in place 'cause this is a ridiculous business. You make your record, then you present it and then see what takes place. My expectations in a real sense are not high because I'm not gonna set myself up for big disappointments. I think it's the best record I've ever made, I think they're the best songs I've ever written and there's a chance it could take off. It's a fickle business - it's not so much talent as fashion and whims and how much people spend on promotion. So it's dangerous to have high expectations in such a fragile marketplace. I'm hoping for a good airing."

Lukas: On the promotion front, are you being promoted over the pond or just in Europe?