Martin Kelly

Martin Kelly (born 17 July 1965, RAF Akrotiri, Akrotiri and Dhekelia) is a musician, music manager, record label boss, music publisher and author. Best known as Jeff Barrett's partner at Heavenly Recordings, a British independent record label run by the pair between 1993 and 2009. Early years Kelly was born in Cyprus, the son of an RAF Squadron leader Michael "Manx" Kelly, who would later go on to form the Rothmans aerobatic display team. The family relocated to the UK when his father was posted to Bomber Command in 1968, Kelly grew up near Princes Risborough in Buckinghamshire. The death of his father in May 1976 and the advent of punk rock profoundly affected him, and by the late 70s he was obsessed with music and had begun playing guitar and bass in various school bands. In 1983, aged 17, Kelly formed a new group Episode Four with his brother Paul Kelly, Johnny Wood and Spencer Smith. Episode Four managed only one EP release, the 1986 12" 'Strike Up Matches' which has gone on to become one of the most collectable singles of the C86 indie era.