There's a lot to be said for an artist sticking to their guns. In theory recognition will eventually arrive, hopefully before you shuffle off to the big aftershow, but this doesn't always happen, unfortunately.
In the case of Roy Harper, it's great to see him now namechecked by various alternative folk types, most young enough to be his grandkids. He has, however, spent his whole career on the fringes. Or at least that's how it seems viewed with hindsight. An artist that not many people really know, but who is loved by those "in the know". An archetypal cult?
Nothing is ever written about Roy that doesn't mention those who he's performed with over the years; Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Kate Bush etc. And it's a shame that his recognition relies on his proximity to greatness than recognition of his actual greatness.
Does the fact that both John Peel & his sidekick John Walters both wanted his "When an old Cricketer leaves the crease" played at their funerals not tell you something?!But here we are. November 2011. On the 5th I went to Roys 70th birthday show at Royal Festival Hall in London. Any vague thoughts about a swansong disappear once Roy starts singing, the years do fall away. This show has been
reviewed better than I will, so I won't attemp that, suffice to say that with a swansong this good there really is no need to stop any time soon!
Roy was, and remains a truly unique idealist, misfit & genius. A revolutionary and angry young man happy to paint lyrical pictures of a bucolic watercolour England of tradition and history, while simultaneosly railing against wrongs of our time. Outspoken, but happy to let lyrical subtlety do the talking in his many
songs of love and loss.
There won't be Rick Rubin-esque "happy ending" to Roy's career, a "homecoming" for the MTV/iTunes generation. He will continue to stick to his guns, doing whatever he chooses, hopefully many more albums and shows. Maybe it would be nice to see some of his more influential champions (Jimmy Page, Kate Bush, Joanna Newsom, Johnny Marr etc.) acting as his producer to coax more music from him... who knows?
At the show, it was sad for him to reflect with us on the recent deaths of both his peer
Bert Jansch and his one-time collaborator David Bedford, who would have been at the show were it not for his passing a month previously. Bedford contributed
amazing orchestration on Harpers tour-de-force Stormcock album, which stands as an album-amongst-albums, right up there in the "how have I never heard this before" chart, a true unsung classic record, hailed by Johnny Marr and Joanna Newsom amongst others. Long may this journey continue. I can only thank those who introduced me to the music of Roy (Marc Mac & Ed Wilson).
If you are not already familiar with his music, his recent
"Songs of Love & Loss" compilation and the previous
"Counter Culture" are good starting points. His own
website is a good place to start buying what's available, and you really should.
What we have here is a rare record company promotional item from 1975/76. It's 25 minutes-a-side promotional piece, put together like a radio show, presented by "whispering" Bob Harris.
Download mp3s
hereDownload flac here (on their way!)
Youtube: Classic RoyYoutube: More Classic RoyYoutube: 80s Roy
