Roy Harper

Roy Harper (born June 12, 1941), is a British singer-songwriter who specialises in uncompromising introspective lyrics and folk influenced compositions.

The Seventies

After the Bath Festival of 1970, Led Zeppelin wrote a song titled "Hats Off to (Roy) Harper", which appeared on the album Led Zeppelin III. According to Jimmy Page, the band admired the way Harper stood by his principles and did not sell out to commercial pressures. In a mutual appreciation of their work, Harper would often attend live performances by Led Zeppelin over the subsequent decade as well as contribute sleeve photography to the album Physical Graffiti and appear, uncredited, in the 1976 film, The Song Remains the Same.

Related Topics:
Bath - 1970 - Led Zeppelin - Hats Off to (Roy) Harper - Led Zeppelin III - Jimmy Page - Physical Graffiti - 1976 - The Song Remains the Same

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Harper's 1971 critically acclaimed album was the four song epic, Stormcock, featuring Jimmy Page on guitar and David Bedford's orchestral arrangements, who would collaborate on future releases. In 1972, Harper made his acting debut playing Mike Preston in the John Mackenzie film Made. The soundtrack for this film appeared in the following year with the title Lifemask. His next album Valentine, was released on Valentine's Day, February 14, 1974 and featured contributions from guitarist Jimmy Page. A concert to mark its release was held at London's Rainbow Theatre with Page, Bedford, and Keith Moon on drums. The live album Flashes from the Archives of Oblivion soon followed.

Related Topics:
1971 - Jimmy Page - David Bedford - 1972 - February 14 - 1974 - London - Keith Moon

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Between 1975 and 1978, Harper spent considerable time in the United States. Pink Floyd's 1975 release Wish You Were Here saw Harper as lead vocalist on the song "Have a Cigar". Pink Floyd's David Gilmour returned the favour by appearing on Harper's next album, HQ, with his occasional backing band called Trigger (Chris Spedding on guitar, Dave Cochran on bass guitar, and Bill Bruford on drums) and Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones. The single "When an Old Cricketer Leaves the Crease", taken from the album, is Harper's biggest selling and best known solo record to date.

Related Topics:
1975 - 1978 - United States - Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here - David Gilmour - Bill Bruford - Led Zeppelin - John Paul Jones

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Controversy soon followed with the release of 1977's Bullinamingvase, with Watford Gap service station objecting to the lyrics in the song "Watford Gap", which criticised their food. Harper was forced under duress to drop it from future UK copies of the album, though it reappeared on a later CD reissue and remained on the US LP. Bullinamingvase also featured "One of Those Days in England", with backing vocals by Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney, which became a Top 40 hit. In April 1978, Harper began writing lyrics for the next Led Zeppelin album, with Jimmy Page, but the project was shelved when Robert Plant returned from his self-imposed sabbatical after the death of his son Karac.

Related Topics:
1977 - Watford Gap service station - UK - US - Paul McCartney - Linda McCartney - 1978 - Led Zeppelin - Jimmy Page - Robert Plant

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For much of the seventies, Harper was managed, and had records produced, by Peter Jenner.

Related Topics:
Managed - Produced - Peter Jenner

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