After having produced a series of Sci-fi novels and my Rock Music failures I had this idea of doing a Roy Harper biography. I’d been friends with Roy since 1967 and been to hundreds of his concerts. When living in London I used to catch two or three gigs a week, was at his recording sessions at Abbey Road and regularly popped round to his flat.
Since then we’d both moved. Roy had moved from Kilburn to Brixton and I’d moved to Hull. We saw a lot less of each other but I still hitch-hiked to gigs of his in York, Leeds and Liverpool. At that time we couldn’t afford a car.
I met up with Roy and shared my enthusiasm. I hit him at the right time and he was keen. He agreed.
I was ecstatic.
I organised what I was going to do. Roy came to stay a number of times and I recorded our interviews on a grotty old tape deck. It was appalling sound. We had a great time doing them. He was completely outspoken and honest.
I then made transcripts of the tapes and began organising the book.
I’d promised Roy that I would be completely up front and open; if there was anything he did not like I would omit it.
I showed him the raw transcripts and I could see he was not happy. He was not so keen. It had personal information about his mother and family that he was not sure he wanted putting out while people were still alive.
I put the biography idea to one side. We decided a book focussed around the songs wold be in order. I set off again.