Roy Harper must be one of Britain s most undervalued rock musicians and songwriters. For over fifty years he has produced a series of innovative albums of consistently outstanding quality. He puts poetry and social commentary to music in a way that extends the boundaries of rock music. His 22 studio albums 16 live albums, made up of 250 songs, have created a unique body of work. Roy is a musician s musician. He is lauded by the likes of Dave Gilmour, Ian Anderson, Jimmy Page, Pete Townsend, Joanna Newsom, Fleet Foxes and Kate Bush. Who else could boast that he has had Keith Moon, Jimmy Page, Dave Gilmour, John Paul Jones, Ronnie Lane, Chris Spedding, Bill Bruford and Steve Broughton in his backing band? Notable albums include Stormcock, HQ and Bullinamingvase. Opher Goodwin, Roy s friend and a fan, guides the reader through every album and song, providing insight into the recording of the songs as well the times in which they were recorded. As his loyal and often fanatical fans will attest, Roy has produced a series of epic songs and he remains a raging, uncompromising individual.
Roy Harper: Every Album, Every Song (On Track), Paperback
Sgt Sunshine
The band starts the album off by launching into an upbeat rendering of Sgt Sunshine. This sets a storming pace, with Roy’s voice soaring above in a near falsetto singing ‘Sunrise’. Right from the opening notes the song has a rockier feel than any of the tracks on Come Out Fighting Ghengis Smith. It is quite a band, particularly with the great Nicky Hopkins on keyboards. The recording has a brighter, sparkier production than that on CBS. It seems to me as if Shel was going for a more commercial upbeat sound.
Roy had always wanted to sing duets with a woman and Jane Scrivener’s clear voice makes an ideal foil for Roy. This is the first time on record but he has subsequently successfully duetted with several women during the course of his career. Roy was always smitten by the female singers of the Incredible String Band. I think I can detect a number of their influences on this album.
‘Sgt Sunshine’ would have made a great single if there had not been so many open drug references.
The lyrics describe the time when a police officer defiantly lit up a marijuana joint outside the City Hall in protest over the draconian drug laws. Roy, an ardent advocate of cannabis, immediately called him Sgt Sunshine and wrote this song about him.
There is an oblique reference to the TV series ‘The Prisoner’ with mention of the village. ‘The Prisoner’ had a lasting impact on Roy and its influence would recur in ‘McGoohan’s Blues’.
The basic premise of the song is that society has the wrong priorities. A life spent striving for money and fearing death is certainly no way to live.
‘Sgt Sunshine’ also appeared on the sampler Gutbucket.
Roy Harper must be one of Britain s most undervalued rock musicians and songwriters. For over fifty years he has produced a series of innovative albums of consistently outstanding quality. He puts poetry and social commentary to music in a way that extends the boundaries of rock music. His 22 studio albums 16 live albums, made up of 250 songs, have created a unique body of work. Roy is a musician s musician. He is lauded by the likes of Dave Gilmour, Ian Anderson, Jimmy Page, Pete Townsend, Joanna Newsom, Fleet Foxes and Kate Bush. Who else could boast that he has had Keith Moon, Jimmy Page, Dave Gilmour, John Paul Jones, Ronnie Lane, Chris Spedding, Bill Bruford and Steve Broughton in his backing band? Notable albums include Stormcock, HQ and Bullinamingvase. Opher Goodwin, Roy s friend and a fan, guides the reader through every album and song, providing insight into the recording of the songs as well the times in which they were recorded. As his loyal and often fanatical fans will attest, Roy has produced a series of epic songs and he remains a raging, uncompromising individual.
Roy Harper is a unique individual and an innovative songwriter who took his first uncharacteristically tentative steps into the London folk scene during the mid-1960s. He was born on 12 June 1941 into the middle of World War II, his mother sadly dying a few days later from mastitis: a common breast infection, nowadays easily treatable. The loss of his mother, naturally, had a lifelong impact on Roy’s personality. His father married again, but his stepmother was a strict, religious woman, and Roy’s life of rebellion began.
His first memory is of being held in someone’s arms, looking towards a red glow on the horizon, and being told, ‘Manchester’s really copping it tonight’. As a wayward child, his younger years were marked by constant trouble, both at home and school. On one occasion, he was found many miles from home, pedalling his trike towards Liverpool. His dislike of the religion his stepmother imposed, led to him performing pagan ceremonies and burying effigies in his back garden.
As a child, Harper lived in the genteel town of Lytham St Annes: a place he once described as a cemetery with a bus stop. The tedium of life in the drowsy town portrayed a conservative ethos he fought against. Moving into his teenage years, minor incidents progressed into more serious crimes. He and a small group of friends alternated between running free in the countryside and conducting shoplifting and vandalism sprees. These activities ranged from stealing chocolates in Woolworths to breaking into Lytham’s cricket pavilion. They drank the booze they found inside, then burnt the building to the ground.
On one occasion, Roy and a friend rampaged through the town, pulling up freshly planted roadside saplings, then hoisting a weighing machine through the public toilets’ window. Exhausted, they searched for somewhere to put their heads down and broke into a garage. Falling asleep in a car, they were discovered the following morning: by the owner, who, unfortunately, happened to be a policeman.
Continued rebellion and a string of minor offences culminated in Roy’s arrest. He was found guilty of daubing swastikas and a hammer and sickle on the town hall – the act ostensibly a protest aimed at the councillors (who he considered to be a bunch of Nazis) and against the Russian invasion of Hungary. It was sufficient to produce a double-spread article with photos in the Daily Mirror.
This was just the beginning.
At fifteen – in order to escape from his stepmother and the mayhem he had created – Roy signed up to the Royal Air Force for five years, with dreams of becoming a pilot. But life in the RAF was not how he imagined. He tried boxing, which provided some respite, but the unremitting discipline and tedium of life as a serviceman became unbearable. After two years, he knew he had to get out. Without the cash to buy his discharge, Roy decided to feign madness – not too difficult a task in his case. He successfully convinced the military doctors, and the RAF discharged him, but only as far as RAF Princess Mary’s mental institution, where he was assessed and treated. There being sectioned, he was forcibly medicated with lithium and largactyl, and even subjected to electric shock therapy. Eventually transferred to Lancaster Moor Hospital, Roy decided that in order to keep his ‘insanity’, he had to escape. Being of slight build, he was able to squeeze through a fanlight window and flee. I have a mental image of him, wearing one of those gowns that tie at the back, racing across the grass and scaling the wall – although I’m sure it probably wasn’t quite like that.
Now on the run, Roy headed for Blackpool, where he became immersed in the bohemian subculture. As a self-proclaimed hashish-smoking beatnik, he discovered the world of Kerouac, Ginsberg, and Burroughs and began to write poetry.
Roy Harper must be one of Britain s most undervalued rock musicians and songwriters. For over fifty years he has produced a series of innovative albums of consistently outstanding quality. He puts poetry and social commentary to music in a way that extends the boundaries of rock music. His 22 studio albums 16 live albums, made up of 250 songs, have created a unique body of work. Roy is a musician s musician. He is lauded by the likes of Dave Gilmour, Ian Anderson, Jimmy Page, Pete Townsend, Joanna Newsom, Fleet Foxes and Kate Bush. Who else could boast that he has had Keith Moon, Jimmy Page, Dave Gilmour, John Paul Jones, Ronnie Lane, Chris Spedding, Bill Bruford and Steve Broughton in his backing band? Notable albums include Stormcock, HQ and Bullinamingvase. Opher Goodwin, Roy s friend and a fan, guides the reader through every album and song, providing insight into the recording of the songs as well the times in which they were recorded. As his loyal and often fanatical fans will attest, Roy has produced a series of epic songs and he remains a raging, uncompromising individual.
Top reviews from United KingdomAdrian Mcgachie5.0 out of 5 stars Should sit beside any serious reading of the music by Roy Harper.Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 August 2021Verified PurchaseRoy Harper is not for everyone, and can be divisive, contrary, thought provoking, beautiful and lyrical, and that can be all in the space of just one twenty minute song.This book though is an anthology that deserves to sit by your side, in, as I say in the title, any reading of this masterful lyricist, singer, songwriter, and poet. The music, by any standards, is so complex, that it deserves to one day to sit besides the greatest works of the greatest authors, lyricists, and poets, to be contemplated over for decades, nay, centuries, to come.This book will hopefully reveal a corner of that tapestry, to assist scholars to unveil for themselves, for years to come.If you’re not a scholar, just enjoy, as a music lover!A very enjoyable companion to Roy’s music, to have by your side.Stewart Harper5.0 out of 5 stars Essential reading if you are a Harper Fan!Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 August 2021This was an epic undertaking…And it doesn’t fall short…I absolutely loved it! Even as a long term Fan…There is lots of brilliant insights into forging of the Songs…Anecdotal discourse from Someone who was there…Who Himself was an instant Fan…Then a Friend…Long before any kind of Spotlight truly hit Roy…It is extremely informative and details alot of hidden aspects…Observations and revelations…Which only serve and deepen your appreciation…For Roy’s Body of Work…It is the perfect Companion…And is a must…IMHO…You’ll find yourself reconnecting…With alot of the albums…And tracks…On another level…I raced through it…And started to reread it immediately again…I don’t do that with alot of books…The only spoiler alert…It’s a must…For any lover of Roy’s output!david hughes5.0 out of 5 stars Everything you need to know about Roy Harper recordingsReviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 August 2021 Verified PurchaseExcellent and enjoyable – thorough, detailed, super anecdotes and “eye witness”, and an easy and fun read. Written by a true fan but not sycophantic – Harper is not that sort of writer/performer. Makes me want to play every song (again). Nice jobM J Wilkinson5.0 out of 5 stars Highly informativeReviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 August 2021 Verified PurchaseAs a fan of Roy Harper for 50 years, I was really pleased to discover this writer and this great, highly informative book. Highly recommendedM. Ruston5.0 out of 5 stars A Biography of SortsReviewed in the United Kingdom on 29 July 2021The closest we have come to a Roy Harper autobiography is 2003’s ‘The Passions of Great Fortune’, Roy’s own book of lyrics, pictures and reminiscences. It leaves more questions than answers. Goodwin’s song by song semi-biography is a really welcome addition to the Roy Harper history that many of us only half know. Goodwin manages to review each song in context and gives us a domestic structure that we’ve previously had to guess at. He’s obviously a fan (who isn’t?) and his passion even extends to ruminating on what would have made a better single in 1970. (‘I Hate The White Man’ or ‘Another Day’?). The writing is energetic, insightful and, in many places, inspired. The book provides a perfect companion to the music and the music provides a perfect companion to your life. 6 people found this helpfulPaul Laidler5.0 out of 5 stars A treat for Roy Harper fans.Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 August 2021As soon as I started reading “on track…..Roy Harper” I was hooked. This is an excellent idea that has been well executed by Opher Goodwin.The level of detail is brilliant and it has added a slightly different dimension to my love of Roy Harper’s music.Opher clearly knows the man and his music very well.It does as the title suggests, going through the songs on each album one by one. There are lots of descriptions of playing style and personal thoughts from the author.Highly recommended. 3 people found this helpfulIt is also available at Burning Shed (The publisher’s own site)https://burningshed.com/opher-goodwin_roy-harper-on-track_book?filter_tag=Opher%20GoodwinCopies signed by myself can be purchased directly from me – email opher@hotmail.co.ukA BIG THANKYOU TO ALL THOSE LEAVING REVIEWS!!!Thank you!
Roy Harper On Track provides a track by track assessment of Harper’s unique body of work (comprising 22 studio albums and 16 live albums).
Lauded by the likes of Dave Gilmour, Ian Anderson, Jimmy Page, Pete Townsend, Joanna Newsom, Fleet Foxes and Kate Bush, who else could boast that he has had Keith Moon, Jimmy Page, Dave Gilmour, John Paul Jones, Ronnie Lane, Chris Spedding, Bill Bruford and Steve Broughton in his backing band?
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Opher Goodwin, Roy’s friend and a fan, guides the reader through every album and song, providing insight into the recording of the songs as well the times in which they were recorded. As his loyal and often fanatical fans will attest, Roy has produced a series of epic songs and he remains a raging, uncompromising individual.
Opher Goodwin is the author of many books on rock music and science fiction. He taught the first ‘History of Rock Music’ classes in the UK. Opher was fortunate to spend the sixties in London, the epicenter for the underground explosion of rock music and culture, where he was able to see everyone from Pink Floyd, Hendrix and Cream to the Doors, Captain Beefheart and, of course, Roy Harper. He befriended Roy in 1967 and has not only attended hundreds of gigs but was a privileged guest In Abbey Road studios for the recording of some of Roy’s seminal albums. He lives in East Yorkshire, UK.
Roy Harper must be one of Britain s most undervalued rock musicians and songwriters. For over fifty years he has produced a series of innovative albums of consistently outstanding quality. He puts poetry and social commentary to music in a way that extends the boundaries of rock music. His 22 studio albums 16 live albums, made up of 250 songs, have created a unique body of work. Roy is a musician s musician. He is lauded by the likes of Dave Gilmour, Ian Anderson, Jimmy Page, Pete Townsend, Joanna Newsom, Fleet Foxes and Kate Bush. Who else could boast that he has had Keith Moon, Jimmy Page, Dave Gilmour, John Paul Jones, Ronnie Lane, Chris Spedding, Bill Bruford and Steve Broughton in his backing band? Notable albums include Stormcock, HQ and Bullinamingvase. Opher Goodwin, Roy s friend and a fan, guides the reader through every album and song, providing insight into the recording of the songs as well the times in which they were recorded. As his loyal and often fanatical fans will attest, Roy has produced a series of epic songs and he remains a raging, uncompromising individual.
A celebration of Roy’s songs, music and poetry.
With thanks to Liz Goodwin and Mark Ruston for their help.
Contents
Introduction
Sophisticated Beggar + Outtakes & Unreleased 1966
Come Out Fighting Ghengis Smith 1967
Folkjokeopus 1969
Flat Baroque And Berserk 1970
Stormcock 1971
Lifemask 1973
Valentine 1974
Flashes From The Archives Of Oblivion 1974
HQ 1975
Bullinamingvase 1977
Commercial Breaks 1977
Harper 1970-1975 1978
Unknown Soldier 1980
Born In Captivity 1984
Work Of Heart 1982
Whatever Happened To Jugula? 1985
In Between Every Line 1986
Descendants Of Smith 1988
Loony On The Bus 1988
Once 1990
Burn The World 1990
Live At The Red Lion 1,2 and 3 1984-5 1990
The Death Of God 1992
Born In Captivity 2 – Unhinged 1993
An Introduction To 1994
Live At Les Cousins 1996
The BBC Tapes 1-6 1997
Poems, Speeches, Thoughts And Doodles 1997
Song Of The Ages 1997
The Dream Society 1998
The Green Man 2000
Hats Off 2001
East Of The Sun 2001
The Royal Festival Hall 2001
Today Is Yesterday 2002
The Death Of God 2005
Counterculture 2005
Beyond The Door 2005
From Occident To Orient 2007
Songs Of Love And Loss 2011
Live In The Metropolis Studios 2011
Man And Myth 2013
Miscellaneous Tracks, Guest Appearances And Rarities 1970-2000
Afterword
Introduction
Roy Harper is a unique individual and innovative songwriter who took his first uncharacteristically tentative steps into the London folk scene during the mid-sixties.
Roy was born on the 12th of June 1941 into the middle of World War 2 and sadly his mother died a few days later from mastitis – a common breast infection that is nowadays easily treatable. The loss of his mother has naturally had a lifelong impact on Roy’s personality.
Roy’s father married again. His stepmother was a strict and religious woman and Roy’s life of rebellion began.
Roy’s first memory is of being held in someone’s arms looking towards a red glow on the horizon and being told ‘Manchester’s really copping it tonight’.
Roy was a wayward child and his younger years were marked by him constantly being in trouble at home and school. As a young boy he was found pedalling on his trike towards Liverpool, many miles from home. Roy’s dislike of the religion his stepmother imposed led to him performing pagan ceremonies and burying effigies in his back garden.
The genteel town of Lytham St Annes where Roy lived, was once described by him as a cemetery with a bus stop. The tedium of life in the drowsy town portrayed a conservative ethos he fought against.
As Roy moved into his teenage years, minor incidents progressed into more serious crimes. He and a small group of friends alternated between running free in the countryside and taking part in sprees of shoplifting and vandalism. These ranged from stealing chocolates in Woolworth to breaking into Lytham’s cricket pavilion. They drank the booze they found inside the pavilion and then burnt the building to the ground.
Roy Harper must be one of Britain s most undervalued rock musicians and songwriters. For over fifty years he has produced a series of innovative albums of consistently outstanding quality. He puts poetry and social commentary to music in a way that extends the boundaries of rock music. His 22 studio albums 16 live albums, made up of 250 songs, have created a unique body of work. Roy is a musician s musician. He is lauded by the likes of Dave Gilmour, Ian Anderson, Jimmy Page, Pete Townsend, Joanna Newsom, Fleet Foxes and Kate Bush. Who else could boast that he has had Keith Moon, Jimmy Page, Dave Gilmour, John Paul Jones, Ronnie Lane, Chris Spedding, Bill Bruford and Steve Broughton in his backing band? Notable albums include Stormcock, HQ and Bullinamingvase. Opher Goodwin, Roy s friend and a fan, guides the reader through every album and song, providing insight into the recording of the songs as well the times in which they were recorded. As his loyal and often fanatical fans will attest, Roy has produced a series of epic songs and he remains a raging, uncompromising individual.
A celebration of Roy’s songs, music and poetry.
With thanks to Liz Goodwin and Mark Ruston for their help.
Contents
Introduction
Sophisticated Beggar + Outtakes & Unreleased 1966
Come Out Fighting Ghengis Smith 1967
Folkjokeopus 1969
Flat Baroque And Berserk 1970
Stormcock 1971
Lifemask 1973
Valentine 1974
Flashes From The Archives Of Oblivion 1974
HQ 1975
Bullinamingvase 1977
Commercial Breaks 1977
Harper 1970-1975 1978
Unknown Soldier 1980
Born In Captivity 1984
Work Of Heart 1982
Whatever Happened To Jugula? 1985
In Between Every Line 1986
Descendants Of Smith 1988
Loony On The Bus 1988
Once 1990
Burn The World 1990
Live At The Red Lion 1,2 and 3 1984-5 1990
The Death Of God 1992
Born In Captivity 2 – Unhinged 1993
An Introduction To 1994
Live At Les Cousins 1996
The BBC Tapes 1-6 1997
Poems, Speeches, Thoughts And Doodles 1997
Song Of The Ages 1997
The Dream Society 1998
The Green Man 2000
Hats Off 2001
East Of The Sun 2001
The Royal Festival Hall 2001
Today Is Yesterday 2002
The Death Of God 2005
Counterculture 2005
Beyond The Door 2005
From Occident To Orient 2007
Songs Of Love And Loss 2011
Live In The Metropolis Studios 2011
Man And Myth 2013
Miscellaneous Tracks, Guest Appearances And Rarities 1970-2000
Afterword
Introduction
Roy Harper is a unique individual and innovative songwriter who took his first uncharacteristically tentative steps into the London folk scene during the mid-sixties.
Roy was born on the 12th of June 1941 into the middle of World War 2 and sadly his mother died a few days later from mastitis – a common breast infection that is nowadays easily treatable. The loss of his mother has naturally had a lifelong impact on Roy’s personality.
Roy’s father married again. His stepmother was a strict and religious woman and Roy’s life of rebellion began.
Roy’s first memory is of being held in someone’s arms looking towards a red glow on the horizon and being told ‘Manchester’s really copping it tonight’.
Roy was a wayward child and his younger years were marked by him constantly being in trouble at home and school. As a young boy he was found pedalling on his trike towards Liverpool, many miles from home. Roy’s dislike of the religion his stepmother imposed led to him performing pagan ceremonies and burying effigies in his back garden.
The genteel town of Lytham St Annes where Roy lived, was once described by him as a cemetery with a bus stop. The tedium of life in the drowsy town portrayed a conservative ethos he fought against.
As Roy moved into his teenage years, minor incidents progressed into more serious crimes. He and a small group of friends alternated between running free in the countryside and taking part in sprees of shoplifting and vandalism. These ranged from stealing chocolates in Woolworth to breaking into Lytham’s cricket pavilion. They drank the booze they found inside the pavilion and then burnt the building to the ground.
