Roy Harper

[baltika_no_9]

I saw Roy at the Royal Festival Hall on Monday. The voice was unmistakable but the lightning speed guitar fingerwork was completely absent but there again he is 72 years old. The material played was largely very dour and doleful in tempo, content and delivery. I came away pleased to have seen again a gifted singer songwriter but a bit disappointed not to hear very much at all from his earlier years although he did finish, quite fittingly, with "When An Old Cricketer Leaves The Crease". There was pathos in his delivery on that one as if there was an untold sub-story.

It's not reasonable to expect 70 odd year olds to do what they could when in their 20s but I was optimistic having seen CSN the previous month still full of gusto, power and musicality and they're of a similar age. RH though looked and acted his age; false starts, forgetfulness, confusion and there was little display of the prodigious talent that earned him the respect of Dave Gilmour and Jimmy Page years ago. JP was in the audience in fact.

So, no chance to hear "Commune" again live with that deft guitar work but a gig I'm pleased I made. Thanks Roy and good luck; you're a gem.

 

[Tel]

He played at the BBC Folk awards, he displayed all the traits you mention above and as it was broadcast live it was quite excruciating to watch.

I thought then that he ought to retire and to be honest when I saw the title of your thread I thought I was going to read that he had passed away!

I am very pleased that he hasn't but will restrict myself to his records from now on.

 

[luckysim0n]

That is a shame 1984 is one of my auditioning tracks

 

[Guest]

Saw the thread title & thought Oh no not another one snuffed it!

In his pomp RH was a force to be reckoned with.

And he could give the audience a piece of his mind if he was in the mood.

Best to remember him how he was.

There's an irony that Jimmy Page was in the audience, as his skills on the fretboard aint what they used to be either.

As my old dad said, that rock & roll lifestyle will catch up with you one fine day!

 

[rabski]

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn

Unfortunately, age does weary most of them and often it's awful to witness.

There are very few performers who remain the same, or even improve, with age. From all the concerts I've seen over the past few years, Leonard Cohen stands out as being better than he ever was, to the extent of being magnificent. Dave Gilmour has matured, as has Roger Waters, but neither are that ancient yet. Phil Manzanera just gets better and better, and Hugh Massekela is ageless.

All the rest have simply got older and worser. OK, they need the money, but so do we all and nobody is going to be happy paying to watch me attempt in public to do the things I used to do when I was 20. Apart from Penance possibly.

 

[baltika_no_9]

Blimey, now this allegation - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-24955436

 

[nick dartmoor]

Oh, that really is depressing.

 

[cobbler]

Jeez :shock: Very sad.

Where will this all end ??

 

[nick dartmoor]

I'm going to take a lot of convincing that Roy is guilty. A little corner of the foundations of my world will crumble, if he is.

 

[baltika_no_9]

Oh, that really is depressing.

It is isn't it, whatever the outcome, whether the allegations are true or false there can be no happy outcome. Tragedy either way.

 

[DJAlex]

Indeed, I hope its not true. I was at Nick's gig a few months ago and he talked about a child sex offender in his village and how much that distressed him. I just can't see it myself.

 

[cobbler]

Indeed, I hope its not true. I was at Nick's gig a few months ago and he talked about a child sex offender in his village and how much that distressed him. I just can't see it myself.

Assume you meant Harper Snr

 

[Jimmy Moff]

I saw Roy at the Beautiful Days festival this summer and he was brilliant.

Today's news is depressing. For anyone who's listened to forbidden fruit and read his essay on the subject, the allegations are probably not surprising but I hope they are false.