Roy Harper

Roy Harper
Roy Harper is an English folk rock singer, songwriter and guitarist who has been a professional musician since 1964. Harper has released 32 albumsacross his 50-year career...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionFolk Singer
Date of Birth12 June 1941
english-musician felt ignorant records social thirteen turning
Remember, this was a world that was still ethnically separated. I was thirteen and ignorant of the social situation in America, but I felt these records were better than what my own culture was turning out.
since superstar
I was determined if I was going to become a superstar it would be on my terms. I've had that ethic since the beginning.
I was never really a bone fide member of the folk scene.
I'm an amalgam of the 19th-century romantics and the beat poets.
best couple english-musician prove together
I'd just like to prove to myself that I'm all here and all together and can get the best out of myself. I'd also like to prove that to a couple of other people.
beard goal hanging hardly shades wearing
When I was 15, I was wearing sandals and corduroys, Guernsey, striped pullover, a beard that was hardly there, shades and a beret, and the goal was hanging out.
bound
What is our destiny? Does it matter? Is it bound up with 'our' planet? In my opinion, yes.
music
Every song has a bouquet, which is the music. If you can put words with something that is really apt, then you've done it.
mores notice painting
When you look at a Hogarth painting or a Picasso, they didn't take any notice of the mores and constraints of their age: they went and did something that they wanted to do. That's how I see myself.
album burden handed hell led saw song zeppelin
They showed me this album sleeve, the new Led Zeppelin album, and I said 'very nice' and handed it back. 'No, go on - look again' they said, and then I saw this song 'Hats off to Harper'. It was very, uh... to be honest, it's been more of a burden than anything. A hell of a thing to live up to.
brought exposes therapy
At school, I was always daydreaming and fiddling in inkwells, but I had to learn to grow up and become articulate. And doing that was what brought me into writing songs. It's like therapy for me, because it exposes what I'm really thinking.
enjoy fantastic heaven spending time
It's fantastic to put your hands in the earth. I enjoy spending my time in heaven here. I don't care what you say, this is my heaven.
I've seen such things as you would not believe. I've seen motorbikes driven down hotel corridors - and had a go myself.
against religion stand taken
I've taken a stand against religion for as long I've been able to write and think.