w.atching the w.orld unw.ind

Roy Harper

Stormcock
Lifemask


I was first introduced to this guy by a former work colleague, who even kindly typed out the lyrics for me, because they were considered too risque for official liner notes. No “Parental Guidance” stickers in them days.

I then saw him, along with about five other members of the audience, at the Portsmouth Guildhall, where he put on a creditworthy performance (it had to be, there wasn’t even enough cash in the kitty to pay the usherette) and I was embarrassed for the dearth of support.

And then, there he was, alongside the music world-straddling Pink Floyd at Knebworth, singing “Have a cigar” from the freshly-released “Wish you were here” album. What quantum leap had made that transition possible?

Stormcock features the legendary Jimmy Page of LedZep fame, playing under an alias to presumably keep a better ratio of royalties from the preying I.R. Some beautiful ‘duelling guitars’ collaborations there.

And Lifemask has, on the whole of Side 2, “The Lord’s Prayer” written, by his own admission, while ‘under chemical influences”. Some of the sound effects do sound corny in retrospect but he was ever ready to experiment. Page, again, guested. My God, it was 30 years ago.