Effing iPhone

Typos ahoy!

is worthwhile*, but you can't go wrong with any of the 1969-1975 psych/folk albums Folkjokeopus, Flat Baroque & Berserk, Stormcock, HQ, Valentine and Lifemask.

There's also a compilation CD An Introduction to Roy Harper which covers 25 years of his work and is a good place to start if you don't want to commit to any of the full albums right away.

I'm sure his namesake Colin H will provide a better insight into Roy's oeuvre than I can manage, but I find him much more wayward and undisciplined than Drake, RT or even John Martyn (Roy, that is, not Colin).

His live stuff (of which there is a great deal available, including reams of BBC material) can get tedious and often sounds like a collection of giggly, stoned ramblings occasionally interrupted by an over-long song or three. My recommendation here is the Live At Les Cousins 1969 set.

*except perhaps his first 2 albums – Sophisticated Beggar (1966) and Come Out Fighting Genghis Smith (1968) which sound a little twee and dated now.

Re. Back On The Road. There are several copies for sale on Discogs:

http://www.discogs.com/sell/list?release_id=1772051&ev=rb

So I figure we might share a lot.

Bullinamingvase is a good 'un, and the side long One of Those Days in England should scratch all the right itches for you - rambling wistful English melancholia, but full of Harper's signature bite as well. There's some gems over on the other side (yes, I've had it since vinyl days) - These Last Days and Cherishing the Lonesome.

I've only got three of his, that, HQ and FB&B. I'm on the look out for Stormcock. So I'll share your interest in how the Massive responds. I think I'm right in saying that he's slated for a bunch of reissues this year.

Specifically, "When an Old Cricketer..."

It can still bring a small tear to the corner of my eye.

Stormcock is a tad more challenging but worth the effort.

Progrock (their phrase, not mine) album called "Back on the road again" (Blodwyn Pig, Arthur Brown, Thunderclap Newman et al) - can anyone ewcommwnd how to get a copy? Dad's vinyl - original source - has died. I live I Virginia. I would truly appreciate any suggestions as to how to get a copy.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/BACK-ROAD-TRACKS-PROGRESSIVE-UNDERGROUND/dp/B002...

Was it CD or vinyl you wanted? Although it's a CD in the picture, this is the page for the vinyl version, which so far as I can tell has 32 tracks compared to 18 on the CD.

recently released gives a pretty convincing picture of his songs of the heart but obviously doesn't give you any of the theories of everything from eightthousand years ago to the present day and the problems with organised religion strand, which is a major part of the delights of his work (albeit initially a bit ooer).The best expression of that is without doubt Stormcock which is a thing of beauty that just keeps on giving. 4 tracks covering the world, the universe, ornithology and music critics, in a complex mesh of interlocked guitars, strings and what might even be a cor-anglais.

If you don't want to start with the compilations then Stormcock as above, Valentine, Bullinamingvase, Flat baroque & berserk, HQ in that order.But I would be tempted to see what this years reissues have to offer.

The prog comp is this one:

http://www.discogs.com/Various-Back-On-The-Road/release/1772051

My list would be ordered: HQ; Stormcock; Bullinamingvase; Valentine; Flat Baroque and Beserk.

The Unknown Soldier has some absolutely magnificent stuff on it, but also a couple of weaker tracks that halt its escalation to the pantheon of Great Harper; Work Of Heart, if it's still available, is worth it for the the long song on Side 2 alone whie side 1 has some good stuff too; Jugula also has a number of high points but also includes Harper's worst song. Death or Glory is another worth listening to, again a mixture of the sublime and the tedious. The Dream Society probably has more poor content than good but is redeemed by the splendid These Fifty Years.

I was looking for CD or MP3 of the BOTR compilation due to lack of vinly playing capability

The search shall continue

They are a bit of a mixed bag;

Flashes From The Archives of Oblivion has some wonderful moments and includes the otherwise unreleased Home (in studio and live versions on vinyl, I think the CD doesn't include everything) but has almost a whole side of Harper dicking around with Keith Moon. Was it edited from the CD? If not it should have been.

In Between Every Line is pretty good, albeit recording quality isn't all you'd expect.

Live At Les Cousins is a mixed bag. Of its time (1969) but worth a listen.

Unhinged is very good.

Royal Festival Hall 2001 is mostly excellent, being a recording of the 60th birthday gig. It does include the not very good Sexy Woman and an interlude of deliberate gibberish on The Same Old Rock. The 70th Birthday gig disc will be out later this year. I'd wait for that as there is a substantial overlap with the 60th. You'll also get Jimmy Page on guitar on Same Old Rock; he wasn't there 10 years earlier. Joanne Newsom is there too singing on Another Day.

I started with "Folkjokeopus" (wonderful) and thence "Stormcock" (even better, but a challenging listen). Also, I used to have a vinyl comp - typically, I forget the title, but it included bits from "Flat Baroque...", "Valentine", "Lifemask", and possibly others.

Just one thing: mojo may be right about his earliest albums being a bit dated, but if you like your pop-psych or 60s folk-rock, "Come Out Fighting..." is a great period piece, with a very pop production. The CD reissue also offers a lovely early single "Midspring Dithering".

He's is rather untogether, but to me that just adds to his appeal. I saw him live about 10 years ago and he was visibly a little wonky, but he still had a storming voice and played superbly. I think he's a National Treasure.

on his seventieth as well, really sure and gymnastic..as was the playing..it was really remarkable and the cd should be a winner, esp if they can edit out some of the more irritating whoops from the 'ooh I'm wacky me's ' in the audience. Of which there were a number