Seeing Harper live in the Eighties, it seemed astonishing to us that the venerable sixties troubadour still breathed. This Mancunian Methuselah would, of course, have been all of forty-five years old.
Now, Harper’s seventieth birthday sees digital re-releases for his twenty-three albums. 1970’s Flat Baroque and Berserk, a marinaded acoustic set, only partially spoiled by stoned spoken interruptions, was overshadowed by its acclaimed successor Stormcock, but sold Harper to post-punks when This Mortal Coil covered the airily undulating Another Day.
Today, the album’s period details seem oddly timeless, and it’s inspired the Joanna Newsome generation of diaphanous folkies.
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Al Murray, Comedian
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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John Robins, Comedian
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BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph