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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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Al Murray, Comedian
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BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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John Robins, Comedian
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Fowkes81, Twitter