9. Roy HarperBullinamingvase
When you think of this album – when it came out – it was 1977 and you’ve got punk on the go and it went completely against the tide. It was in ’77 what Script For A Jester’s Tear was in 1983. When Script… came out in 1983 and Misplaced Childhood came out in 1985 they were completely against the tide.
As a lyricist and as a wordsmith, Roy’s a wonderful creature. I just love the emphasis he puts on words. There are so many bands and so many songs where the words become secondary – they’re something to fit in between the middle eight or something that sit on top of the nice trippy riffs, whereas Roy is the words. The music becomes the backdrop to the words and Bullinamingvase was a really brave album to come out at that time. You’ve also got David Gilmour on it and it was when Roy really embraced electric guitar.
When you put it on, you can just sit back and allow yourself to drift in these weird currents that come up. And you’ve got the imagery that follows all the way through. The comic turns of phrase and really beautiful romantic feel in the way he performs. As with Lowell George and John Martyn, there’s warmth within that voice which draws me. You want to sit across a table from that guy. Roy’s always been a maverick. Bullinamingvase came out in 1977 and he still maintained a respect because he’s been true to his art.
