Sunday in October, sunny and warm somewhere on the South Coast. Feeling a little distance between me and the rest of the world I grabbed a couple of CDs and headed out in the car. Drove along leafy lanes, sun strobing through the foliage then out on top of the downs to take in the view across hills and fields. To the West the sea was sparkling in the sun.
The soundtrack to all this was Roy Harper's Lifemask album. An early 70's gem that just wouldn't get made today. Incredible to think it was released by a major label like EMI and recorded at Abbey Road.
I wonder if Roy ever explained to the record execs that side two was a twenty plus minute track whose catalyst was a mind altered journey into an oil painting of Geronimo's face. Don't believe me? It's all there in the sleeve notes.
That track, The Lord's Prayer, is something I've lost myself in many times over the years. I always found with Roy you could listen to him on several levels. Often individual lines would remove themselves from the context of the song and start entirely new trains of thought in my mind. 'Whose systems are white sticks tapping walls', was one that always set my cogs turning. Of course in younger days I had more time to spend on dreamy afternoons with my record collection. This was long before the training started.
I can't really say a lot about this track as you have to experience it for yourself. The first few times I heard it I wasn't sure about it but it certainly grew on me over time. As the man says 'don't be afraid of it, it's only a movie'.
In vinyl terms side A begins with Highway Blues which sends me flashing back to my own hitch-hiking days. One day your having to sleep in a freezing aluminium toolshed by a motorway because you couldn't get a ride. Another day you're haring around the countryside in an open top sports car.
Side A is relatively much more straight ahead songs but all with the RH signature. During this period his use of the studio was excellent. Listen to the lovely analog echo fade out of Little Lady, listen to it on a nice stereo loud. An aching tragedy that one.
South Africa which closes the A side is also beautiful in its production but the song just transcends everything for me. For Roy a dream in song that came true.
There are a couple of other tracks and although it's not my favourite Roy Harper album it is strangely enough the one I listen to the most.
It certainly felt like an old friend today. Like time travel.
