 In my mellowing years I'm finding I play a lot more of the quieter more melodic songs, and less of the angst ridden miserable ones. But every now and again it seems necessary to blast something out with a bit more oomph to it. Highway Blues is just about the best song in this category, so powerful. Now I've changed the chords I use so it doesn't hurt my fingers any more, but I well remember bashing this out on an Eros 12string at Gare St Lazare every morning using all bar chords in the shape of E major. Lifemask came out in 1973 so this must have been only a couple of years after the song was published, very fresh. The the Flashes from the Archives version came out, which was quite a bit different, with the song having developed over a series of live concert tours, none of which I had been in a position to attend at the time. The last Roy Harper gig i was at was in the 100 club in Oxford Street London a few years ago and Highway Blues was still in the repertoire then.
Video: Andy Roberts sings Roy Harper's Highway Blues at Havering Folk Club
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Highway Blues
Excellent choice, Andy - great song and one that resonates with anyone who's done any hitch-hiking. One of the few really rocking songs that Roy does. I hope you'll be playing it in April!
Bob
H Blues
Well I'm glad that someone is getting more mellow in their old age. Same with me. I haven't played a song in anger for years apart from Working Class Hero if I am seriously angry about the world about something [usually petty] which pushes me to rail against the forces abounding. I'm sorry but nothing beats "Youre all f******g peasants as far as I can see!!"
Highway Blues I have sung out many times to the traffic when having a hard hitch on a cold rainy lost roundabout / motorway service station at night in the middle of nowhere and miles from my destination and urban comfort. Thirteen hours was my record on the French ferry rounabout near Kingston Crescent, Pompey all night in horrible weather! Thank god for motorway service stations [apart from Watford Gap of course] they have literally kept me alive many times. The song is the perfect pancea in such a situation which warms the spirit against the whole craziness of the selfish car industry. I think they are having their comeuppance at last. Having a car is an expensive luxury which the world can't afford. The more population growth there is, the more cars are born. That actually might make a good theme for a song?...... but the Highway Blues rant covers it all anyway in it's angry wise predilection of being lonely whilst they selfishly burn the world around you.
Trying to also get Ian Cropton to Romford that night but he's not confirmed. Think he's in genuine grief today cos just received a text from him about JM's demise. "Awwww man!"
cheers for noodles
andi
Working Class Hero is a
Working Class Hero is a great one. And a couple of others from the Platic Ono Band album.
Feeling Jumpy of course.
Did you see the Newport Folk festival footage on BBC4 last night with Bob Dylan singing "W ho killed Devy Moore?" Very powerful rendition.
Andy
http://distributedresearch.net/blog http://usefulwiki.com/londontheatre
Bob Dylan link
Nice one! Cheers man! But missed the programme.
Yesterday one of the old biddies who helps run the local Drop In centre for waifs and strays in Basingstoke surprised me on her knowledge of Roy. She'd actually seen him at a festival [60s?70s?] outside Bristol and John Mayall's blues band.Hadn't heard of John for years. Wouldn't even know if he's still alive. Will go and do a little googly search I think....
chrs
andi
Video Clip
Excellent stuff Andy. I enjoyed that.
Yes indeed
I enjoyed it too. SWMBO said it was "rubbish", which suggests to me it was even better than I thought!
Bob
Highway Blues!
Excellent, really enjoyed that Andy cheers, definitely a fave RH tune of mine!