Stormcock (album)

Harper was inspired by a trip to, and time spent in, Big Sur, California. "Me and My Woman" is a love song backed by David Bedford's orchestral arrangements (Bedford would also collaborate on some of Harper's later releases). "Hors d'Oeuvres" was inspired by the fate of Caryl Chessman who spent nearly 12 years on death row – at the time the longest ever in the United States – before being executed in a gas chamber in May 1960. "One Man Rock and Roll Band" is a critique on the pointlessness of violence.

"The Same Old Rock" is an attack on government, the history of war, and organized religion featuring both guitar work and a final intense solo by Jimmy Page.[4]

The album's four extended songs showcase Harper's talents, both as a songwriter and guitarist. But, Stormcock "...epitomized a hybrid genre that had no exclusive purveyors save Harper — epic progressive acoustic."[1]

At the time, the album was not particularly well promoted by Harper's record label. Harper later stated:

They hated Stormcock. No singles. No way of promoting it on the radio. They said there wasn't any money to market it. Stormcock dribbled out.[5]

Nonetheless, Stormcock would remain a favourite album of critics and Harper's fans. In October 2013, NME placed Stormcock at number 377 in their list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time".[6]

Although Jimmy Page performs on the album, he was credited as "S. Flavius Mercurius" for contractual reasons.

In 2006, 35 years after its initial release, fellow Mancunian Johnny Marr of English alternative rock band The Smiths said:

If ever there was a secret weapon of a record it would be Stormcock. I don't know why it's such a secret. If anyone thinks it might be a collection of lovely songs by some twee old folkie then they'd be mistaken. It's intense and beautiful and clever: [Bowie's] Hunky Dory's big, badder brother.[7][8]

Joanna Newsom cited Stormcock as an influence upon her 2006 release Ys,[9] which likewise contains lengthy songs with dense orchestral arrangements, and in 2011, Robin Pecknold of folk band Fleet Foxes stated that he took inspiration from Stormcock when recording Fleet Foxes' second album Helplessness Blues.[10]

The album's title, Stormcock, is an old English name for the Mistle thrush (Turdus viscivorus). The male of this species "is most vocal in the early morning" and has a "tendency to sing after, and sometimes during, wet and windy weather" which "led to the name 'Stormcock'". Harper has an appreciation of birdlife and has made reference to many birds within songs on his albums.

All tracks are written by Roy Harper.

• Roy Harper – vocals, six and twelve-string acoustic guitars, piano
• David Bedford – Hammond organ, orchestral arrangements
• John Barrett – sound engineer
• Peter Bown – sound engineer
• Richard Imrie – photography
• Peter Jenner – producer
• John Leckie – sound engineer
• Phil McDonald – sound engineer
• Jimmy Page (credited as "S. Flavius Mercurius") – acoustic guitar (on "The Same Old Rock")
• Alan Parsons – sound engineer
• Nick Webb – sound engineer

• Roy Harper Official Site
• Excellent Roy Harper resource
• The Stormcock Community fan site