ROY HARPER ON WHY HIS VOICE WAS ON PINK FLOYD'S 'HAVE A CIGAR'. NOT ROGER WATERS OR DAVID GILMOUR
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- Опубликовано: 16 фев 2023
- #rogerwaters #pinkfloyd #wishyouwerehere #davidgilmour
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In 2011, I interviewed musician ROY HARPER about his surprising role in the making of Pink Floyd's album 'Wish You Were Here' .
Roy sang the song "Have A Cigar" on the album.
I recently unearthed some outtakes from the interview on an old hard drive. Enjoy!!
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#richardwright #nickmason #davidgilmour
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Rock On !! John
Hats off to Roy Harper!
Roy (Harper)
@@danbrennan7348 (Roy) Harper
I saw what you did there.
LOL
Given the nature of the lyrics to “Have A Cigar” this is the ultimate hypocrisy as far as Roger is concerned! Shame Dave didn’t step in to say “Oi! Rog yer shark! Pay Roy properly for this!!” But I guess he didn’t want to rock the “gravy train” either!!!!
As a hard core Floydian, Roy's is the PERFECT vocal for 'Have a Cigar'. PERFECT !!
Agreed!
The perfect voice - really would have to be SamPally (Bad finger's thief) &/or Sharon Osborne's Daddy (re Small Faces' thief D Arden
I think my voice would have been perfecter.
I agree I prefer sstills voice
Roy had real insight & empathy for Rick Wright. Appreciate that..
“There will be no safety in numbers when the Wright one walks out of the door.”
Did he?
@@jipangoo nahhhh
@@jipangoo more than roger
@@cheothegeo2742 I'll take you down mofo
"Roger was more or less director of own operation in his own world, to this day." - Roy Harper
That says it all!
That's why Pink Floyd was so fuckin' great.
@@stickman1742 Not just was, still is. The Final Cut was a garbage of an album.
He would get fukall after that comment.
@@m7floydoooh I smell a Gilmour's widow
@@m7floydi love The Final Cut
Have a Cigar is one of the hidden gems. Everything about it. Gilmour's guitar, Mason's drums, the lyrics, vocals...just spectacular. I love it.
The keyboard riffs were always my favorite. Everything about the song complements so perfectly.
@malicolmspence2869. I’l bet you can’t name one Pink Floyd song that wasn’t a hidden gem!
According to your logic Money and Another Brick In The Wall (Parts 1 & 2) are also hidden gems.
Bullshit. The two you mention are well known. By virtually the whole world. Have a Cigar isn't.
Not sure about that, the rock radio stations played it quite a bit
What an awesome interview! This is a piece of history for all Pink Floyd fans out there.
Thanks for your response!
really loved this, Kevin Ayres brought me here
and Harper fans.
One of the best radio songs of that era! ✨
And Zeppelin fans
I went with a couple of friends to see Roy Harper play in a tiny university pub in Waterloo Ontario in the mid 80s. No more than 20 people in the room but he played an amazing show as if it was a packed concert hall. When it was over I invited him over for a beer and we talked for a while. He was so nice and interesting and articulate I’ve always remembered him as an absolute gem of a man
As a Pink Floyd fan, I must say this was a fantastic interview!👏👏
Thank you so much for appreciating it !!
Roy is an absolute ledge. Massive Love.
Roy Harper is absolutely a bloody legend! Thank you Roy for giving me a lifetime of music and memories. Shine on you crazy diamond. ❤❤❤
This is amazing to listen to/see. As fan of both Floyd and Roy this is a missing piece filled in. Very grateful to having Roy's perspective.
Mr. Harper, Have a Cigar is what it is because of you... such a feeling you brought to it... that song is unique just like you are... thanks, man... ✌️
In Australia in 1986 I looked around at the audience and wondered if any of the crowd actually knew who Roy Harper was. During the show a woman kept yelling out insults to " "old" man on the stage as she called him. Roy kept his cool and charmingly put her in her place...Roy had two Ovation guitars a green one for epic songs about the human condition and a gold one for sweet sensitive love songs. Thanks Roy at least one Australian knew who you are...a national treasure.
Same here, Roy fan since the 70’s (Flat baroque & berserk) in Australia, only other person I met who knew him was an Englishman 10 year ago.
Was it green? I remember it was roughly oak-coloured. Mind you I’m thinking probably 83 - 85, in England, maybe he had three Ovations.
Yep one green and one gold or oak coloured and Roy
I always was so impressed with that song, the guitars rifts, the whole arrangements, the awesome feel, the intensity but the vocal man, always mesmerized me so much, is just out of this world. And I always thought it was Waters.....Thank you Mr. Roy Harper for this gift....
In a way it was Waters. Waters sang it and it sounded fine. They let Harper give it a try and he sang it exactly the way Waters sang it. Harper does have a slightly nicer sounding voice so the band decided to use his version. They really should have just used Roger's version as no need to bring in an outsider to sing it. The version of Water's singing it is online and it doesn't sound much different.
@@stickman1742 do you have the link
@@stickman1742Roy Harper's version is better.
@@stickman1742Roy is much better. It was a good move.
@@stickman1742 This is a lie. He sounds like shit singing it. ruclips.net/video/kLqMHZwJAaI/видео.html
Roy Harper is a largely overlooked musical genius.
Thanks for uploading x
"HAVE A CIGAR" sung obviously by Roy Harper is an amazing track.
Thanks Roy. 😊
Roy played with Zeppelin, Who,Wings,The Nice folks thru the early 70s. Wait....they played with HIM,on his albums and occasionally live. Everyone should check out his huge volume of work. Literate, passionate and soulful with an anarchic vibe and energy almost punk for it's time. Roy killed it for Floyd as he straight up galvanized their session. For starting as a folk dude he certainly brought the rock to everyone's pomp and circumstance. Always wanted to hear about this session,bravo!
Thanks so much Lawrence! A brilliant summary of why Roy is so important in music history.
I've been a fan for years and have seen almost all the interviews and footage that exists but this is really super super interesting because of its authentic nature and Roy Harper's easy going likeable atitude.
Thanks. Glad I rescued it from oblivion!
Our Roy recorded a masterpiece in 1971 with the album Stormcock and Pink Floyd were beging to find their direction with the release of Meddle in the same year. Being a British Teenager in the 70,s I saw Roy perform at Dundee University but the highlight was to come many years later living in Hamburg when I saw Roy billed to play what is now MoonDoo on the Reeperbahn 136 which was a plush night club ambience and when myself and girlfriend arrived I was surprised to see only a few others there which maybe reached 25 tops. After a few songs Roy asked the audience if they wanted him to play a specifc song and silence each time so I was happy to voice a request and at the end of the day played around 6 of them and my all time favories and as the sound system was pretty good it was an unexpected treat for which I thanked him for after the show and me being with my gf he introduced us to his partner and to join them at their table and have a drink together 😀
You know its guitar riffs, not rifts right ? Although the song in question caused some rifts, by the sound of it.
Roy Harper is one of the most original singer songwriters ever. His great talent is his long view of British history and society. So many of his songs are epics in the best possible way. In contrast to the sweeping epics, he's also able to write really rather lovely, soft and intimate love songs, like 'Another Day'. He aimed, in his prime, to trancend the ordinary and create the extraoridnary. His last lp, 'Man and Myth' is up there with his very best work. I particularly liked the idea of weaving Greek mythology and the life of a touring rock musician, together.
Thanks. That’s a great overview of Roy’s brilliance
Couldn't agree more with you
What a legend! What a freaking legend. I would love to hang out with Roy Harper. He's like a your friends Dad, that's cooler than your friend.
💯 Legend!
I didn’t expect to spend 30 minutes watching the whole thing but I couldn’t turn it off. So charming and insightful.
I was a big Roy Harper fan, back in the 70s. More than a Pink Floyd fan, to tell the truth. Nice to see this.
The vocals and superb emotional intonation and inflection on Have A Cigar are *as key* to capturing the slimy nature of the music business as the music itself. It's one of the most important songs Pink Floyd wrote because it really educated the public (as well as aspiring musicians) on just how slimy the music business was (and still is), and we would've had no insight into that aspect of the business otherwise.
Welcome to the Machine is another important song for informing the public (and aspiring musicians), and the eerily cold, emotionally indifferent, and hauntingly empty vocals on that song were also key to capturing the ruthlessly greed-driven psychopathy that is readily found in the most exploitative aspects of the business side of the music industry.
Oddly, Harper's voice on "Have a Cigar" always sounded to me like a hybrid between Waters and Gilmour. It didn't sound foreign, as one might expect a guest singer to sound.
Funny how few people know who Roy is, or that he sang on "Have a Cigar." He was quietly a massive influence on so many musicians back in the day. I love that he wanted lifetime season tickets to Lords as compensation. Instead, management just tossed him a pittance of a check -- kind of proving the song's point about the cluelessness of music executives.
Disappointing that one of them didn't reach in their pockets and get him the ticket themselves.
One of the more unlovable traits of this marvellous band.
……suprised that Gilmour/Wright/Mason didn’t honour what they’d shaken hands on.
Waters, the driving force, needed to be taught about loyalty & keeping your word……a part time ‘nasty piece of work’……a solid hard punch to the face would’ve done it….a nasty git, bullying Rick Wright at college (?) as well as in the band…..
Jimmy Page has to give Roy a nod.
That's because Roy never had a top 40 hit or two my belief never even hit the top 200 with a song. If you don't make the billboard 200 then you remain in obscurity no matter how great you are or talented. But I saw Roy in Chicago many years ago and he packed the place so he does allright . There are thousands of bands out there that are relatively unknown but they are incredible. You just have to go online and do a little searching that's all. 😁
This gentleman never received the credit he deserved, not just this song but his own music. When an old cricketer leaves the crease is an amazing song of many. Hat’s off to Roy Harper
His insight here is pretty helpful in understanding how far the rift apparently still is between Roger and David, and perhaps Roger and everyone else as well.
@@deanladue5367 funny Roger is a communist he supports terrorists in Russia and Palistine
@@deanladue5367 Sad to see Waters get treated much like Lennon did. If a person is against war, there are people that just want to destroy them. Waters has never said Putin and Russia were ok, he has just questioned the West in their desire to get a war going in Ukraine. This can't really be denied as we have video of US representatives in Congress saying that we must fight Russia in the Ukraine so that we don't need to fight them here. This was said before Russia's invasion. Many in the West have wanted this war in the Ukraine for a long time and Waters is bringing that up. It is many Ukrainians being killed and people like you don't seem to care one bit. Have a nice life dean.
Im happy to have discovered this talented humble good man from one Pink Foyd song
Fantastic interview. Thank you for reviving the truth that might otherwise be lost.
My pleasure! Thanks for your appreciation!
So glad they never threw it away.. one of the best sounds 👌
Brilliantly paced, candid chat. Thankfully the interviewer did a great job and didn't interupt, allowing Roy to be most revealing about those Floyd chaps and their magic, somewhat strained. Maybe this is how all GREAT music is made, with some inner friction between band members. The Beatles also come to mind.....of course.
It's the classic police trick isn't it... stay quiet and hope they say more than they would have liked.
'Whatever Happened to Juggula' is a masterpiece. What a wonderful artist Roy is.
Agreed!
What a gentleman he is, a joy to listen to
What a great guy he is...his laughter, and when he stares at the horizon, turns his gaze briefly towards the interviewer,says "yeah" and returns to contemplate the horizon....adorable.
Ah this is gold! The best yet.
Hats off...
I saw Roy in Mold, Wales in 91. I asked his sound men when guitar tuning he was using. It was DADGAD. I played in that tuning for the next 20 years.... Changed my guitar playing into something I loved. Thanks Roy
I saw Roy a few times in the 80s he had two Ovations that he alternated between, one light coloured one, standard tuning, and a black one tuned to DADGAD.
I tune my guitar EAD GCF. Try playing in that tuning for a week. The only one in the world that tunes that way beside myself is Stanley Jordan. When you tune that way you don't have any kind of a guide or book to go buy because I am basically rewriting the entire lead style. That's what I called true originality. 🙋
The music Rick made with Pink Floyd was some of the best ever. I don't understand why he doesn't get more credit, it's truly beautiful. Just A thought. From K.C.Mo.
He gets a lot of credit. He didn't write many songs, but a couple he wrote are much loved. His greatest contribution was early on when he was fantastic in their concerts. It doesn't seem to be a well-kept secret that later he struggled with addictions. He's a nice person and people don't want to bring these things up, but Rick had his own problems.
Wright's style and arrangements were the signature sound of Pink Floyd for the first five years. His sad, plaintive voice and wistful songs were at least half of what constituted Pink Floyd.
Thanks again. I'm a chronological person, so seeing this in one (as opposed to it scattered in a documentary) interview as it was must be helpful to thousands. And to me, there are no throwaway details, and we get some really good ones in here, and fills in blanks. Uncut is always best. Thanks John, for your reverence for cultural history.
I agree. Seeing the full train of thought gives more context.
I saw Pink Floyd at Knebworth in1975. they did the whole of 'Dark side' and played 'shine on' and 'raving and drooling' and Roy sang 'Have a cigar' live...also Roy Harpers 'flat Barogue and beserk' album one of my fav and heartfelt album in my early teenage years..
'Flat Baroque and Berserk' features the Nice on one track 'Hells Angels' (Keith Emerson's pre ELP group)
I was there to see Beefheart. the 5th of July. A nice sunny day, as far as I can remember. Also remember some sort of rocket flying through the air, from the back of the crowd, hitting Nicks bass drum and exploding at the end of their set.
Deffo there was a big plane/rocket type of thing that glides down a wire into the back of the stage .. blinking awesome..the dry ice blew back onto the stage during the great gig in the sky..amd obscured the stage for a while..i also remember them starting a bit late because the generator wasn't running at full power and it made the keyboards out of tune..so they waited till it was running properly .
Roy Harper sounded like a mix between Gilmore and Watters. It was the one Floyd track that I didn’t know who was the singer, but I definitely thought it was one of those two.
Roy did a great job
I used to think it was Dave, and I still am of the opinion that his voice sounds way closer to Dave's than Roger's.
Kind of a mix but I thought it was Dave.
Roger resented Roy for nailing it. But that’s not the problem.
The problem is that he continued to resent it and never stopped. He’s a man with many grudges.
Clare H. Torry was originally paid $30 for her part of "Great Gig In The Sky" and went back later, sued, and made some big bucks eventually.
Also the kids from another brick in the wall got nothing, there was a promise made to the kids that they could have studio time but big surprise, it never happened.
The school got 1800 quid out of it though, which was probably the school putting pressure on Floyd after hearing the finished track, apparently they were not very happy, they even banned the kids from appearing on the topper most of the popper most !
Roy"intelligent,humorous, entertaining, knowledgeable, articulate and Mr very interesting "harper ..
The quintessential English man ,a walking trove of treasure !!
Of course she did. Couldn't just be happy making a legendary track for a days pay. Gotta get greedy greedy
@@fredzep01 them kids got A FREE COPY of THE WALL L.P EACH!!... indeed.👍
£30 which was approximately £400 in todays money
Now this is an interview I was waiting for!!👍
Thank you Roy for singing have a cigar it may not have happened without you and the album wish you were here may have been completely different also thank you for introducing Dave Gilmor to Kate Bush you are a top man and i also love your album's x
Had to do a late night drive and was searching for something to listen to to get me through the pre Dawn and lo and behold I found this video of Roy Harper. What a delight to listen to him speak about his involvement on the album.
In his music he’s challenging and polemicist. But he’s thoughtful and empathetic in speech. Seen him a few times live and he is a brilliant performer. And Just Another Day is about the saddest and most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard!
Extraordinary man, stately and challenging, gentlemanly and strong head at the same time
In 1975 some big things came out with artists like those..
Wonderful interview, many thanks
Cheers!
Thanks John, another gem. I knew the story but hearing it from Roy Harper was great.
John, you never fail us with these gems, thanks.
fantastic interview. Hats Off To Roy!
Cheers!
Hats off indeed!
Just wonderful yet again. Thank you so much John, as ever. One of those days in England...
Ya know, this interview is more than it appears. At least for me, it is inspiring and genuine. One of my favorite songs of all time!
Never thought if it that way Roger seeing David as the new kid replacing his friend Syd. Makes a little more sense being resentful how it all played out.
His vocals on this are perfect.
Roger writing about the machine music industry while treating Roy in the exact same fashion
God bless em
Great interview...Roy has been the real deal for a very long time now...legendary man.
Thank you for posting this
This is another blast.Again,so good to see the whole interview with more awesome but also some disappointed details attached.You have a marvelous weekend now!
Cheers!
Fantastic interview... and an awesome vocal on "Have A Cigar."
the best track on the album. excellent vocal.
Where the hell has this been? What an incredible insight to Pink Floyd.
great interview''hats off!
wonderful interview, thank for posting and greetings from toronto
This is amazing to hear this!
I always knew the Roger side of this story and to hear Roys side is fascinating. Rest assured Roy that the floyd fans know love and respect you for this fantastic song. You are held in very high regard for being the only one else to ever sing a floyd song. P.s. we lnow the craic too 😉 #hatsoff
The best insight I’ve ever heard. ❤ Roy Harper on flat baroque and berserk, the vocal lifts, the guitar, the songs, the recorded sound, the questioning, the passion, it’s all in there and yes, it’s great that someone is giving him the light he deserves, even though, again, it’s been left in the dark for so long.
Great interview. Just the goods.
Fascinating interview. What an articulate person he is! His description of the atmosphere in the studio and of the relationship between the band members is invaluable. Does he say he got no credit for singing that song? I think my copy of Wish you Where Here has his name written on it. Perhaps he was uncredited inthe earlier editions?
I think he meant the original single.
Certainly credited on the original LP album.
Fantastic and important interview. Thank you, John
Thanks so much!
Excellent, love Roy Harper. Saw him a couple of times a way back in the late 80s
This was such an enjoyable interview/chat.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks as always John
You bet
Sign of an excellent interviewer:
Ask the questions and let the subject speak at length without interruption.
It certainly help to have an top bloke like Roy!
Thanks! Much appreciated!
He did some great work on Gilmour's first solo album as well.
Roy is the british Bob Dylan..... he never achieved similar success or fame as Dylan, but the amount of influence he had on numerous iconic artists is pretty impressive...... I personally enjoy quite a few albums from his solo career
I've often heard this said, but I personally don't think Dylan is in the same league as Harper. ;)
Top interview. 👏
What an incredibly thoughtful person. Excellent interview.
Thanks !
Great interview, interesting about the chocolate in the studio, as Syd loved going out for sweets and did show up during the making of this album which is largely about him.
What a fantastic gem!! THANK YOU!
You're very welcome!
I just love this song. Never knew the story about it for a long time.
It was Syd's idea to name the band Pink Floyd. With his compositions and lyrics he led the way for the rest of the band at the beginning of their career.. In particular it was Roger who picked flowers from strangers or neighbors on his chest. You can read that on his face.
Fascinating interview !
Thanks!
Well, I've always had a deep respect for Roy and I mean that most sincere, without him, have a cigar wouldn't be what it really is.
Another fine interview you got me into, Mr.Edginton!
This is great! Thanks!
Glad you like it!
Bringing back lots of memories. I remember always thinking back in the day that this song must have been Nick singing because it was so clearly not David or Rick's airy high-pitched melodic sounds, nor was it Roger's Dylanesque cat-strangling , but something very different. Had no idea probably for a decade or more that it was a guest vocalist. This is probably because I had it on cassette for so long and then CD. Not sure if the LP had detailed credits either, but I was not surprised to find out later it was this guy Roy. **No disrespect to Roy, I'm American and he is not generally known here.
Saw you many times in the Round House - your part of my history Roy. Best wishes to you.
Wonderful. Interesting to hear Roy's remarkable laugh in conversation rather than within one of his concert monologues. So this is a half an hour section of a 90 min interview? Would love to hear him talk about making HQ at the time next door in studio 2 - including Gilmour's role - as it's such a highpoint of his own career
I love Roy’s monologues. Saw him numerous times in the 80s starting with Jugula, maybe once or twice in the 90s, last time I saw him was Festival Hall at his…50th? 60th? Around 2000 anyway. JP Page didn’t turn up as a special guest which is what we were hoping for.
Back to 80s monologues. Roy, spliff always to hand. He must have had some fans who followed him from gig to gig. One night I saw him, he spots one of these in the audience and says “and where were you last night? See me afterwards with an absence note.”
It was funny at the time.
PS HQ yes, great guitar work from Harper and Page, if Gilmour featured he wasn’t credited for it. UPDATE - was thinking about Stormcock 🙄 - Gilmour was credited - thanks go to @Paul
hardly matters now - but Roy might disagree - but Gilmour was credited on HQ
@@paulramon3353 so he is! "Dave", he wouldn't be impressed by that. I wonder what he played on. Chris Spedding's guitar on Referendum (Legend) is brilliant.
@@Michael-mm3fmthey co-wrote 'Short and Sweet', so probably that one.. Gilmour recorded his own version on a solo album. One of my favourite Roy songs.. especially live, complete with gestures.
52 years on in life and I never knew this. Pink Floyd is among my tip top bands of all time, and I did not know this.
Wonderful interview.
Thanks!
The man who penned "When an old cricketer leaves the crease". Respect.
Thank you ! Excellent revelations. .. . and that last bit is a gem.
Glad you enjoyed it
Awesome interview.
Thanks!
Roy had a set of pipes on him when singing "Have A Cigar", good GOD!
Roy nailed it, his vocals were perfect. Great lyrics, great instrumentals. I never knew until now that Pink didn't sing this. By the way, which one is Pink?
See that guy who looks just like Bob Geldoff? He's Pink.
Having heard the song, 'Have a Cigar' recently, I didn't think at all that Roger was the vocalist. And I wasn't quite sure that it was David, either. After doing a bit of research, I found out that it was Roy Harper who sang it. Surprisingly, I felt that he did a great job. His voice was a near perfect fit for the song as a guest singer for Pink Floyd. In other words, he nailed it! "Keep on Rockin' in The Free World..."
A great song, well done!
To say Roy nailed it in infinite perfection would be an understatement."Hats off to Roy Harper"indeed.Pink Floyd SHOULD'VE paid Roy in royalties-and,atleast have paid Roy to appear on occasion to sing live as well-BUT- unfortunetely,this is the point where art and industry intersect.Ask any professional musician what's wrong with the music business-and, the answer-more often than not will be "the music business".placing the artistic minded into a corporate environment is the"square peg thru' the round hole"concept manifested into reality..artists shouldn't be subjected to such-yet,if unaware of the nature of the beast,will be consumed by it.for this reason-and Roy would certainly agree,is what made Peter Grant[Led Zep] the best manager an artist could possibly dream of..anywayz-hats off to you Roy for singing this song in proper perfection-not only musically-but to the point of clarity of the meaning therein..I don't think there's anyone could've done it better..God bless everyone~