The Wilderness Years Vol 1

Description

This LP, Nicks first full length venture into the world of vinyl, (Juicy Fruit Girl, was a successful toe dipping exercise last Record Store Day)is the first of 3, as a sort of 'Introduction To' or even 'Best Of' if there could ever be that sort of thing. But mostly Nicks favourites from each of his 9 studio albums charting the 20 years of making music from 1994-2014.

Most of the first two recordings, Seed and Smithereens were from the same notebooks. Years of writing, playing collecting, ideas and forming a view. The first led itself, Nick and his engineer, the second Smithereens was led by Glenn Tilbrook. The Squeeze man took Nick on a whole knew exploration of sounds and the opportunity to open up whole new…wilderness.

On Harperspace, Nick very much came of age, the birth of his daughter and the death of his mother proved a pivotal moment. The album had a direction and expressing his emotions provided him with a coherent direction. His own studio gave him the freedom that he wanted, to play acoustic guitar and be the author of his favourite inner landscapes.

Son of the legendary UK singer-songwriter Roy Harper, Nick was born in London and raised in Wiltshire. Having played the guitar from the age of 10 and surrounded by the likes of Keith Moon, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and Dave Gilmour as he grew up, it was no surprise when Nick made his recording debut on his father's Whatever Happened to Jugula? in 1985.
Nick's talent and energy entranced Roy's fans and it was inevitable that he would begin touring and recording in his own right. The 1994 EP Light at the End of the Kennel was swiftly followed by his powerful 1995 debut long player Seed prompting The Independent to describe him as "hugely talented".

In 1996 Nick met Squeeze frontman and songwriter Glenn Tilbrook. Tilbrook was so impressed that he offered Nick a job playing with and supporting Squeeze and promptly signed Nick to his own label, Quixotic Records. Following tours in the UK, USA and Japan, Nick recorded the 1998 album Smithereens with Tilbrook as producer. This album and subsequent 40 date solo tour, including dates in New York and Glastonbury, confirmed Nick as a formidable talent in his own right. "If imagination, energy and bags of talent were the only factors in making a successful pop career, few would deny that Squeeze man Glenn Tilbrook has backed a winner in Nick Harper…Splendid stuff" - MOJO magazine. He teamed up with Tilbrook again on 2000's highly acclaimed album Harperspace.

This is the album that confirmed his position at the forefront of a new generation of British Acoustic Performers. "Nick Harper has a quality that stands head and shoulders above anything else you are likely to encounter…The Verse Time Forgot from the new album 'Harperspace' is as close to a perfect song as you are likely to get." Edinburgh Evening News

To call Nick a superlative singer/songwriter could put his highly lauded guitar talent in the shade, and to call him a guitarist's guitarist might slight his distinctive, soulful voice and passionate songs. Not forgetting the wild ride that is one of his live shows - from personal introspection to biting political satire via a charmingly caustic wit that would make Groucho Marx proud. He often segues from his own compositions to well-loved covers he makes his own - he takes on Presley, Zappa, Jeff Buckley, Led Zeppelin, Monty Python and Public Enemy (yes, on an acoustic guitar).

He also has the alarming ability to break guitar strings almost by sheer force of will… and then change them without dropping a beat. For over a decade, he has been dazzling audiences and reviewers alike with this heady mix of virtuosity, boyish charm, showmanship and sheer bravado.

His talent and showmanship were recognised in 2003 with a (Glasgow) Herald Fringe Angel award for excellence in live music during his Edinburgh Festival run. "Harper has so much musicianship in him that it just leaks out all over the place." The Times