Talking To... Nick Harper

#NK When would you include writing in that?

#NH Writing is one of those things that happens when it happens. It’s very difficult to just sit down and write. I’ve been driving myself around on this your and I’ve been singing to myself in the car, words and melodies. On the last version I wrote a crazy long poem in the car. I was lucky I was close to home that day so I could get it down. I’m happy with the way things are.

#NK Do you treat songs differently, do you have songs that you always only intend to play and others that you want to record?

#NH In a way. You end up doing that, but songs have different personalities. Some of my songs just get sung once and then forgotten. Most of them appear when I’m around the house or garden. I could play most of my songs live, it’s just remembering the lyrics if you haven’t played them in a while. Songs can always be stripped down to voice and guitar. “Bloodsong” the titlesong of the last album was a big cockrock piece, but I can play it lightly on my guitar. It becomes a different song. There are some songs that sound awful if they’re not like they were when they were recorded.

#NK Is this the sort of venue you like playing?

#NH I like this venue, the people here and in the audience seem to understand the music. Playing in the round puts you right in amongst it. I think I prefer Theatre’s with people sat there. It means you know what’s going on and can concentrate on being you. My heart belongs in sleazey sticky floored pubs. I hate barriers. I like to be close to the audience.. Barriers cage you in and keep the audience out.

#NK Have you ever played behind a wire cage?

#NH Almost certainly, but only in America. I like festivals, would love to play Cambridge, but mainly when you can get close to the audience. I like festivals like that. I like to be able to play different types of venue. I really would like to play it. I’ve tried for ten years. So long as you keep me downwind, I’m fine. I recently played the Janice Long Show on Radio Two, so hopefully that will help, such is life. I like playing, the venue isn’t really important, it’s how the atmosphere is. One of the strangest things that I’ve played was a festival in France where I was part of a group of musicians improvising a soundtrack to an old black and white movie. That sort of thing could probably only happen in France.

#NK Thanks