Comparisons are often unfair, and so you will not find me making any here. I'm eight years younger than Mr Harley, but was caught in his magical, musical world when I was at that most influential of ages, 15.
I can actually recall the exact moment, sat in front of Top of the Pops one Thursday evening, and seeing this Bowler-clad individual, squatting and cupping the head of a short-haired girl, with a Morse-code stuttering, 'Judy Teen, the queen of the scene, she's rag-doll amour'. Avant-gard, yes, but this was a time of Bolan and Bowie, so not entirely weird, or out of the ordinary.
What was different, however, was the rendition and intonation in his voice that pricked up my ears. To me, being from Manchester, this almost affected cockney twang reverberated in an uneasy, almost discordant manner.
I was hooked.
This guy certainly couldn't be considered a chanteuse in the traditional sense because his voice faltered, seemingly walking a fine line between the flat and sharp notes. He had stage presence, undoubtedly, he possessed a unique persona and his eyes fixed you. But it was the lyrics that sucked me in and spat me out. They didn't appear to exist to be 'clever', or 'provocative' as did many of his contemporaries, but they most certainly exuded an unfathomable romanticism that drew me like a magnet (stuck in my memory!)
Mr Harley's lyrics guided me, influenced my approach to literature, made me question my own relationships and associations. From the 'campness' of the majority of HM there glistened jewels - "And Louise, cowering into nowhere, speaking in terms of a foreign land, where winter lies easy..." My God - these were pre-raphaelite brush strokes made in pencil and ink!
For the next seven years I accompanied him in each new venture, saw him live as often as I could. I encapsulated and ravaged Rimbaud and Hemmingway; laid bare my interpretations of Tumbling Down: Best Years...;White Dove; All Men are Hungry; Prima Donna; Riding the Waves...and so on...and so on...
And I grew up with Mr Harley's lyrics as a guiding light, through my teens and early twenties. I collected so many bootleg tapes from European concerts; recorded all those eighties TV appearances on my trusty VHS recorder. Re-kindled my love with 'Ballerina' with its Mike Batt lyrics, it was almost a homage to Mr Harley's writing. Wondered, (and still do), whether one of my favourite tracks, 'Lay Me Down', would ever find its way onto a compilation.
And then, about ten years ago, living in Stamford, I went to see 'An audience with Steve Harley' at my local Arts Centre.
And therein lies my dilemma and yet another extraordinary dichotomy which has no parallel in any other facet of my life, before or since.
How can the man and his lyrics hold hands in harmony?
I don't know...I really don't know.
He's unforgettable for sure and many people have reacted to his "siren call." You speak about the lyrics affecting you. I think it is a combination of a lot of things that make him a unique talent. He's talked about not being shy about admitting that he borrows material wherever he finds it, but the way he puts it all together make him a unique talent, which is hard to find. I happen to love his melodies, and as I said, there are several factors at work that make him such a compelling and unforgettable artist. Thanks for sharing. 