Roy Harper Charged With Sexual Assault of a Child

[Gavin B.]

From Rolling Stone:

Roy Harper, the English folk singer who sang with Pink Floyd and influenced Led Zeppelin, has been charged with sexual assault in connection with a case dating back to the mid-Seventies. According to the BBC, British authorities have charged Harper, 72, with nine counts of sexually abusing a girl in Herefordshire, England, between 1975-77, starting when she was 12.

Many forum members may not have heard of Harper, but he was tremendously influential back in the day and was frequently compared to other UK folk bards like Donovan and Nick Drake. The singer has released more than 20 studio albums since his 1966 debut, Sophisticated Beggar, including the 1985 album Whatever Happened to Jugula, recorded with Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page.

Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull once cited Harper as a primary influence on his songwriting, and younger bands including Fleet Foxes have mentioned Harper as a musical inspiration.

His new album Man & Myth (2013) received universally positive reviews and is considered a comeback album for Harper.