Credit: Far Out / Jethro Tull
October 27th, 2026 · 8:00am GMT
There are numerous figures in the world of rock music who time and time again get referred to as being legends, but lurking beneath the upper echelons of stardom are a glut of cult heroes, many of whom are frequently hailed as the true heroes by those who stand at the very top.
This isn’t to say that the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page or Eric Clapton aren’t entirely deserving of the acclaim and attention they are so often plastered with, but there are so many who arguably ought to be household names akin to these untouchables at the apex of stardom.
These are often the people who contribute to the wider music industry from positions in the background, whether they be the session players who come in to provide impeccable accompaniment, the producers who strive to find the right sound for an artist, or the managers who ensure that bands are able to rise to the top without wanting to rip each other’s heads off.
On top of this, there are also the artists who keep ploughing on in spite of never having achieved the same levels of success as those who are most frequently hailed as being the all-time greats. While Jethro Tull may not have ever had their moment right at the top, save for having accrued a fanbase in the prog rock world, they’re both the sort of act that others would say deserved more, and they’re also in a position to be able to highlight the merits of those who were perhaps less fortunate in their pursuits of fame.
Speaking to The Quietus in 2013, frontman Ian Anderson nominated his unsung hero of music as Roy Harper, someone whose dedication to pushing the boundaries of rock, folk and songwriting in general has earned him praise from a multitude of celebrated acts, but never to the degree that he’s revered on the same level as those who he’s inspired.
To give an example of his reach, Led Zeppelin doffed their caps to him on their song, ‘Hats Off to Roy Harper’, while Pink Floyd allowed him to assume lead vocal duties on ‘Have A Cigar’, exemplifying just how well-respected he is among the giants of rock music.
In the interview, Anderson cited Harper’s 1968 debut, Come Out Fighting Genghis Smith as being one of the most impressive albums he’s ever heard, and stated that both he and his Jethro Tull bandmates were left with their jaws agape at what the songwriter was able to achieve on his first outing. “We all envied Roy for his simplicity and directness and his meandering, rather chaotic creativity,” Anderson proclaimed.
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He continued: “Life was simple for Roy, he had a guitar on his back and he would hitch a lift to the side of the motorway to go to the next gig, whereas the rest of us had roadies and fans and plane tickets and tour managers. The complexities and detritus of rock band life. And conversely of course, Roy rather envied the trappings of wealth, fame and the rock star lifestyle.”
A truly influential figure among fans of prog, jazz, folk and rock, and yet, an unsung hero as far as the most successful people in these respective fields are concerned, Harper is one of the names who is frequently cited as one of the greats, but only to those in the know.
Ian Anderson, evidently, was one of the few who recognised this brilliance.
