Lifemask

"Lifemask" is the sixth album by English folk / rock singer-songwriter and guitarist Roy Harper, and was first released in 1973 by Harvest Records. Lifemask was written by Harper during a period of illness,due to a rare congenital circulatory disorder threatened his health and incapacitated him. With thoughts of life and death upon his mind, side two of the album features a lengthy 23 minute track entitled "The Lord's Prayer" which Harper described as "my last will and testament". The gatefold album cover is a representation of Harpers 'death mask' that opens centrally to reveal Harper, very much alive, "fixing the listener with one of his trademarked intense stares." As such it, in fact, shows Harper's 'life mask' as opposed to the death mask it could have been. Some of the songs were included in the soundtrack for the John Mackenzie-directed film "Made" which was on general release at the time.