Harrogate performer to revive Beat era at new event

A Harrogate performer is to revive the era of legendary Beat writer Jack Kerouac at a major Yorkshire event.
Major literary event - Harrogate's Heath Common.Major literary event - Harrogate's Heath Common.
Major literary event - Harrogate's Heath Common.

Musician and spoken word performer Heath Common will be appearing in a joint event at this year’s Ilkley Literature Festival called Joined at that Hip – Jack Kerouac, Jazz and Rock.

Taking place on Saturday, October 6, Heath, who appeared in both successful Harrogate independent events Spirt of 66 and the sequel, Spirit of 67, organised jointly by RedHouse Originals gallery and Charm, will be ‘in conversation with’ renowned music journalist, broadcaster and critic Simon Warner.

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The latter is famous especially for writing the book Text and Drugs and Rock’n’Roll: The Beats and Rock Culture (Bloomsbury, 2013) and Howl for Now: A Celebration of Allen Ginsberg's Epic Protest Poem (2005).

In the same year he was a member of the team which launched Louder Than Words, the UK festival of popular music writing.

Once hailed as ‘" what Jack Kerouac would have sounded like if he came from Manchester", Heath began his musical career playing in New York City with Robert Lockwood and Johnny Shines, the stepson and close friend, respectively, of the legendary blues musician, Robert Johnson.

Since those heady days 30 years ago he has released several acclaimed albums which keep the flame of the counter culture burning, often with music featuring his friend, the artist Patrick Wise.

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Joined at that Hip – Jack Kerouac, Jazz and Rock: Simon Warner and Heath Common will take place at St Margaret's Church in Ilkley on Saturday, October 6 at 1.30pm.

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