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Biography
Peter Hammill's solo
work and with prog legends Van Der Graaf Generator has been
like a revelation to me. He is probably my favorite lyricist
and singer of all time. The existentialist fascinations
he explored in Van Der Graaf are carried over into many of his
solo works. His obsession with lost love, lost faith,
time, space and existence itself are the cornerstones of both
his work with the band and his solo albums. His highly emotional
and overwrought vocals have the capability of expressing all
levels of pain, anger, frustration and love, while his expressive
and scathing lyrics are among the most poetic and beautiful
I have ever heard. Accusations of an overly melodramatic
approach have often been levelled at Hammill, and are perhaps
valid to a certain extent. Still, nothing does it for
me like an emotional artist who is truly investing in his work.
The solo albums made between VDGG reunions are top-notch, and
tend to streamline VDGG’s sound into a more vocally oriented
and intimate, yet no less harrowing, musical portrait.
Hammill is one
of the most strongly visionary and uncompromising artists of
our time. His varied discography is titanic and nearly
impossible to track down in its entirety. Though most
of his albums are of varying quality and/or interest to the
progressive rock listener, there’s no doubt that Hammill always
pursued his musical ambition with the fullest dedication and
integrity. However, his earlier (and best) albums are
still readily available for the most part.
- Greg Northrup [2001]
 Fool's
Mate
(1971)
Peter Hammill's solo debut is also
one of his weaker albums, made up of short, poppy ditties that
were an intentional departure from his work with Van Der Graaf
Generator. That said, many fans enjoy this album because
of its somewhat irreverent charm and the fact that it really doesn't
take itself too seriously, in contrast to the solemn and foreboding
work of Hammill's main band. One gets the feeling that this
album is definitely just "for fun" that trade off being that for
me, the album seems lacks the artistic and emotional power of
Hammill's later works.
All the
instrumentation is handled by committee, and every member of
Van Der Graaf Generator guests at some point on the album.
Also of note is the presence of King Crimson's guitar god Robert
Fripp, who also plays on VDGG's H to He... and Pawn
Hearts albums. Despite all the instrumental virtuosity
possessed by the album's players, the songs rarely allow for
much interesting interplay at all, and after some verse/chorus/verse
structuring, wrap themselves up without any experimental pretense.
The tracks are all quite enjoyable, "Imperial Zeppelin" is raucous
fun and I thoroughly enjoy "Sunshine", which has an insanely
catchy refrain. The best songs however, are the ballads,
which really show of Hammill's voice and pack the most emotional
punch. "Solitude", "Vision" and "Child" are all especially
beautiful.
The album
as a whole is not representative of either Peter Hammill or
Van Der Graaf Generator, and I sort of see it as strictly a
point of interest for established fans. Hammill would
release a string of absolutely mindblowing works after this
one until the close of the decade, both solo and with VDGG.
- Greg Northrup
[2001]
Click
Here for Tracklist and Lineup Info
 Chameleon
in the Shadow of Night (1973)
The first
album in what would become a classic trilogy in progressive
rock history, Chameleon… and its companion pieces, The
Silent Corner and the Empty Stage and In Camera,
are as good if not better than many of the Van Der Graaf Generator
albums. Chameleon… is one of the more simplistically
arranged albums that Hammill was involved in up to this point
in his career. Most of the songs are made up merely of Hammill's
powerful, darkly haunting lyricism, accompanied by acoustic
guitar, piano, or minimal orchestration, thereby rendering this
with an intimate, direct and unhindered emotional appeal, certainly
an anomaly in the world progressive rock. Given its stripped
down approach, adorers of Hammill's voice will love this album.
"German
Overalls" and "Slender Threads" begin the album with this minimal
arrangement, given the simple instrumentation of voice and acoustic
guitar. Both are strong tracks if a little off-putting at first.
I found the bare, stark approach difficult to get used to initially,
especially in light of his previous work with Van Der Graaf
Generator. More along the lines of his previous group is the
fantastic "Rock & Role", featuring a full band. The piece is
haunting and venomous track, given an understated, intense,
throbbing bass line; and alarming rhythm which builds in urgency
over the course of the piece. "In the End" is a beautiful track
that introduces classical piano as the primary backing instrument,
and is tremendously effective. It is only at the end of the
album, on "In the Black Room" and "The Tower", two tracks designed
to flow together as one, that the full band kicks in and rages
with an intensity truly matching Van Der Graaf Generator's best
moments. These songs are quite simply incredible, and sound
like they could be among the finest and most intense Van Der
Graaf Generator songs, not surprising considering they are recorded
with the classic VdGG lineup. Like many of Hammill's works,
Chameleon in the Shadow of Night is a timeless, emotionally
resonant album for those attuned to Hammill's style, but is
certainly not for everyone. Given its raw, uncompromising intimacy,
other albums Silent Corner… or prime VDGG such as Pawn
Hearts or Godbluff would be a better place to start
exploring Hammill's extraordinary body of work. Nonetheless,
this remains one of his essential albums, and is a must-have
for initiates.
- Greg Northrup [2001]
Click
Here for Tracklist and Lineup Info
 The
Silent Corner and the Empty Stage (1973)
At the
risk of sounding like a complete fanboy, The Silent Corner
and the Empty Stage is one of my favorite albums of
all time. This album and its follow-up, the masterful In
Camera, show Peter Hammill at what I feel to be his
creative peak. The songs are focused and melodic yet undeniably
dark and foreboding. The sense of gothic atmosphere is overwhelming,
and Peter Hammill's voice is at its demonic best. "Modern"
opens the album in classic fashion, a monstrous track centered
on Hammill's tortured vocals, mourning the loss of mankind's
natural spirit as he is continuously civilized. "Wilhemina"
is a direct, simple ballad the serves a brief respite before
the powerful "Lie (Bernini's Saint Theresa)", an introspective
account of Hammill's bout with organized religion, a theme
that would be revisited throughout his career, especially
on the next album, In Camera. "Forsaken Gardens"
is one of my single favorite tracks of all time, featuring
gorgeous, sorrowful melodies that build towards angst-ridden
emotional climaxes. Indeed, Hammill emotes like few others
are capable on this one. "Red Shift" and "Rubicon", while
both decent, to little more than set the stage for the real
monster of the album's latter half: the epic "A Louse is
Not a Home". Like "The Black Room/The Tower" from Chameleon
in the Shadow of Night, the piece functions as one of
the most intense Van Der Graaf Generator pieces not recorded
under their name. It is pretty much indescribable, given
a wide dynamic range, roaring melodies, and filled with
all that fire, venom and angst that fans have come to expect
from Hammill. It wouldn't be going too far as to say that
this one of the single best progressive rock songs ever
recorded, a tour-de-force of power and emotion.
Four
out of the seven songs on this album are classics, while
the other three are okay, but not quite on the same level.
That said, "Forsaken Gardens" and "A Louse is Not a Home"
are songs I enjoy with, and at times even above, any of
the best single tracks from Van Der Graaf Generator. Hammill
is one of those artists that will, for some, resonate on
a deeply personal, profound level. For others, his idiosyncratic
style will fail do have an effect at all, and there is indeed
little in the way of middle ground. While none of Hammill's
albums (or Van der Graaf Generator's for that matter) are
accessible in any sense of the word, I would still recommend
this album as a starting point for exploring his solo career.
For those of you who are already familiar with, and enjoy,
his solo output, The Silent Corner and the Empty Stage
comes with my highest recommendation. -
Greg Northrup [2001]
Click
Here for Tracklist and Lineup Info
 In
Camera (1974)
The
introspective power of the two previous albums is upheld
on In Camera, Hammill's fourth solo release. Indeed,
this is another classic that at least matches the grandeur,
power and gothic textures of the previous platter, The
Silent Corner and the Empty Stage. Both albums rank
as two of the most personally significant recordings I own,
and which of I find to be my favorite always changes, depending
on which I am listening to at any given time. In Camera
contains all the trademarks of Hammill's early career; the
ability to shift from heart wrenching balladry to scathing,
demonic bellows and some of the finest compositions he's
ever created.
Obviously
a studio creation, In Camera sees Hammill experimenting
more fully with the possibilities of tape manipulations,
primitive electronic textures and other kinds of effects.
This is evident early on in "(No More) The Sub-Mariner",
as Hammill's multi-tracked, aggressive vocals resonate over
a straining, hypnotic keyboard riff that builds with fury,
as layer upon layer of sonic texture is added. Next up is
the rollicking "Tapeworm" which explodes with an utter ferocity
and rhythmic drive that seems on the verge of falling completely
off the tracks. The sensitive and restrained ballad, "Again",
is a pleasing contrast, being more stripped down, and addressing
the issues of lost and fading love that Hammill would later
explore more in depth on Over and Van der Graaf Generator's
Still Life.
Perhaps
the true gems of the album lie on the latter half. "Faint-Heart
and the Sermon" is a beautifully introspective and emotional
tune in which Hammill at once entertains and indicts various
notions of religion and spirituality. "The Comet, The Course,
The Tail" is one of Hammill's truly timeless pieces, with
its existentialist lyrics and intense musical backdrop,
and remains an integral portion of his live set to this
day. The masterpiece of this album however, is easily the
closing epic, "Gog Magog (In Bromine Chambers)". Although
the track clocks in at around 16 minutes total, it is the
first 8 minutes that truly make the piece, while the remainder
fades out into ambient soundscapes and strange, studio manipulations.
Nonetheless, these 8 minutes encompass what are possibly
Hammill's darkest, most aggressive moments. His voice is
at its absolute best, multi-tracked, resonant and taking
on a demonic and venomous character over the twisted and
chaotic musical arrangement. As he sings "Some call me Satan
/ others have me God", over haunting, oscillating organ
tones, the sense of foreboding is established right from
the beginning. Guy Evans pounding drums build with intensity
over the course of the piece, as Hammill's voice and dark
lyrics lead us through one of the most immense pieces he's
ever done. As the song fades out into groaning cathedrals
of ambient sound, we are provided with the perfect afterglow
from an otherwise unrelenting, intense work.
This
album and Silent Corner... are perhaps the strongest
of his solo career, and I rank them both with Van der Graaf
Generator masterpieces like Godbluff and Pawn
Hearts. Like its predecessor, In Camera is a
must-have for those into dark progressive rock or Van Der
Graaf Generator.
- Greg Northrup [2001]
 Nadir's
Big Chance (1975))
The
artistic momentum of Hammill's three previous solo works
is sustained on Nadir's Big Chance, though it features
a departure from the sound that made those albums so incredible.
Instead, this album is more of a straight-ahead rock album
which, at points, actually prefaces the punk rock movement
that would follow some two years later, particularly given
the lyrical content of the title track.
The
album is definitely much more straight ahead than previous
albums, and is notable on this point being that it comes
from one the progressive rock icons of the time period.
I was expecting an extremely raw, almost punk album, and
actually held off on getting this one for awhile. However,
though it definitely has moments of "simpler" rock music,
it also has a number of slower ballad-like songs and a few
identifiably prog moments. Whatever you want to call it,
punk rock or progressive rock, Nadir's Big Chance
is simply a great rock album.
The
heavier moments, like in the opening title track, are intense
and enjoyable, Hammill's vocals suite the style extremely
well. However, the middle part of the album goes into some
very somber and beautifully emotive tracks, like "Shingle".
Also featured is any enjoyable remake of the early Van Der
Graaf Generator song "People You Were Going To", which is
another album highlight. Overall, the album is extremely
solid, taking some of the best aspects of punk and hard
rock and melding it with Hammill's personal eccentricities.
While different than anything else in his catalogue, it
still stands among his best albums. -
Greg Northrup [2001]
Click
Here for Tracklist and Lineup Info
 Over
(1977)
Apparently
Peter must was going through some tough times regarding
his love life in the late 70s, as both his 1977 solo album,
Over, and the album recorded with the recently reunified
Van Der Graaf Generator, 1975's Still Life, were
typically overwrought and emotional albums that dealt heavily
in love, passion and rejection. Though it might have been
a tough time for him personally, the rest of us should be
thankful for the release of two classic albums. At least
something good came out of it.
This
is the first Peter Hammill solo album after the reunification
of Van Der Graaf Generator, and lyrical themes that were
explored throughout the Still Life album, most explicitly
on the classic track "La Rossa", are given more intimate
and detailed attention on this, one of Hammill's finest
solo efforts. The album as a whole seems to chronicle the
disintegration of a particular relationship in which Hammill
was involved, and as a result features some of the saddest,
most introspective lyrics and music of his career. The scathing
rage of his earlier albums is put aside in favor of a mournful,
solemn and bitter tone, with the exception of the ferocious
"Betrayed", where Hammill lashes out uncontrollably at those
who have wronged him. There is a brief sidestep from this
album concept in the track "Autumn", which doesn't, on the
surface, seem to have much to do with the other songs, instead
describing the perceptions of an aging couple and their
realizations of lost purpose having seen their children
grow up and leave home.
"Crying
Wolf" opens with a simple hard rock riff that develops into
one of the more upbeat songs on the album. "Time Heals"
is a phenomenal track featuring a plaintive, bewailed melody
that really seems to be where the album concept proper begins.
Subsequent tracks like "Alice (Letting Go)" and "(This Side
Of) The Looking Glass" are morose pieces backed by Graham
Smith's sweeping violin. The aforementioned "Betrayed" is
definitely one of Peter Hammill's best tracks, where he
seemingly tears out his heart as well as his acoustic guitar.
Graham Smith places timely, piercing violin shrieks throughout
to add emphasis and bit to particular lines, an effect that
absolutely send chills up my spine. "Lost & Found" closes
out the album with a theme of final acceptance, resignation
and closure, reprising the verse theme from Van Der Graaf
Generator's "La Rossa". A fitting end to a harrowing and
emotional album. Over is music stripped to the raw,
bare essentials; an ugly yet thrilling, self-portrait. While
it could be too overwrought for some, I thoroughly enjoy
this album.
- Greg Northrup [2001]
 A
Black Box (1983)
A
Black Box is another powerful album from Peter Hammill,
ranked by many with his classic early 70s work. The album
is linked with the two previous albums, ph7 and The
Future Now, because of stylistic similarities, and A
Black Box effectively closes out that particular chapter
in his discography. Hammill's darkly philoshophical lyrics
and powerful voice are, as always, the dominant force, making
the raging "Golden Promises" and the ethereal "Fogwalking"
winner tracks. One drawback to this album is the infusion
of new studio technologies that Hammill had seen fit to
incorporate at the expense of live instrumentalists. Most
noticeable are the seemingly synthetic drums, which drain
the life out of some otherwise exciting compositions. The
techno/synthesizer abortion "Jargon King" revels in utilizing
gimmicky sounds to the fullest extent possible, making it
a low-point on the album. This is more than made up for
later however, in the extended composition "Flight", which,
while it could have benefited from a more exciting rhythmic
backdrop, remains a highly emotional epic, moving through
a variety of moods and atmospheres throughout its 19 minutes.
Nitpicking
aside, A Black Box is yet another excellent album
from Peter Hammill, and one that is representative of this
portion of his career. While, it may not live up to some
of his previous masterpieces for me personally, it doesn't
try to. Instead, we see Hammill pursuing different musical
avenues with his usual aplomb, with impressive results.
- Greg Northrup [2001]
Click
Here for Tracklist and Lineup Info
 Roaring
Forties (1994)
Throughout
the 80s and 90s Peter Hammill has released a huge number
of albums of varying quality, with streaks of inconsistency
sparked by creative resurgences. Which albums function as
those creative reawakenings depends completely, of course,
on who you ask. I'd heard good things about Roaring Forties,
but frankly I was a little disappointed in the end. While
there is admittedly a huge gap of creative development I'm
missing, due to my not being eminently familiar with much
of his 80s output, in comparison to the high standards I
have for Hammill's work, this album doesn't really stack
up. The best song is the opener, "Sharply Unclear", which
visits similar territory as A Black Box.
"Gift
of Fire" and "You Can't Want What You Always Get" are for
the most part unimpressive, and sound as if they're from
the 80s (though this was recorded in 1994). "A Headlong
Stretch" was the most highly touted portion of the album,
is pretty good, being an extended track that drifts over
six movements through a number of mildly interesting themes
and emotional peaks. Overall however, the attempt to revive
the sidelong epic of yesteryear is unsuccessful in that
it just doesn't pack as sustained punch over its great length.
The closing ballad "Your Tall Ship" is again, pleasant if
not particularly overwhelming. In all, Roaring Forties
is an acceptable album that has its moments, but I could
do without it.
- Greg Northrup [2001]
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