A strange view of Peter Hammill

 

Hammill is an excellent guitarist, worked with Robert Fripp (that name rings a bell, doesn't it?).

What is great about Peter Hammill is that small details, small tunes, little changes of dynamics or melody, small tunes in the background create so magnificent mood.

Try listen to latest Van Der Graaf Generator album "Present", Hammill plays guitar a lot there.   

USAGirl wrote: Jean and Friede are currently trying to convince me of Peter Hammill. Now while I am still at odds with his voice, I noted something interesting, probably because I tried to listen to anything but the voice in the music: He is an excellent rhythm guitarist! The way he throws in the occasional dissonant chord or syncopates the rhythm adds a lot to his music. This is especially notable on the live albums. Has anyone else noted this too?

Hi Bea,

Give it time!!

I had been at odds with his voice for over two decades, but I finally got around it by listening to his solo album Over and especially that superb track Time Heals and there from there on it started clicking together

I previously had tried Aerosol Grey Machine, another thing that certainly helped me seeing the live DVD Godbluff and even more the TV special on the same DVD

As for his guitar playing, I am not convinced (pulling a 7 minutes reggae guitar solo in Meurglyss III does not mean you are a top guitarist ), but I do not apreciate the people who say he is execrable lectric player either.

Rocktopus wrote: Sean Trane wrote: As for his guitar playing, I am not convinced (pulling a 7 minutes reggae guitar solo in Meurglyss III does not mean you are a top guitarist ), but I do not apreciate the people who say he is execrable lectric player either. I don't know if you think that's what I meant? I love whole the song including the reggae parts, and I think all his playing in Meurglys is good fun. I'm not calling him a guitar God or anything. *And, I wrote the bit about 'Usher' (I know its a favorite of theirs) just before I saw the thread about their car accident. I was just trying to be funny. Should I try to remove it? Is it tasteless or ok?

No I was not aiming at anyone in this thread, but if you read the reviews on this album, there are some who go to that extreme.

Too late now!!!

I think Jean and Friede are thick-skinned, but I do not know if Bea is, though!!!  Check it out with her by PM

Hammill has passed thru several satges.. being the Godfather of dark and so on. He's had a very long carreer.

If you likoe his guitar playing get SOON the album "over". If the acoustic guitar lines do not make you cry then you have no heart.

Hammill is not easy USAGirl. A tormented and twisted guy in his early years he has become a solitary  poet(although reconciled with life). Recommended

Over

Black Box

PH 7

Out of Water

Fireships

Skin

 

See you

When I first got into VdGG (2 months ago) I was at odds with his voice but I was so impressed with the organs/keyboards and saxophone/flute I didn't pay a bit of attention to Hammill. Now I love Hammil as well.

i never really have gotten used to his voice either. he sounds just like dream theaters vocalist, and i dont like his either. I'm happy(sorta) with the music of vg(and dt!!) but i think his vocals bring the music down. I think vg puts to much emphasis on vocols, i would have likw then more if it had less....

RaphaelT wrote: Eddy wrote: i never really have gotten used to his voice either. he sounds just like dream theaters vocalist, and i dont like his either. I'm happy(sorta) with the music of vg(and dt!!) but i think his vocals bring the music down. I think vg puts to much emphasis on vocols, i would have likw then more if it had less.... you probably just don't like vocals and not quite appreciate importance of lyrics. That's problem of my friend who hates Genesis with Gabriel.   Hammill is magnificent!!!

Eddy wrote: i never really have gotten used to his voice either. he sounds just like dream theaters vocalist, and i dont like his either. I'm happy(sorta) with the music of vg(and dt!!) but i think his vocals bring the music down. I think vg puts to much emphasis on vocols, i would have likw then more if it had less....

How can you compare the guy in Dream Theatre to the sheer magnificence of Hammill;It's like comparing a fillet steak to a spam fritter

Being at a Hammill solo-concert is certainly what he would call a "peak experience". It is absolutely overwhelming. I didn't think this experience could be topped until I saw VdGG at the Royal Festival Hall last year. The energy of them is just incredible; many people around us had tears in their eyes, and so did I. As another online-reviewer put it: "I knew I would enjoy the concert, but I didn't realise that VDGG would grab me by the scruff of the neck, rattle me around, hold me over a precipice and leave me dangling there screaming for my life. (...) They make King Crimson look like a bunch of lavender-wearing, effete pansies on a Sunday School Picnic". He hit the nail on the head!

Edited by BaldFriede

 

If music is nothing but emotions, then Hammill is the greatest musician ever!!!