 | The Silent Corner and the Empty Stage (1974)Genres: progressive rock, heavy progressive, dark progressive |
review by thomas
When Peter Hammill began his solo career for real in 1972 all of the graafers would appear on one record or the other. On this, his fourth solo outlet, all three members of the classic VdGG line-up appear: meaning Banton, Evans and Jackson. It’s very VdGG sounding (especially “Red Shift” sounds like an VdGG outtake or lost demo) albeit at the very same time it’s not, but I don’t think any lovers of VdGG will dislike this. What you can say about Hammill versus VdGG is that Hammill on his own always seemed to be more electric, leaning more towards the electronic news of the day.
More focus is on Hammill’s voice and his lyrics of course, but otherwise this might just be the course that VdGG would have taken if they haven’t split, although with less saxophones, that’s for sure but with more of Hammill, be it Hammill the singer, Hammill the guitarist or Hammill the keyboard player.
I have a lot of problems deciding if this album or “In Camera” from the same year is the best Hammill solo album I have heard but in the end I think they come in at the same place: very good and very well done. Like other solo efforts from the thin depressing man this one can be very demanding and hard to get into, but when one do the reward is music that pleases the soul.
This is progressive rock on the outermost corner (no pun intended), close to avant-garde music but richer, warmer and more beautiful than most music in that genre, or so I imagine. Recommended for all who likes a challenge or just some splendid music.
 | Nadir's Big Chance (1975)Genres: rock |
review by daniel
According to the rumour this is Peter Hammill inventing punk rock through his alter ego, Rikki Nadir. Hammill is responsible for many things, some of them great, but punk rock. I don’t think so. Johnny Rotten was apparently impressed by this record, but so were a lot (relatively speaking) of other teenagers I’m sure. I would rather agree on that this is Peter Hammills attempt at some straight and dirty rock. An attempt that isn’t a complete success. There are however exceptions. The third track “Open Your Eyes” is an incredible rock song. Hammill is supported by his Van der Graaf buddies and particularly David Jackson does a great job with his saxophone. If I didn’t know better I would say that the song has hit potential.
The rest of the tracks are not as good. The title track and “Birthday Special” are the only tracks that come close to punk and they are as good as you might expect from punk rock songs. Three of the tracks on the second half of the album are decent ballads that you can live without and the closing track "Two or Three Spectres" is a decent rocker. There is also an inferior version of “People You Were Going To”, a song from the early Van der Graaf days. Not essential, but you have to hear “Open Your Eyes”.
 | The Fall of the House of Usher (1991)Genres: progressive rock, symphonic rock, rock opera |
review by daniel
Peter Hammill has written a rock opera based on Edgar Allen Poe’s brilliant short story “The Fall of the House of Usher”. I admit that few rock operas are solid enough to bear the weight of the enormous amount of melodrama that seems so mandatory in the genre ( “Jesus Christ Superstar” might actually be the only one that comes close). But Hammill is not only a great composer and singer, he is also an expert on getting away with melodrama. With a story as strong as Poe’s gothic tale, he cannot go wrong. This has to be a masterpiece.
Surprisingly, Chris Judge Smith, not Hammill, is credited for adapting Poe’s words into lyrics. He has done a great job, wisely sticking close to the original story. The cast includes Hammill as Roderick Usher, Andy Bell (from Erasure!) as Montresor, Lene Lovich as Madeline Usher, Herbert Grönemeyer as the family physician and Sarah-Jane Morris as the chorus. Overall it is a good cast; Hammill is as good as you would expect and Grönemeyer shines as the bizarre doctor. The problem is that Bell, portraying Montresor, or reason, sounds far too wimpy to put up even an illusion of a fight against the rot that has infected the house. Some Bell-dominated parts are even corny enough to fit into a musical (a truly horrible art form).
The main instrumentation consists of violin, organ and, as written in the booklet; “…dozens of electric guitars used in massed groups which fill a choral or orchestral role”. The “guitar-orchestra” does its job, but I am sure a symphony orchestra would bring the piece to a higher level. I do, however, realize that Hammill probably cannot afford to hire a full orchestra. That is a shame, because the piece really deserves it. It is that good. The best parts are sublime and dramatic and usually based on organ or violins combined with Hammill’s voice. When the whole thing climaxes (”For now I say you will hear the wicked truth: We put her living in the tomb!”), I almost forget about the flaws.
There are two versions of the piece. I have the second one, from 1996. I haven't heard the first (from 1991), but it is supposed to feature lots of dated synths so I guess I have the better version. If Hammill decides to make a third, and definite, version I wish he would get rid of Andy Bell, hire an orchestra and do some careful editing (an hour would be an appropriate length). Now, that would be a masterpiece.
