Author:Joe Banks
Peter Hammill’s career now stretches back over almost sixty long years, during which he has made over twenty albums with VDGG and more than thirty solo records. This weighty volume, clocking it at over five hundred pages, takes an in depth look at the work of this visionary musician, providing an intimate portrait of both the artist and the man himself. In this assiduous examination, the author dissects the work of this maverick who very rarely repeats himself, delving into the underlying inspiration for the music as well as the end results on record. The book focuses primarily on his years on the Charisma label in the 70s, but does include a brief look at the following years, along with many previously unseen photographs. It’s certainly an impressive and immersive read, with plenty of interviews with collaborators and contemporaries, and the fact that the whole thing is beautifully presented on top quality glossy paper is the icing on the cake. This thoughtful study, very detailed and yet still highly readable, is a fitting tribute to this imaginative far sighted artist, a true musical pioneer and iconoclast, and provides a thorough and nuanced critical appreciation of his work.
Length of Read:Long
Might appeal to people who enjoyed…
With its great combination of biography and deep dive critical analysis, this book makes a super accompaniment to the recently released career spanning box set.
One thing you’ve learned
The anorak level of detail on show here means that fans of the man and his music will need to own this.
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