How do you pay tribute to the unique genius of Peter Hammill?
No one on Earth can sing quite like him; THAT voice! (Although John Lydon has made a pretty decent fist of impersonating Rikki Nadir ever since 1976!)
I went into my kitchen, picked up my guitar, and when no one was looking, I had a go at playing the opening track of the most emotional and raw break-up album EVER recorded by ANY artist!
Obviously my take is slightly more METAL – but the riffs are the same; I only turbocharged them.
Peter Hammill and Van Der Graaf Generator had many proto-metal moments (as well as proto punk) where audio-extremity reigned supreme. In the early 70’s Black Sabbath may have seemingly cornered the market on doomy tri-tone riffs with a falsetto vocalist – but only because they were so mainstream compared to the darker depths of Van Der Graaf Generator; the closing motif of “White Hammer” from The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other – was so INTENSE – everyone I know who heard it back then just thought they were having a bad trip, as it was terrifying. :o)
It still is.
So I don’t think by mildly ramping up the riffage on this classic 1977 Hammill track – I’ve pushed any boundaries here and I’ve only dodged the difficulties of the vocals by virtue of not being able to sing a f**king note.
Also – THE Dave Anderson of Hawkwind and The Groundhogs played bass. Can you believe that; THE DAVE ANDERSON. So it wasn’t just me playing in my kitchen on my tod after all!
And do you know what else – Dave Anderson recorded the original with Peter himself back in 1977 in Foel Studios!
Steven Hargraves
Guitarist in UK hardcore band BALLPEIN
www.ballpein.co.uk
Second Guitar in Melodic Death Metal band Monstrance
from
All Of Us Pilgrims,
released December 31, 2019
Written by Peter Hammill
Bass – Dave Anderson
Instruments, Vocals – Steven Hargraves