Peter Hamill wrote and performed some excellent songs and tunes with his voice, his guitar and his keyboards. An amazing musical genius. And his group, Van der graaf Generator made some excellent albums too.

since age 15 my lifelong favourite. There are no Peter Hammill fans, we are all fanatics. Family. Nobody else understands. xx

Simply stunning. This is music, the unfettered expression of the human spirit.

My favorite artist of all time.

I know him when i was 16 jeahr joung. now i am 66❤❤❤❤❤he is great poet, thinker with heart, wonderful voice..... Ich bewundere ihn❤

❤❤❤❤❤

This is what music should be ! Intensity, emotions, honesty, dedication, and no compromise. You can hear it in full here!

+ Beautiful. Where was this recorded?

❤❤❤

the most underrated musician all time

Amazing 2023 still n forever my favorite

Thank you Qwels76

asynchrony

The way he says "too soon?" Has alwaya sounded heart wrenching to me..

Spiritual, sensory and rebellious, music of this composer reveals secret impostures, explores serene pleasures, a world of resurfacing dreams

Delicata bellezza. Straordinario Peter

Gorgeously brilliant..........no superlatives can describe him, with or without van der graaff..........prefer him solo......

Totally brilliant..........live astonishingly talented.........too clever..........

This is a.peter gem............l saw him lots in.london............brilliant............

Ha visuto sempre in ombra,anche con vdgg, senza cercare di conquistare platee geandi, ha composto e scritto come fanno veri artisti,per esprimere se stesso e continua farlo

I promise you, I won't leave a clue: No tell-tale remark, no print from my shoe. Still, a steady trail to the water's edge... I will keep my pledge to the end: I intend to go free. No more rushing around, no more travelling chess; I guess I'd better sit down, you know I do need the rest... Yes, it's time to resign with equanimity and placidity From the game. I can't explain; I can't relate... Have I done it all too late? Now is the time for the commission to report; Till lately, I thought I'd been planted. Trying hard to make it all come real, Permission to feel is ungranted. But now it's happening I'd like to keep it private if I can; Last words, last looks, make a final stand. Now my number's come up on the Pools, I guess I'll board the Titanic for a cruise... Now is the time to make my status clear, Too late, I fear, and lonely, As friends and enemies traverse the stage; All in a rage disown me. And all the pit-props shatter into dust about my ears: Memory and conscience, hope and fear. As I crawl out further on the limb Something tells me I am crawling In to unknown prophecies and lives The rainbow's end is hemmed around with knives... As I stand on the boards and the stage lights grow dim, Shall I go out of doors, or shall I maybe go in? Have I reached the point when I should take my cue And follow you and your signs? I can't remember my lines As the prompter cat-calls And the cards all fall In the strike. All the pages are thin, all the corners are curled. Does the starshine fall in through my window on the world? Or am I living out (the seeds of doubt) a chronicle of revenge? The willow bends As do my hands; Do you understand? And will you still be my friend in the end? When my mouth falls slack And I can't summon up another tune, Shall I then look back and say I did it all Too soon?

Es muy depresivo asi no me estraña que toque solo

Blows me away.

Uniquely genius. 👍

THAT'S GREAT QUALITY MUSIC, BUT IT'S NECESSARY TO USE THE BRAIN, ALRIGHT???????

I hope af least some of the many rabid fans of VDGG are willing to acknowledge their debt to Jethro Tull.

I love all sorts of music - classical , opera , rock, folk etc but for me Peter Hammill is the one who really does it. Been listening to his work since 1974. His songs turn me, a world weary 69 year old, into an emotional wreck! A lump in my throat, a tear in my eye and a melting heart. This is exceptional.

Always had tears ....

3:48 how is that transition even possible

Das Leben ist endlich

PH unique and powerful brilliance of a musical poet!

Genius!

a genialidade em estado puro.adora!!!

Oh my God!...I loved this so very much when I was young.I never thought there is filmed PH - Material like this, from that magic times. Big FANX for posting this!!!!

Just like I have played on piano in my own frustration so thanks

This is a terrible assumption : P. Hammill is brother of D. Bowie. Terry. Or Syd Barrett all alone. Forgotten. Powerful. Lyrics, melodies, the additude, from best of love songs " Vision" to the despair of , well, Man Erg. ...Yes I know it's by Van Der Graaf ! He was a complicated man, and so I äm! Favourites, by Mr Hammill...I think, I amm, I really don' t knouu... I ll give Nadir A Big Chance!!

Gracias Hammill.

Found him in my 20s now 60s still blown away

He shouts, sobs, and laughs. Having been a fan of Nina Simone, it was natural to be drawn to Peter Hamill's songs.

Agreed, or at least 95.7 % are😅

Voce e musica che penetrano l'Anima...PETER Unico 🙏🙋

The existential lyricist,the unique pete hamill.

I saw VDGG live 3 times when I was a student in Manchester in the late 70s. The first time was on a rainy night at Manchester Opera House. Some of us queued to go backstage to meet the band. I briefly talked to Hugh Banton, got the band's autographs, and took one or two B/W Polaroids of the band. I took one of Peter Hammill; it developed before our eyes and I showed it to Peter - who laughingly said to his bandmates: "I really look manic there!". And he did!

Te lo prometto, non lascerò traccia.... nessun segno da favola, nessuna orma delle mie scarpe. Però, un fermo cammino fino all'orlo dell'acqua manterrò la mia promessa fino alla fine vorrò andar libero. Non più corse, non più scacchi da viaggio; è meglio che mi sieda, sai bene che ho bisogno di riposarmi. Credo che sia giunto il momento di ritirarsi con serenità di giudizio e placidamente dal gioco.... Non so spiegare; non so dire il perché. Ho lasciato tutto troppo tardi? Ora è il momento della resa dei conti fino a poco tempo fa ho pensato di essere stato incastrato; Ho provato tanto a far diventare tutto reale, il permesso di percepire è negato. Ma ora che tutto sta succedendo, vorrei tenerlo segreto se posso le ultime parole, gli ultimi sguardi, forse la mossa finale; Ora il mio numero e saltato fuori alla lotteria credo che m'imbarcherò sul Titanic per una crociera.... E' giunta l'ora per rendere chiara la mia posizione, ma ho paura che sia troppo tardi e sono solo mentre amici e nemici attraversano il palcoscenico, tutti in collera e questo mi smonta. E tutto il tavolato che sorregge queste mura si schianta nella polvere e nelle mie orecchie; ricordi e coscienza, speranza e paura. Mentre carponi mi dirigo fuori verso un limbo qualcosa mi dice che sto strisciando verso vite e profezie sconosciute.... la fine dell'arcobaleno e orlata attorno di coltelli.... In piedi sul tavolato mentre le luci si affievoliscono, uscirò fuori dalle porte o forse entrerò? Ho raggiunto il punto in cui dovrei accettare il mio suggerimento e seguire te e il tuo segnale? Non ricordo le mie strofe mentre il suggeritore grida di disapprovazione e le carte cadono tutte per la scossa.... Tutte le pagine sono sottili, tutti gli angoli smussati.... Cadrà la luce di stella nella mia finestra sul mondo? O sto vivendo (i semi del dubbio) una cronaca di vendetta? Il salice si piega così fanno le mie mani mi capisci? E sarai ancora mio amico alla fine? Quando la mia bocca si farà stagnante e non potrò mettere insieme un'altra nota, guarderò allora indietro e dirò feci tutto troppo presto?

Blood curdling vocal why is he so little known.

I promise you, I won't leave a clue: No tell-tale remark, no print from my shoe Still, a steady trail to the water's edge... I will keep my pledge to the end: I intend to go free No more rushing around, no more travelling chess; I guess I'd better sit down, you know I do need the rest.... Yes, it's time to resign with equanimity and placidity From the game I can't explain; I can't relate.... Have I done it all too late? Now is the time for the commission to report; Till lately, I thought I'd been planted Trying hard to make it all come real Permission to feel is ungranted But now it's happening I'd like to keep it private if I can; Last words, last looks, make a final stand Now my number's come up on the Pools I guess I'll board the Titanic for a cruise.... Now is the time to make my status clear Too late, I fear, and lonely As friends and enemies traverse the stage; All in a rage disown me And all the pit-props shatter into dust about my ears: Memory and conscience, hope and fear As I crawl out further on the limb Something tells me I am crawling In to unknown prophecies and lives The rainbow's end is hemmed around with knives.... As I stand on the boards and the stage lights grow dim Shall I go out of doors, or shall I maybe go in? Have I reached the point when I should take my cue And follow you and your signs? I can't remember my lines As the prompter cat-calls And the cards all fall In the strike All the pages are thin, all the corners are curled Does the starshine fall in through my window on the world? Or am I living out (the seeds of doubt) a chronicle of revenge? The willow bends As do my hands; Do you understand? And will you still be my friend in the end? When my mouth falls slack And I can't summon up another tune Shall I then look back and say I did it all Too soon?

Sempre bella

It Like dancing blissfully on broken glass

Peter Hammill music, and his way of performing it, is very demanding stuff. Obviously it includes what he did with VDGG. I am a big prog fan and for me the Peter Hammill's world was the hardest to get into, but one of the most rewarding once the price of entry was paid through several listenings without immediate rewards, until the barrier is broken and you get into it. You need to get accostumed to so many things that are not easy to grasp at first. That being said, I discovered this world when I was 18 and still a relatively unexperienced listener. All that to say that the relative lack of commercial success of Hammill never surprised me. It is demanding, deep and often dark.

The power of one man and his piano