Van Der Graaf Generator and Peter Hammill: Every Album, Every Song

No progressive rock band could ever be said to be a household name, but Van der Graaf Generator, celebrating their fiftieth anniversary in 2018, rarely enjoyed that distinction even in the households of many prog fans. VdGG, and the band’s main creative force, Peter Hammill, really only had one foot in prog - the other pivoted between more straight-ahead rock, wild experimentation, and at times, brutal noise. While VdGG’s run ended prematurely, the members carried on musically to varying extents, but none as much as Hammill, who has remained a relentless force, creating exciting and challenging albums on an almost yearly basis from the heyday of VdGG to the present day. VdGG, meanwhile, came full-circle, reforming in 2005 and still going strong. Both Hammill and VdGG have been lauded as musicians’ musicians by such luminaries as Peter Gabriel, David Bowie, Julian Cope, Mark E. Smith, and Johnny Rotten. This book will explore what these musicians, and legions of dedicated fans, found so inspiring over the years: a baker’s dozen of VdGG albums and over thirty solo Hammill studio releases will be discussed, as well as a handful of essential live recordings, experiments, and collaborations. Nothing like this has been offered before, and it will prove an invaluable guide for navigating the Hammill/Van der Graaf Generator sonic labyrinth.

Dan Coffey is a librarian, critic, and poet. He has written extensively on experimental and avant-garde music for Avant Music News, Stereo Embers and Perfect Sound Forever, as well as publishing numerous book reviews for Foreword Magazine. He one interviewed VdGG in an electrical storm! Coffey lives in Iowa, USA with his wife and son, and his ever-growing record collection.