Peter Hammill

Born in London in 1948, Peter Hammill began his career as the singer and songwriter for Van Der Graaf Generator, an influential underground group of the Seventies known for their adventurous and uncompromising music.

By the time the group folded in 1978, Peter had already recorded seven solo albums, covering numerous lyrical and musical bases in the process. If one didn’t know better, the proto-punk of “Nadir’s Big Chance”, the full-blown emotion of “Over” and the scatter-gun arrangements of “The Silent Corner” could have been the work of three entirely different artists.

Beyond his 29 solo and several live albums, he has composed for ballet, film, and television. Peter’s work has always been independent and uncompromising. It is perhaps because of this that he has been cited as a major influence by so many artists. He is just as happy working with pure sonics as he is with fully orchestral songs, with three-chord electric guitar “tricks” as with piano ballads.

Peter survived a heart attack in December 2003, and his appetite for writing, recording, and performance has only grown stronger since. He continues to prioritize artistic integrity over commercial success.

Onward, then, whistling a – strange and singular – tune…

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