With an extensive solo career spanning dozens of albums, Peter Hammill is certainly more than just the front-man and leader of Van Der Graaf Generator (VdGG). His literate, soul-examining lyrics and his often-anguished vocal delivery make his music perhaps an acquired taste, but his uncompromising artistic vision has shone since his first release, Fool's Mate, back in 1971.
Stylistically, he has forged his own path, touching on progressive rock, punk (before it was even called that), electronic experimentation, intimate singer-songwriter settings, and even opera/musical theatre (with his adaptation of Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher).
Hammill's solo career has coexisted with VdGG's activities. The band was offered a contract by Mercury Records in 1968, that only Hammill signed. When VdGG broke up in 1969 he wanted to record his first solo-album. In the summer of 1969 Hammill had a residency at The Lyceum and played weekly solo-concerts there. Eventually the intended solo-album was released under the VdGG-banner as their first album (The Aerosol Grey Machine). Hammill's first official solo-album was Fool's Mate (1971), containing songs from the early (1967/68) VdGG-days.
When VdGG broke up again in August 1972, Hammill resumed his solo-career. Songs that were intended for VdGG, now ended up on his solo-albums, notably "(In The) Black Room (Including 'The Tower')" (on Chameleon in the Shadow of the Night) and "A Louse Is Not A Home" (on The Silent Corner and the Empty Stage). This to some extent makes it difficult to separate Hammill's solo work during the 1970s from his work with the band (for the majority of both his solo-songs and the band's songs he is credited as the sole songwriter, and some of his solo albums feature all the members of Van der Graaf Generator). In general, however, solo Hammill is concerned with more personal matters, while the band's songs deal with broader themes.
Hammill's Nadir's Big Chance (1975} was a great change from the preceding album, In Camera. Whilst In Camera is characterized by extremely intense and complex songs and even has some musique concrete on it, Nadir's Big Chance is notable for its anticipation of punk rock. In a 1977 radio interview, John Lydon of the Sex Pistols played two tracks from the album and expressed his admiration for Hammill in glowing terms: "Peter Hammill's great. A true original. I've just liked him for years. If you listen to him, his solo albums, I'm damn sure David Bowie copied a lot out of that geezer. The credit he deserves, just has not been given to him. I love all his stuff"
Over (1977) contains very personal songs about the break-up of a long-term relationship.
Hammill's first solo-album after the 1978 break-up of Van der Graaf was The Future Now. With the next albums, pH7 and A Black Box, the sound got more compact, more new wave. On those albums, Hammill played the drums himself. What followed was 'the K-group'. In later years Hammill would sometimes refer to the band as a "beat group". The K-group consisted of Hammill himself on guitars and piano, with John Ellis on lead guitar, Nic Potter on bass, and Guy Evans on drums and percussion. They recorded the albums Enter K and Patience.
Hammill's early records, like the VdGG albums, were released on Charisma Records. He parted company with them after pH7 (1979), and then released albums on a number of small labels. A Black Box came out on S-Type, a label run by Hammill and his manager Gail Colson. Enter K and Patience appeared on Naive, Skin and Margin on Foundry and In A Foreign Town, Out of Water and Room Temperature: Live on Enigma Records. In 1992 he formed his own label, Fie!, on which all his albums since Fireships have been released. The label's logo is the Greek letter phi (Φ), a pun on PH-I. Ever since the 1970s he has also had his own home recording studio, appropriately called Sofa Sound (his website was later named after the studio).
Musically, Hammill's work ranges from short simple riff-based songs to highly complex lengthy pieces. Mainly because of his refusal to make anything resembling middle-of-the-road music, and the general absence of any smooth or glamorous sounds in his music, there is much debate amongst his admirers whether Hammill is to be considered a part of the so-called progressive rock scene. In many interviews however Hammill himself has stated that he does not want to be put in the progressive rock music label, or any music label at all.
His output is prolific. Many different styles of music appear in his work, among them artful complexity (for instance Chameleon in the Shadow of the Night), avant-garde electronic experiments (Loops & Reels), opera (The Fall of the House of Usher), solo keyboard accompaniment (And Close As This), solo guitar accompaniment (Clutch), improvisation (Spur of the Moment), film music (Sonix), band recordings (Enter K), and slow, melancholic balladry (None of the Above).
Hammill survived a heart attack in December 2003, less than 48 hours after having finished the recording of Incoherence. In 2005, Hammill announced the reformation of Van der Graaf Generator. In 2004 they had recorded a new album, Present, which was released in April 2005, and from May until November 2005 played a series of well received concerts.
Between 2005 and 2007 Hammill has overseen the remastering of almost all of his pre-Fie! releases, and has also started similar work on his more recent catalogue. The last of the Charisma remasters was released in September 2007.
Hammill's solo-career did not end because of the VdGG-reunion. He released his new album Singularity in December 2006. It was the first solo-album he completed after his heart attack, and for a large part it deals with matters of life and (sudden) death.
In 2007 several gigs by Van der Graaf Generator as a trio (minus David Jackson) have taken place in Britain and the rest of Europe, and their new album Trisector was released in March 2008. Hammill's new solo album, Thin Air came out 8th June 2009. Hammill and the band are touring extensively in USA, Japan and Europe these days.
Enough
Peter Hammill Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
the plane that shapes the smooth out of the rough...
when every expectation is delivered
will that be enough?
This alone will have to be enough.
Not that but this,
not why but how,
not soon but now.
To wait, to be elated and awoken...
when every love's less tender than it's tough
and all the flood defence is finally broken
will this be enough?
This alone will never be enough.
Not that but this,
not why but how,
not if but when,
not soon but now.
Not that, not this.
Oh, why? Oh, how?
What if, what then?
Not soon, not now.
Not that, not this.
But why, but how?
What if, what then?
Too soon, not now.
So soon ...what now?
The songwriter, Peter Hammill, is reflecting on the complexities of life and the never-ending quest for fulfillment. The first verse suggests that in life, one must strive to find some sort of purpose or meaning amidst the chaos that is the world. The line "the plane that shapes the smooth out of the rough" refers to the idea of shaping one's own existence and overcoming obstacles. However, even if one manages to achieve everything they have ever wanted, there is still uncertainty as to whether that will be enough.
The following verse focuses on love and how it, too, can fall short. Love can be tough and less tender than one anticipates, and although one can build up defenses against heartache, eventually those defenses may be broken down. Even if one finds true love, it still may not be enough to bring true fulfillment.
The chorus "Not that but this, not why but how, not if but when, not soon but now" suggests that focusing on the present moment and taking action is more important than worrying about the future or dwelling on the past. The repetition of this phrase emphasizes the importance of living in the moment.
In the second and third verses, the lyrics become more ambiguous, with Hammill questioning why things are the way they are and pondering what the future holds. The final line, "So soon ...what now?" leaves the listener with a sense of uncertainty and a feeling that the quest for fulfillment and purpose is never-ending.
Line by Line Meaning
To live, to be alive and to consider
the plane that shapes the smooth out of the rough...
Reflecting on the act of living and contemplating the process of refining oneself amidst the challenges of life.
when every expectation is delivered
will that be enough?
Questioning whether achieving all one's goals and desires will bring true satisfaction.
This alone will have to be enough.
Acknowledging that despite uncertainties, what one has achieved is sufficient for themselves.
Not that but this,
not why but how,
not if but when,
not soon but now.
Preferring to focus on the present moment, practical steps, and tangible results rather than abstract ideas or distant possibilities.
To wait, to be elated and awoken...
when every love's less tender than it's tough
and all the flood defence is finally broken
will this be enough?
Ruminating on the fleeting nature of happiness and love and questioning whether facing the worst-case scenario would change one's perspective on what truly matters.
This alone will never be enough.
Concluding that material possessions, romantic relationships, and even personal growth cannot provide everlasting contentment.
Not that, not this.
Oh, why? Oh, how?
What if, what then?
Not soon, not now.
Expressing confusion, doubt, and reluctance to take action when confronted with overwhelming questions and challenges.
Too soon, not now.
Admitting that the timing may not be right yet to make a decision or pursue a goal.
So soon ...what now?
Wondering what the next step should be when faced with unexpected or fast-paced changes.
Contributed by Claire W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
vdgghead
Thanks!