Few artists have traversed the outer edges of Rock music with the fearless vision and emotional intensity of Peter Hammill. Leader of the seminal Van der Graaf Generator and a bold solo artist, Hammill has influenced generations of musicians, from David Bowie to John Lydon, with his unflinching explorations of the human condition. In his latest book, “Rock and Role: The Visionary Songs of Peter Hammill and Van der Graaf Generator,” journalist Joe Banks delves deep into Hammill’s career, offering both a meticulous biography and a critical appreciation of one of Rock’s most daring figures. We sat down with Banks to discuss his research, insights, and the challenges of capturing such a complex artist in over 500 pages of narrative and imagery.
Joe, congratulations on the publication of Rock and Role. What inspired you to focus on Peter Hammill and Van der Graaf Generator?
Thank you! One of my main inspirations for writing the book was simply the fact that an English language biography of Peter Hammill didn’t exist, which given what an important figure he is in progressive / underground music seemed a little crazy. I’ve loved VdGG & Hammill’s work for over 40 years, and at some point it just became obvious to me that I had to do it!
Hammill’s work spans decades and styles. How did you approach organizing such a vast and complex musical journey?
I really just took it chronologically. I knew from the start that I wanted to concentrate on the ‘Charisma years’ of the 1970s, but I also wanted to talk about and highlight the work he’s done since then, especially as quite a lot of fans don’t know his later material that well. On saying that, I also knew that, outside of the book’s biographical story, I wanted to write separately about the philosophical themes of Hammill’s songs, and about aspects of his personality, so it also includes standalone essays as well.
Your book is described as both a biography and a critical analysis. How did you balance storytelling with rigorous musical critique?
My aim is always to write something that’s as accessible as possible. While there’s a lot of detail in the book, I hope it’s not to the detriment of telling the story – I wanted it to be a page-turner! At the same time, I was committed to talk about and analyse the songs as closely as possible, though without being overly musicological – it’s a major bugbear for me the amount of so-called ‘music biographies’ that barely engage with the artist’s/band’s music at all!
Van der Graaf Generator were notorious for their intense live performances. How did you capture that energy on the page?
Well, the reader will have to be the judge of whether I’ve succeeded in doing that or not! But by judiciously quoting from contemporary reviews and putting my own spin on what I can hear in live sessions and recordings, I think I’ve conveyed just how intense, and sometimes chaotic, they could be on stage. I’m too young to have seen them in the ‘70s (though they were still a pretty intense proposition when they returned in 2005!), and there’s very little live film of them from that time, so some imagination was required. But anybody interested in getting a taste of just how powerful and strange they could be should check out Jim Christopulos’s incredible YouTube documentary about their only US gig in the ‘70s, at New York’s Beacon Theatre in 1976: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gPTM2AwK3w
What role did Hammill’s lyrics play in your research, and were there surprises in the themes you uncovered?
One of the main reasons that people become fans of Hammill is because of his amazing facility with language, and I’m no different – but sitting down and really analysing his words, and trying to work out exactly what he’s getting at, was both challenging and eye-opening! For example, it took me a number of attempts to decode the lyrics to ‘The Undercover Man’ from Godbluff, despite it being the first VdGG song I ever heard, and one I’ve happily sang along with for decades! I realised that, while it’s possible to get a general impression of what a Hammill song is about, trying to break down the individual lines can be really tricky. Sometimes what he writes is visceral and allusive, designed to evoke a mood or feeling rather than directly communicate an idea, but in the same song, he might also deploy some clever wordplay or an obscure metaphor. In other words, it’s rarely straight forward! Of course, ultimately, as I say in my author’s note at the start of the book, these are just my interpretations of his lyrics, and there are plenty of others available. On saying that, Hammill is thematically quite consistent over the years I think, with the nature of free will, individuality and role-playing central to many of his songs.
You conducted new interviews with collaborators and contemporaries. Were there moments that changed your perception of Hammill’s work?
The one interview that didn’t exactly change my perception of his work, but definitely brought a different angle to it, was with Alice, his partner during the first half of the ‘70s, and inspiration for many of his songs. In particular, she was able to give me her side of the story in regards to Over, Hammill’s infamous ‘break-up’ album from 1977. Hammill himself has said that, despite the emotions involved, the album isn’t meant to be taken entirely at face value, and what Alice told me certainly confirmed this!
The 1970s were a particularly turbulent time in music. How did Hammill’s approach differ from his peers during this era?
Right from the start of his musical career, Hammill was interested in the dark, more chaotic side of life, and in finding ways to express this. What makes both him and VdGG almost unique within progressive circles, certainly during the 1970s, was a disregard for consistency and technical perfection – they were never interested in virtuosity for its own sake, or in putting on the same show night after night. There’s a sense of on-edgeness and danger in the music, as though sometimes it might fall apart at any moment. And although VdGG’s music could be incredibly complex, Hammill was also still a big fan of what he called “three chord tricks,” songs inspired by the beat groups of his youth, which led to him releasing Nadir’s Big Chance in 1975, in some ways anticipating the rise of punk. Ultimately, he just wanted to do his own thing, whether that was extreme dark prog or thrashy pop songs. The progressive scene of the 1970s gave him the latitude to experiment, but it sent him off in all kinds of unusual directions – the parallels with figures such as Bowie, Eno and Gabriel are very strong.
With the recent release of The Charisma & Virgin Recordings 1971-1986, how does your book complement the boxset?
Hopefully it’s an ideal guide to the music and puts each album into historical context, though Peter has written some excellent sleevenotes himself!
Hammill has inspired artists across genres. Did you explore any specific influence stories that stood out to you?
I haven’t talked about this so much in the book, but I agree that his influence is suprisingly wide, but not always easy to pin down. It’s often about the way he’s operated as an independent, self-driven artist as much as a direct musical influence. On saying that, VdGG’s dense, gothic sound and twisty arrangements have certainly had a big impact on a lot of modern prog groups.
Over 500 pages and hundreds of images—how did you decide which photographs and visuals would best illustrate the narrative?
I wanted to make the book as visually exciting as possible, while trying to avoid just reproducing the same old images that people have already seen. Unearthing unseen vintage material was difficult, but I was excited to discover a set of pictures that scene photographer Keith Morris had taken of VdGG on stage in 1969 – I’m pretty sure these are the earliest live shots of the band in existence. There’s also some fabulous outtakes from the Quiet Zone and pH7 photo shoots. And the input of fans, allowing me to use pictures they had taken, was very important.
In your writing, did you discover elements of Hammill’s personality that surprised you?
I think what really comes over is his determination and self-belief, often bordering on the obsessive. There’s a real sense of mission, particularly during the 1970s, that I get the feeling sometimes made him driven to the point of being unreasonable. For example, he was very angry at Hugh Banton’s decision to leave VdGG in 1976, even though it really shouldn’t have come as a surprise given what the band had been through. But as he says himself, you need “an untrammelled ego” to deal with the music industry and also pursue the type of idiosyncratic career that he’s had.
Hammill is often called an iconoclast. What do you think sets him apart from other Progressive Rock figures?
In some ways, Hammill is the epitome of the prog rock frontman, halfway between prophet and poet, declaiming arcane words while acting as a human lightning rod for the complex music raging around him. But unlike other progressive singers, there’s nothing calculated or theatrical about his presentation – being in the moment is everything for Hammill. He’s a classic example of someone who wouldn’t want to be a member of any club that would have him, and that’s what makes him an iconoclast – he’s a genuine innovator and experimenter who refuses to be constrained by other people’s expecations of him.
How does your previous experience writing about Hawkwind and other artists inform your approach to Hammill?
One of the things that really attracted me to writing about Hammill was the weight and breadth of his subject matter – as with Hawkwind, there’s a significant number of themes and ideas to talk about beyond the music. But unlike Hawkwind, Hammill is an individual rather than a band, so I found myself attempting to live inside his head in a way that was different from what I’ve written before. Though as I point out in the book’s introduction, the irony of this is that the essential unknowability of other people is a core theme for Hammill, so what I’ve produced is just ‘my version’ of Hammill. As a biographer, you can only ever aim for verisimilitude rather than ‘the truth’.
For readers new to Van der Graaf Generator or Hammill’s solo work, what do you hope they take away from Rock and Role?
That they have an incredible journey ahead of them! Or at the very least, they’ll find some amazing music. Ultimately, I hope it’s a book that educates, entertains and excites.
Were there any particular challenges in writing a book of this scale and depth?
Collating quotes, ideas and facts into the right place, and then working out what’s actually important to say rather than just writing for the sake of it – any non-fiction writer is faced with these challenges, but yes, at this scale, these challenges are significantly magnified!
Do you see Peter Hammill’s legacy continuing to influence new generations of musicians, and if so, how?
I really hope so, and I hope that in some small way, this book helps to enhance that legacy and acts as a way in for the Hammill curious, as well as established fans.
Finally, what’s next for you after Rock and Role? Are there other artists you hope to explore in the same depth?
Right now, I can’t think of any other band or artist that I want to explore at this level of in-depth analysis. But I still like the idea of writing about music that isn’t as known or valued as it should be, so maybe something else will come from that… But one thing to definitely look out for that I’ve had a hand in is the release in spring 2026 of The Kibbo Kift rock musical by VdGG co-founder Judge Smith and Max Hutchinson. It’s a terrific suite of psych/pastoral/prog/protest songs recorded in 1976 about a breakway movement from the Boy Scouts in the 1920s that transformed into the radical political party the Green Shirts – an amazing story with music to match!
Rock and Role is a testament to the enduring power of Peter Hammill’s music and vision. Joe Banks has crafted a work that is as thorough as it is readable, giving fans and newcomers alike an unprecedented look into one of Rock’s most compelling and uncompromising figures. Between its detailed analysis, rare archival photographs, and engaging storytelling, the book stands as both a critical study and a celebration of Hammill’s singular contribution to music. For anyone fascinated by the intersection of intellect, emotion, and experimental sound, Rock and Role is an essential journey into the heart of one of Rock’s greatest unsung heroes.
Purchase “Rock and Role” here: https://burningshed.com/store/kingmaker/joe-banks_rock-and-role_book
Rock and Role Official Website: https://www.rockandrole.net/