ROCK and ROLE
The Visionary Songs of Peter Hammill and Van der Graaf Generator
Joe Banks
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Kingmaker Publishing
520pp
ISBN: 978-1-8384918-9-5
Approx. 400 BW & colour images
Published 21 November 2025
PRE-ORDER IT HERE: UK/Europe
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Read the press announcement here
Peter Hammill is one of music’s most daring and original artists. As leader of the legendary avant-rock band Van der Graaf Generator, and creator of an eclectic and formidable solo discography, Hammill has innovated tirelessly and written some of rock’s most profoundly moving songs – both emotionally and intellectually.
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In the 1970s, Van der Graaf Generator were infamous for their visceral, chaotic live shows and the uncompromising power of albums such as Pawn Hearts and Godbluff. And as a solo artist, Hammill’s fearless explorations of the human condition have inspired generations of musicians and listeners alike, with fans including David Bowie, John Lydon and Mark E. Smith.
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Rock and Role traces Hammill’s remarkable career, providing a critical appreciation of his songs, investigating the ideas behind them, and creating a portrait of Hammill as both artist and man. Drawing on new interviews with key collaborators and contemporaries, and illustrated with many rare and previously unseen photographs, Rock and Role affirms Hammill’s unique position as a musical pioneer and lyrical iconoclast.
