No one sounded like Peter Hammill during this period. He was overwhelming. The punks that followed took note. Hammill gave "punk" in this song an identity: Rikki Nadir. All the songs that hinted to punk earlier were really just garage songs & drug songs. But this is the real deal. This is the song that pre-dates the Clash, Sex Pistols, Richard Hell, Patti Smith & everyone. Hammill's voice is perfect. Afterall, Hammill was supposed to be a progressive rock musician. Guess again.
@starlight2009xxx I don't really think that Lydon ever claimed this one to be his all-time favourite. He played two songs from this album during the radio interview but neither of them was title track.
But the great, brilliant, grin-inducing thing is that he has these different sides to him - and we don't *have* to like 'em all....for me, I cherish the delicate and the deep, as much as I love the punk/rock-god stuff, to which I have been known to dance my bahookie completely off......
@AnjiSpangle hm, is "bahookie" punk-writing ? it's not in my dictionary !
(i'm french...) :-]
(but i's ok - urbandictionary gives me the meaning...)
of course, hammill has these different sides - and i can see that the "punk-rock" side matters much to him - so i have to respect it - it just makes me feel uneasy - he's very good at it (on his prog side too...)
anyway, glad to discuss this point with you, spangle (though briefly)
"... I was sitting in the waiting-room when I gradually became aware that I was not alone... my alter ego, Nadir, took me over... Nadir crashing his way through distorted 3-chord wonders... The anarchic presence of Nadir... I can only submit, gladly, and play his music - the beefy PUNK songs, the weepy ballads, the soul struts... after all, with the state the world's in there's always room for another Nadir."
se acabo el puto bowie!!!!! es solo un jodido ladron hijo de perra ......if you are reading this... you, fucking david Bowie you are a Vampire of others fuck off bowie ...from bolan, barrett, Kraftwerk, NEU! among others you stole their ideas and originality...!!!!
@Hammill Indeed. Bowie is a great Hammill fan and even once called himself "Poor man's Peter Hammill". He was at the reunion concert of Van der Graaf Generator, by the way, along with some other prominent fans (John Lydon, Fish, Bruce Dickinson, to name but a few).
Who cares whether Johnny liked it or not? It's bloody amazing - even if the version on 'Vital' is more amazingly amazing.
bebopmaxim 1 month ago
No one sounded like Peter Hammill during this period. He was overwhelming. The punks that followed took note. Hammill gave "punk" in this song an identity: Rikki Nadir. All the songs that hinted to punk earlier were really just garage songs & drug songs. But this is the real deal. This is the song that pre-dates the Clash, Sex Pistols, Richard Hell, Patti Smith & everyone. Hammill's voice is perfect. Afterall, Hammill was supposed to be a progressive rock musician. Guess again.
lastrada52 1 month ago
John Lydon's favourite tune, that say's it all really..
starlight2009xxx 7 months ago
@starlight2009xxx I don't really think that Lydon ever claimed this one to be his all-time favourite. He played two songs from this album during the radio interview but neither of them was title track.
JerzuRF 7 months ago
incendiary.
tapper1477 8 months ago
@kolibet - 'bahookie' is Scottish for arse/ass :)
AnjiSpangle 9 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Look at all these jerks!!!!!!!
alexmortland 9 months ago
Lydon, Idol, Almond, you owe a lot to Rikki. This and Birthday Girl top punk and the whole album is original new wave.
quarkwrok 10 months ago
Classic. Historical. Hysterical. Hammill.
tapper1477 11 months ago
Anybody knows the chords of this song?
Gonzalokraut 1 year ago
this sure is not what i like best in hammill...
he's sung such heart-rending songs,
on his prog side - can't help but dislike this... :-(
kolibet 1 year ago
@kolibet
But the great, brilliant, grin-inducing thing is that he has these different sides to him - and we don't *have* to like 'em all....for me, I cherish the delicate and the deep, as much as I love the punk/rock-god stuff, to which I have been known to dance my bahookie completely off......
AnjiSpangle 9 months ago
@AnjiSpangle hm, is "bahookie" punk-writing ? it's not in my dictionary !
(i'm french...) :-]
(but i's ok - urbandictionary gives me the meaning...)
of course, hammill has these different sides - and i can see that the "punk-rock" side matters much to him - so i have to respect it - it just makes me feel uneasy - he's very good at it (on his prog side too...)
anyway, glad to discuss this point with you, spangle (though briefly)
kolibet 9 months ago
This is what inspired Johhny Rotten..!
MrLuciferSam 2 years ago
best prog composer (listen to pawn hearts)and also first british punk rocker....a fuckin genius...
riccdrum 2 years ago
"i'm gonna scream gonna shout gonna play my guitar until your body's rigid and you see stars" --->most awesome line ever.
emptyheadbrokenbones 2 years ago 2
Best punk song ever.
ignaciomasllorens 2 years ago 10
Punk's most direct precursor.
From the liner notes:
"... I was sitting in the waiting-room when I gradually became aware that I was not alone... my alter ego, Nadir, took me over... Nadir crashing his way through distorted 3-chord wonders... The anarchic presence of Nadir... I can only submit, gladly, and play his music - the beefy PUNK songs, the weepy ballads, the soul struts... after all, with the state the world's in there's always room for another Nadir."
huji89 2 years ago 3
great stuff.
reminds me of a cross between bob calvert-era hawkwind and early bowie.
but i am gradually becoming accustomed to the greatness of hammill....
macseinchin 2 years ago 9
Great analysis.
curvalecce 2 years ago
se acabo el puto bowie!!!!! es solo un jodido ladron hijo de perra ......if you are reading this... you, fucking david Bowie you are a Vampire of others fuck off bowie ...from bolan, barrett, Kraftwerk, NEU! among others you stole their ideas and originality...!!!!
logonazo 2 years ago
GREAT i adore pete hammill!!!
logonazo 2 years ago 2
punk before punk and electro please!
you were right Pete!!!:!
zencombrant 2 years ago
oh yeah! lots of talking about hammill's voice but does anybody hear the noisy rithm guitar sound in the right channel?
That's the noise bringing the punk age
mrmerino 2 years ago
Il ove this, it's punk rock
discomadame 3 years ago
great stuff #####
alargedog 3 years ago
Thanks! Pretty amazing performer. I think he was influenced by Bowie. I like his odd style.
taurofr 3 years ago
Bowie was influenced by Hammill
Hammill 3 years ago 4
@Hammill Indeed. Bowie is a great Hammill fan and even once called himself "Poor man's Peter Hammill". He was at the reunion concert of Van der Graaf Generator, by the way, along with some other prominent fans (John Lydon, Fish, Bruce Dickinson, to name but a few).
BaldJean 1 year ago
Great album, great song.
Would love to hear a 2009 version from Hammill though.
Rikkadir 3 years ago 2