If Prog-Punk was a sub-genre in PA

In the new issue of Classic Rock there is a lenghty Peter Hammill article/interview, and he talks about punk rock and his role. He's very straightforward in his denial of claims made by some that his '75 solo album Nadir's Big Chance was a catalyst and perhaps the first true British punk album. From Classic Rock:

Part of Hammill’s appeal has long been his fervent devotion to exploring new ideas and embracing new technologies. Perhaps this is why he remains one of the few prog alumni to be saluted by the likes of the Sex Pistol's John Lydon and indie guitar hero Graham Coxon, among many other non-prog notables. In truth, albums like 1975’s Nadir's Big Chance — which was a solo album that happened to feature the entire Van der Graaf line-up— were startling in their musical prescience and yet remain curiously ageless and out of time. Often cited as the first album to feature the word “punk” in its liner notes, Nadirs Big Chance was a pre-emptive blowing away of pompous cobwebs before the punk and new wave onslaught began in earnest a brace of wars later.

“The nature of those tunes meant that they had to be addressed with a certain energy.’ Hammill explains. “For us, the connection with that energy came from those beat group singles of the 60s, The Kinks, The Who, The Beatles and so on. Obviously, because punk is mentioned in the credits and because songs like Two Or Three Spectres and Birthday Special did have some sort of linearity with what was about to come, I am often credited with something I didn’t do. It was merely my interpretation of the old three- chord tricks of the 60s and for me it’s a continuation. Effectively, what happened in 77 was a reclamation of the energy that existed in the 60s. Punk re-established a connection. If Nadir had a part to play in that reconnection then I’m happy to take that as a compliment, but I didn’t invent it!”