Peter Hammill’s Voice!!
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Topic: Peter Hammill’s Voice!!
Posted By: Proglover
Subject: Peter Hammill’s Voice!!
Date Posted: December 19 2005 at 11:41
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Ladies and gentlemen I give you one of the most influencial and thrilling voices in all of prog rock. There are those out there who believe that Hammill possesses a bad voice, well these people who ever they are simply do not have ears, nor the understanding to comprehend what he is doing. First off lets tackle whether or not he has a quote on quote, "good" voice. Obviously he does. If you are a naysayer who thinks he doesn't, I want you to do me a favor. If you have the Album Still Life, put it on and go to track 4, it should be My Room (Waiting for Wonderland). If you can listening to that track, and hear that man sing, and walk away saying he's a bad singer than you should just chop off your ears, because they are obviously of no use to you. Now yes, I do realize that there are times, when he.....umm, "screams"....I guess thats a good word for it. But it is important to understand why he is singing the way he is. One of the reasons why I like him so much, is because there is a sense of theatre, of theatrical interpretation. Have you guys ever heard of a "character voice"??? Peter Gabriel does it ALL the time, where he changes his voice to fit a certain character he is portraying in the song. Listen to Emerson, Lake, and Palmer....Brain Salad Surgery, the voice that Greg Lake uses on Benny The Bouncer, is a character voice....it's not his real voice.....but the voice in which he sings on that particular song, fits the style and character of that piece. Go to NYC, go to a Broadway Show.....go see a musical.....people use character voices all the time. Both Peter Gabriel and Peter Hammill contain this theatrical side to their singing. Both are great storytellers......I always said VDGG and Genesis (early Genesis), could have written for theatre plays. When Hammill is "screaming" or singing something in an unorthodox sort of way, it is done for dramatic effect, after all, VDGG music is very dramatic. But that is not his real voice. Hammill is not a bad singer. He's also the most versatile singer in prog rock in my opinion. He can change his voice, so drastically that you almost believe its a different person. I'm sort of reminded of Ella Fitzgerald. There were so many colors, characters, and emotions with her voice, that you got the sense that you were never hearing the exact same singer every time. You kinda, get that with Peter Hammill. A good example of this is on the album Pawn Hearts, the last track, A Plague of lighthouse keepers......there are four verses in the beginning and each time he sing it differently. He's "putting on" a voice..but he is not a bad singer. I would also put Ian Anderson up there with Hammill as being one of prog rocks greatest singers. I would also say Jon Anderson, for the simple reason that he is from Mars.....I have never encountered a voice like Jon Anderson. He's not a counter-tenor, he's not singing in his falsetto, his singing voice is in the alto range.... he's a grown boy soprano....its like he never went through puberty. It is the most interesting voice. And it's a voice that grew stronger with time. Jon Anderson sounded better in his 50s than he did in his 20s....that's a amazing....most singers, as they get older, their voice weakens, but not Jon. Whats ever more amazing, is that he still sings in the SAME range as he sang in his 20s..you listen to YES now...they dont change keys, he can still hit every high note. Jon Anderson is a freak of nature. |
Replies:
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: December 19 2005 at 11:47
I like his lyrics..asnd his voice is not bad I guess...not that good either though. Sounds to me like he's singing in an amateur production of some stage show! ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: matti meikäläin
Date Posted: December 19 2005 at 12:11
| hammil is amazing lyricist and singer |
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: December 19 2005 at 12:49
Looks like you're gonna have to have your ears removed then Snowy! |
Snow Dog wrote:Posted By: FragileDT
Date Posted: December 19 2005 at 12:58
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I love Hammill's voice. ------------- One likes to believe In the freedom of music But glittering prizes And endless Compromises Shatter the illusion Of integrity |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: December 19 2005 at 13:34
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He can try! ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: The Wizard
Date Posted: December 19 2005 at 14:13
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Amen to all that stuff, but in the last paragraph you mention both Ian and Jon Anderson! I agree 100% with everything you say though. -------------  
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Posted By: Forgotten Son
Date Posted: December 19 2005 at 14:28
I strongly agree. Anyone who's that much of an Influence on Fish get's 2 " " IMO. Of course It also helps that I really like his voice and his music. 
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Posted By: Winter Wine
Date Posted: December 19 2005 at 14:34
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I like your love for Gabriel, both Andersons and Hammil of course My favourite singer is Anderson (Yes) such a beautiful, melodic voice and your right, he sounds just as good now!! Have you heard 'Magnification'? His voice has become slightly dreamier, It loses some of his edge but It's still so dam good!!! ------------- My computer's broke |
Posted By: lunaticviolist
Date Posted: December 19 2005 at 15:01
To avoid getting my ears chopped off, I will agree with you.  Hammill's voice is unique and fits the music perfectly. I also agree that Jon Anderson is a freak of nature! ------------- My recent purchases: 
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Posted By: Minkia
Date Posted: December 19 2005 at 15:13
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Jon Anderson sounds like his testicles have been trapped in a vice!
Fish, altough a burly Jock he may be, still sounds 100% Peter Gabriel-derived. Now, unless you're DEAF you can't deny that, can yer? |
Posted By: moodyxadi
Date Posted: December 19 2005 at 15:46
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This forum started talking about Peter Hammil. Well, I must admit that I didn't like his singing in the first listenings of VDGG, but when I played Pawn Hearts with headphones, I totally changed my opinion. By the way, talking about singers, is there anyboy that can explain what happened with Steve Walsh's voice? he used to sing the highest notes so easily, and now is almost painful to hear him in concert (what it's a real shame, because I love Kansas). |
Posted By: RoyalJelly
Date Posted: December 19 2005 at 16:01
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If you think Jon Anderson's voice is strictly
one-of-a-kind, I suggest listening to the singer/bassist Bob Drake on Thinking Plague's "In Extremis", and especially on 5uu's "Hunger's Teeth". Talk about freaks of nature, he sings like Anderson and plays bass exactly like Chris Squire on Fragile & CttE, which is to say ballsy and fantastic. Both of these groups use this vocal similiarity to create an interesting post-modern progressive that seems like speculation as to where Yes had gone had they continued in the experimental vein of Relayer, dissonant and avant-garde. I don't find much other interesting vocal music nowadays, and of couse Hammill remains the best. |
Posted By: NutterAlert
Date Posted: December 19 2005 at 16:15
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Peter Hammill Nuff said.
------------- Proud to be an un-banned member since 2005 |
Posted By: King of Loss
Date Posted: December 19 2005 at 17:16
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Hamill can sing indeed, but he's not as great as some folks say he is!
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Posted By: zabriskiepoint
Date Posted: December 19 2005 at 17:51
| "Peter Hammill has done for singing what Jimi Hendrix did for guitar playing" or something like that, Robert Fripp. |
Posted By: Proglover
Date Posted: December 19 2005 at 21:24
Leave it to you, to be negative.....forget about EVERYTHING ELSE I said in the post.....but chop off the ears....thats one for the record books |
Posted By: Proglover
Date Posted: December 19 2005 at 22:15
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To each his own I suppose.....have you listened to My Room (Waiting for Wonderland)? |
Posted By: Proglover
Date Posted: December 19 2005 at 22:16
Yeah Jon's singing on Magnification is wonderful!!!!!!!!! |
Posted By: Proglover
Date Posted: December 19 2005 at 22:17
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I completely agree!!! |
Posted By: FragileDT
Date Posted: December 19 2005 at 22:32
I would leave that spot for Peter Gabriel with Hammill right behind. ------------- One likes to believe In the freedom of music But glittering prizes And endless Compromises Shatter the illusion Of integrity |
Posted By: The Miracle
Date Posted: December 19 2005 at 22:36
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^Yea, Gabriel had mush more influence. I really like his voice... not the best I know, but certainly one of ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/ocellatedgod" rel="nofollow - last.fm |
Posted By: Proglover
Date Posted: December 19 2005 at 22:40
Ummm, I LOVE Peter Gabriel.....but Peter Hammill appeals to me more. |
Posted By: FragileDT
Date Posted: December 19 2005 at 22:42
Yeah, it's all a matter of opinion. Hammill is an amazing vocalist. My second favorite to Gabriel to be exact. ------------- One likes to believe In the freedom of music But glittering prizes And endless Compromises Shatter the illusion Of integrity |
Posted By: Norbert
Date Posted: December 20 2005 at 03:30
| Peter Hamill is amazing vocalist his voice is truly unique and beautiful. |
Posted By: Forgotten Son
Date Posted: December 20 2005 at 03:44
Rubbish. Caertiainly I can hear some Gabriel Influence in Fish's voice. I can also hear a fair bit of Hammill's voice on Fish's voice. Above all though Fish sounds like Fish much more than either. Lyrically it's abundantly clear that Fish was influenced by Hammill far more than he was by Gabriel (almost not at all). |
Posted By: Olympus
Date Posted: December 20 2005 at 04:41
He really is a great singer, probably one of the best. ------------- "Let's get the hell away from this Eerie-ass piece of work so we can get on with the rest of our eerie-ass day" |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: December 20 2005 at 06:26
I know how you hate a differing opinion to your own, but thats what it is!!! Nowt negative about it!! Did I say Hammill sucks? No, but that would be negative. Sorry i can't be one of your followers. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: moodyxadi
Date Posted: December 20 2005 at 07:17
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...and nobody answered my question about Walsh's lack of voice! |
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: December 20 2005 at 07:32
I'm not being negative - I agree with you about Hammill and My Room. Also about Jon Anderson - I'm amazed that he can still hit the high notes, when many of his contemporaries voices' have declined. I was trying to make the point that you always have a negative opinion of people who don't agree with you. I know people who think Frank Sinatra can't sing - does that mean they should have their ears removed? |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: December 20 2005 at 07:42
I believe he was referring to me Chop old fruit! We have what you might call, a "history"? ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Moogtron III
Date Posted: December 20 2005 at 07:44
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Okay, once again time for some positive Hammill talk. Here we go then: he's a GREAT singer. End of message: you know enough now, and you can go back to whatever you've been doing before you were reading this |
Posted By: Under
Date Posted: December 20 2005 at 07:47
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Hey, where is the poll. This subject is in the Prog Poll section. I wish to execute my democratic right to vote! I love Hamills voice, but of course Hammill would never win Idols or something.
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Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: December 20 2005 at 07:52
I thought he might be referring to both of us. I have also had one or two "disagreements" with Mr ProgLover as well. |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: December 20 2005 at 07:57
Oh...of course! After all......who hasn't? ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: proger
Date Posted: December 20 2005 at 12:14
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peter hammill=wow
------------- ...live for tomorrow... |
Posted By: Proglover
Date Posted: December 20 2005 at 13:27
...........................UH HUH.........????? |
Posted By: Proglover
Date Posted: December 20 2005 at 13:29
HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
Posted By: Proglover
Date Posted: December 20 2005 at 13:32
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA.................boy you guys are soooooooooooo FUNNY....I can't CONTROL MYSELF............HAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!! |
Posted By: Proglover
Date Posted: December 20 2005 at 13:40
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IP blocked.Enough warnings. |
Posted By: BaldJean
Date Posted: December 20 2005 at 13:41
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it is not for nothing that the covers of the Peter Hammill albums "Over" and "Fool's Mate" appear on the cover of the Marillion album "Fugazi" -------------  A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: December 20 2005 at 13:51
I'm not baiting you....I wasnt even taliking to you. have you ever laughed in your life? ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: December 20 2005 at 13:58
You can leave Chopper out of all this...he has nothing to do with my comments. My point was that you have had disagreements with many members here. I'm just keeping the mood light, but you seem to like to anger at even the most light hearted comment! ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Under
Date Posted: December 22 2005 at 06:24
What don't you understand? What is a democratic right? Well the last is simple: he is too old!
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Posted By: Zargus
Date Posted: December 22 2005 at 08:28
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He is progs best singer/songwriter, tell me one other progrocker who sings and write beter songs then him? He write the best songs and have the best voice. Gabriel and Anderson any of them Ian & Jon, dont come close. ------------- 
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Posted By: RoyalJelly
Date Posted: December 22 2005 at 20:57
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Amazing how many "lovers of prog" feel it
necessary to attack the very artists who's courage, experimentation and creativity made possible the very genre they profess to love (Hammill, Fripp, Steve Howe, the list goes on). Is this some sort of bizarre musical Oedipus complex? Yet they invariably champion the bands that copied them in watered-down, whimpy versions that are more acceptable to the masses, thus more profitable (not naming names, but one is a large, furry mammal that begins with C). Again, nobody says you have to like it, but don't waste people's time with uninformed attacks on something you aren't able to comprehend... |
Posted By: Philrod
Date Posted: December 23 2005 at 14:49
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I don't really like the tone of his voice, but the way he approaches a song is just incredible and so a big round of applause for Him!
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Philrod/?chartstyle=Geldropdown-small"> 
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Posted By: MoodsWings
Date Posted: December 23 2005 at 20:45
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......And there's still no poll?! |