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Translation
Québec, a city like no other for Peter Hammill
"Five years already" notes Peter Hammill
when speaking about his last concert in the capital. The English singer, who
will be performing at College Saint-Charles-Grenier's Salle
Jacques-Marquette, is excited about renewing with his fans in Québec. One of
the first cities to have adopted him in North America.
It's common knowledge that Québec (province) and Italy are the two
places in the world where the early 70's British progressive movement can
count on a faithful if not to say devoted audience. Genesis, Van der Graaf
Generator, Supertramp, Gentle Giant and others have had quite a bit of
success in Québec, way before the United States even started to become
interested.
Peter Hammill hasn't forgotten that. From Boston, the poet, singer and
keyboardist, who started his tour a few days ago, reminisced about the pomp
progressive music and his ties with Québec and it's capital city.
"Québec was the first city in North America to become interested in what Van
der Graaf and I were doing. It's a phenomenon that I fail to explain, but I
wont forget it" he mentions with enthusiasm.
Also in the course of the conversation, he delivered with humour his vision
of Québec and Canada.
"For this tour, we are doing four Canadian shows. I should say two Canadian
shows, one Quebecois and one that I am not sure if it's in Québec or in
Canada!" he jests. If you guessed which concert, well, it would be the on in
Montréal!*
In a more serious tone, Hammill explains that since the Québec has adopted
him, he couldn't help to notice the fact that Québec and Canada are two
distinct entities.
More than enough to choose from
For this tour, Hammill is accompanied by long time accomplice, bassist Nic
Potter and violinist Stuart Gordon.
It is the second time that Hammill has used this formula. In 1978, he toured
North America with Nic Potter and violinist Graham Smith.
He insists that the results are not the same this tour. "Stuart's playing is
quite different to that of Graham Smith. Also this time I use a synthesiser
and a MIDI system, but only occasionally. I am still faithful to the piano
and acoustic guitar" explains Hammill.
What's on the menu for the concert? With 9 Van der Graaf Generator albums
and 17 solo albums, Hammill has quite a bit to choose from.
He reckons that he will only play one or two from the latest release 'Out Of
Water'. "No more. I have too many songs" he says but mentions he will brush
upon the span of his solo albums. This will be accompanied by Van der Graaf
songs, notably from The Quiet Zone/The Pleasure Dome, because, he explains:
"That record was conceived when we had a violinist in the band."
Hammill doesn't want to give too many details on which songs, he underlines,
the trio never gives the same concert twice.
"It all depends on the atmosphere. I don't like to cement a performance.
Night after night we change the songs. And there is space for improvisation;
we aren't on stage just to repeat what's on the album.
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