Fool's Mate (album)
Fool's Mate | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | July 1971 | |||
Recorded | 20–28 April 1971 | |||
Studio | Trident, London | |||
Genre | Art rock | |||
Length | 44:28 | |||
Label | Charisma | |||
Producer | John Anthony | |||
Peter Hammill chronology | ||||
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Fool's Mate is the debut solo album by Peter Hammill of progressive rock band Van der Graaf Generator. The title is both a chess and tarot reference. It was produced by Trident Studios' in-house producer John Anthony. The album was recorded in 1971, in the midst of one of Van der Graaf Generator's most prolific periods. Hammill used the album to record a backlog of songs which were much shorter and simpler than his Van der Graaf Generator material, and declared on the original album sleeve: "This isn't intended to be any kind of statement of my present musical position, but at the same time, it is an album which involves a great deal of me, the person, basically a return to the roots."
Guest musicians on the album included the members of Van der Graaf Generator, members of his label mates Lindisfarne, and guitarist Robert Fripp.
The UK music press was generally very positive about Fool's Mate. Melody Maker saw it as "one of THE albums of the year".
The cover was designed by Paul Whitehead who at the time was the favourite cover artist for Van der Graaf Generator and fellow Charisma band Genesis.
Fool's Mate includes one of Hammill's most celebrated love songs, "Vision", which he still performs in concert. Both "Vision" and "The Birds" were re-worked for Hammill's 1984 album The Love Songs.
In 2005 Fool's Mate was issued in remastered form by EMI Virgin Records, supplemented with bonus demo recordings of several songs.
Track listing[]
All tracks composed by Peter Hammill; except where indicated
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Imperial Zeppelin" | Hammill, Chris Judge Smith | 3:36 |
2. | "Candle" | 4:16 | |
3. | "Happy" | 2:36 | |
4. | "Solitude" | 4:56 | |
5. | "Vision" | 3:13 | |
6. | "Re-Awakening" | 4:01 | |
Total length: | 22:41 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Sunshine" | 3:56 | |
2. | "Child" | 4:25 | |
3. | "Summer Song (In The Autumn)" | 2:13 | |
4. | "Viking" | Hammill, Chris Judge Smith | 4:44 |
5. | "The Birds" | 3:38 | |
6. | "I Once Wrote Some Poems" | 2:56 | |
Total length: | 21:53 |
Bonus tracks on 2005 reissue:
- "Re-Awakening" (early demos) – 4:37
- "Summer Song (In The Autumn)" (early demos) – 2:50
- "The Birds" (early demos) – 3:23
- "Sunshine" (early demos) – 3:54
- "Happy" (early demos) – 2:49
Personnel[]
Adapted from liner notes.[2]
- Guy Evans – drums, percussion (1, 3, 6, 7, 9, 11)
- Martin Pottinger – drums (1, 2, 4, 10)
- Hugh Banton – piano, organ (1, 3, 5-9, 11)
- Rod Clements – bass, violin (2, 4, 10)
- Nic Potter – bass (1, 3, 6-9, 11)
- Ray Jackson – harp, mandolin (2, 4, 10)
- David Jackson – alto and tenor saxophones, flute (1, 3, 6-8, 10)
- Robert Fripp – electric guitar (1, 7, 8, 10-12)
- Paul Whitehead – tam tam (10)
- Peter Hammill – all lead vocals (1-12); acoustic guitar, piano (1-4, 6-10, 12)
- Fluctuating Chorale: Guy, Hugh, Dave, Ray, John, Norman, Alastair, John, Peter
Technical[]
- John Anthony – producer
- Robin Cable – engineer (Trident Studios, London)
- Paul Whitehead – artwork
- Sebastian Rich – photography
References[]
- ^ Prato, Greg. "Fools Mate – Peter Hammill | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
- ^ "Peter Hammill - Fool's Mate (2005)". Discogs. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
External links[]
- Peter Hammill albums
- 1971 debut albums
- Charisma Records albums
- Albums produced by John Anthony (record producer)
- Albums recorded at Trident Studios