Joe Banks - ROCK and ROLE: The Visionary Songs of Peter Hammill and Van der Graaf Generator (Book)
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Kingmaker Publishing is delighted to announce the publication of its latest book. ROCK and ROLE: The Visionary Songs of Peter Hammill and Van der Graaf Generator by Joe Banks will be published on 21st November 2025.
Following critically acclaimed Kingmaker books such as Mario Giammetti’s authoritative two-volume history of Genesis and candid autobiographies by Jakko Jakszyk (King Crimson) and Mark Kelly (Marillion), Rock and Role is the definitive biography of Peter Hammill – leader of Van der Graaf Generator, and one of the most daring and original solo artists in rock.
With The Charisma & Virgin Recordings 1971-1986 – an extensive Peter Hammill boxset – due for release at the end of September, and with Hammill playing his first UK shows since 2018 in support, the publication of Rock and Role is both timely and complementary.
Hammill’s influence is vast and surprising, with fans including David Bowie, John Lydon and Mark E. Smith. In the 1970s, Van der Graaf Generator were infamous for their visceral, chaotic live shows and the avant-garde power of albums like Pawn Hearts and Godbluff. As a solo artist, Hammill’s fearless explorations of the human condition have inspired generations of musicians and listeners alike.
Rock and Role traces Hammill’s remarkable journey through the 1970s and beyond, providing an in-depth look at his music and lyrics, investigating the ideas behind his songs, and creating a portrait of Hammill as both artist and man. Drawing on new interviews with key collaborators and contemporaries, and extensive research in media and fan archives, the book affirms Hammill’s unique position as a musical pioneer and iconoclast.
At over 500 pages, and illustrated with hundreds of images, including many rare and previously unseen photographs, Rock and Role is both a highly readable biography and serious critical appreciation of one of rock’s great unsung heroes.
Gregory Spawton, co-founder of Kingmaker Publishing and co-founder of the band Big Big Train, comments:
“Peter Hammill is a singular artist—a true original whose music has long deserved this kind of thoughtful, in-depth study. Joe Banks is the perfect writer for this book, and we’re thrilled to be publishing it.”
Joe Banks is a respected music journalist and author of the widely acclaimed Hawkwind biography Days Of The Underground (Strange Attractor Press, 2020), described by The Wire as “entirely engrossing” and by The Quietus as “a tour de force”. His writing on Peter Hammill and Van der Graaf Generator has appeared in Prog, Rock & Folk and The Quietus, among others.
All pre-orders received by 31th October will be signed by Joe Banks.
ISBN: 978-1-8384918-9-5