Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Peter Hammill, Chrissy Hynde, Johnny Rotten: Cool Photos

[Bucka001]

Hope this ain't too obnoxious, but I posted this in a thread in the OT section and didn't want it to get buried because there are a lot of rare, cool photos here that I think some people would really appreciate but might not see if I didn't start a thread for it. Hope that's okay Mods!


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Peter Gabriel & David Jackson (VdGG), 1979. Jaxon was a member of the Peter Gabriel Band in '79

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The Charisma All-Stars. When Charisma launched the first Monty Python album, they held a little soiree and celebrated with a football (soccer to us Americans) match between the Pythons and the Charisma All Stars. Peter Hammill (bottom right) was the captain. The team also included Phil Collins (top left), Paul Conroy (bottom left; Charisma staffer who went on to become a very heavy hitter at Virgin) and two members of Capability Brown. The Charisma All Stars defeated the Pythons and accepted the prize of the Golden Y-Fronts!

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Peter Hammill (center) speaks to L Shankar (back to camera) as guitarist David Rhodes looks on. Stewart Copeland on drums, Peter Gabriel on keys. Larry Fast took the pic. This was a rehearsal for the third night of the '82 WOMAD fest; this lineup played on stage that night.

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Johnny Rotten with his idol Peter Hammill after VdG's last London gig before they broke up, at the Marquee Club, 1978.

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Photo posted by Chrissie Hynde (The Pretenders) who was at the Peter Hammill / Gary Lucas concert in London a few weeks ago. Other celebs who were there include Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth) and B J Cole (famed pedal steel player). Chrissy still looks great, and posted this on her Facebook page: "Hey look! It's me with the legend known as Peter Hammill after his show at London's Union Chapel last week where he enthralled fans with new songs performed by himself and that other legend, Gary Lucas. It really was duelling guitars all round creating a strangely surreal/sci-fi like atmosphere in the beautiful surrounding of the arched, blue-lit geometry of the dome. (Yes, I sound like I'm writing it up for the Guardian or the NME but IN FACT - for your eyes only my FRIENDS ON FACEBOOK.) Good gig it was."

[WytchCrypt]

Wow! My fave female vocalist (CH) and my fave male vocalist (PH) in the same shot...

[HONDO]

Thanks alot those are flipping great pix. You are certainly a Hammill/VDGG fan Thanks again mate!

[Bucka001]

You are certainly a Hammill/VDGG fan!

Some might say I wrote the book on being a Hammill/VdGG fan...

*man, that was bad.* Okay, I (co)wrote a book on VdGG.

[Bucka001]

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May 8, 1973, Belgium, Brussels, Royal Circus - double bill of Genesis and Peter Hammill. PH & Mike Rutherford first pic, Phil Collins second.The guy at the end of the table, talking to Phil, is Piero Kenroll. He was *the* important Belgian music journalist and was instrumental in helping VdGG/PH and Genesis get significant footholds into that country, as he was a champion in the press for both.

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Peter Hammill, Bettina Hohls, Peter Gabriel. 1980. Bettina sang with Ash Ra Temple and also did the cover art for Hammill's "Silent Corner" album.

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Tony Banks, Peter Gabriel, Peter Hammill. From June 1972, Paris. Genesis opened for VdGG at the Paris Olympia.

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John Giblin, Peter Gabriel (on keys), Larry Fast, Peter Hammill, David Rhodes. On stage, third night of the Womad Fest in '82.

[Bucka001]

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Phil Collins, Peter Hammill. Backstage at Genesis concert at London's Rainbow Theater. 1977

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April 17, 2007. Limbourg, Belgium. Backstage after the VdGG concert. L - R: Guy Evans, Rene Van Commene (Dutch musician, friend of VdGG), Hugh Banton, Jim Christopulos / Me (VdGG book author), Phil Smart (VdGG book author). Jim is explaining to Guy that "we need to get VdGG on MTV's 'Beach Volleyball' show; all the kids are watching that." Hammill was there, to Guy's left and out of frame. He agreed with Jim...

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My old pal Dave Andrews and me with Peter in Toronto '90. This was taken long before I knew Peter (or had any idea I'd write a book on the band). Dave and I (and some other friends) had seen Peter three nights in a row prior to this (Chicago, Milwaukee, Cleveland). Dave and I decided to drive to Toronto to catch one more show (Hammill, with Stuart Gordon on violin, and Nic Potter on bass, was that good on that tour). But the Toronto gig (a club that sat about four or five hundred) was sold out. We were completely dejected. The tour manager, some guy also named Dave, said hi to us (he recognized us from the previous nights) and asked how we were doing. "Not so good, the show is sold out." So he goes and talks to Peter, who looks over at us and nods, and then comes walking back over to us. "We need your names, Peter's putting you on the guest list." Amazing! Then Hammill comes over and takes some pix with us, this is one of them. I thought, "What an awesome guy!"

[flytomars]

Great pictures and great stories, thanks!

[grego]

Absolutely amazing, what a story!

[Progatron]

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Here we see Hammill in his Harry Potter costume.

[Bucka001]

I wish I could post a couple of photos from '79 that are pretty funny. Armando Gallo sent them to me several years ago while I was working on the VdGG book but he told me never to put them out there without his permission. We didn't use them because they fell outside the timeframe of the book (VdGG broke up in '78, these are from '79).

They're of Hammill backstage at the Roxy in L.A. (he played two or three sold out nights there) and Phil Collins was hanging out (with Alphonso Johnson, who is also in a few of the pix). Phil and PH both look completely different than they do in the '77 photo backstage at the Rainbow Theater (posted above). Here they're both short-haired and clean cut, but the photos are hilarious. Phil mischieviously smiling while he's giving Hammill a snuggy (tugging his underwear up out of his pants) while PH good-naturedly has an exaggerated "OMG!!!" look on his face. There are a couple more with those two just chilling sharing a laugh, as well as Armando Gallo and Paul Whitehead hanging with them.

For all the bashing Phil Collins takes, I have to say that I'll always be indebted to him. I interviewed so many celebs for the VdGG book, who were all great, but in almost all cases it took ages for them to get back to me. Within *one day* of me contacting Phil's "people" he wrote back some great memories of his time hanging with VdGG in the early 70s. Then when I met him a few years later when Genesis played in Chicago, he was very cool. I'd left my copy of the VdGG book at the hotel they were staying at so that he could sign it for me (I have original quotes of his in there). This was all pre-arranged with his management. The next day I walked over to the hotel after work. Genesis had played the night before and were getting ready for their second night at the same arena (probably around '07 I wanna say). There was a giant crowd of hundreds of fans outside the hotel door with waiting limos. Astonishingly enough, I just walked through them into the hotel door to the lobby. *NO ONE* was in there except the people behind the desk. I asked about my book, which was supposed to have been left there with Phil's signature, but they didn't know anything about it. Suddenly out of the elevator, I see a little guy who looked homeless, all bundled up with a cap pulled over his face, with another guy (bigger) next to him. Don't know if it was a body guard or what. But I walked up to them and said to the homeless looking guy (who I just knew was PC), "Phil?" He looked scared shitless and the guy next to him sort of tensed up. I immediately said, "Hey, I'm Jim Christopulos, you helped me out a few years ago with my Van der Graaf book." Phil immediately lightened up, smiled, and said "Oh, Jim! How are you mate?" Or something. Very nice all of a sudden, and the other guy relaxed and smiled too. He put off going outside to the limo for a few minutes and chatted with me. I just saw a really sweet, but very tired looking man. It was weird because here was this guy going off to play for 20,000 adoring fan(atic)s, but he seemed to really have a fondness for those early days. And looked almost sad talking about it. "You must tell Guy I said hello. We were such good mates." He told me he was friends with all the VdGG guys, but that he was really tight with Guy Evans, the VdGG drummer, and would hang out away from the band stuff. He actually seemed to miss those days in the few minutes I talked to him. I also had given him the Roxy '79 photos (the aforementioned pix of him backstage with Hammill at PH's show). They were in the book I left to be signed. He told me, "Yeah, I got those pix you left for me. It's funny, I don't remember being at the Roxy all those years ago with Peter, but I remember the shirt I was wearing [a very conservative sweater with a collared shirt] so I know the era that photo was taken." And then he was off. The next day I called Guy Evans in England and said, "Hey, I spoke to an old buddy of yours yesterday who wanted to be sure I told you he said hello." When I told Guy it was Phil, he said, "Well, it's nice to know that a good guy like that can still be a good guy after all these years even when he's made it big like that [or something to that effect]." Everyone I've ever spoken with who has known PC has nothing but nice things to say about him (it ain't like that with a few other guys from the Genesis camp, but Phil is universally loved by those who know him). So... I'll never join in on the PC bashing that sometimes occurs; he's just too cool.

[aith01]

Thank you for sharing those photos and stories, Bucka001. It was a very nice read, and very interesting too.

[Bucka001]

Thanks, glad some are enjoying this stuff. Here's one from June '70 when VdGG played the Royal Festival Hall (with fellow Charisma act Audience opening) in London. Several Charisma groups turned out as a show of solidarity and support. One of the rare Genesis photos with John Mayhew and Anthony Phillips.

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[Bucka001]

In the RFH London photo from '70, I can name many of these people for those who are interested.

Front Row, from left: Steve Gould (Rare Bird), John Mayhew (Genesis), Peter Gabriel (Genesis), Nic Potter (VdGG), Guy Evans (VdGG), three guys from Jackson Heights, I believe.

Middle Row, by himself, kneeling: Dave Kaffinetti (Rare Bird organist who went on years later to win the role of Viv Savage, the keyboardist with Spinal Tap in that masterpiece of a movie [possibly my fave comedy of all time]).

Back Row: Graham Field (Rare Bird), John Anthony (producer of VdGG, Genesis, Rare Bird), Tony Banks (Genesis), Anthony Phillips (Genesis), Michael Rutherford (Genesis), Glen Colson (Charisma staffer), Howard Werth (Audience singer), Keith Gemmell (with afro, Audience sax player), another Audience dude, Peter Hammill (VdGG rock star!!!), Mark Ashton (Rare Bird), Lee Jackson (Jackson Heights, ex-Nice man)

[Progatron]

Terrific story Bucka001! Thanks for sharing that!

[Bucka001]

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Milwaukee, '09. Banton, Hammill, Phil Smart (VdGG book author), me (VdGG book author), Guy Evans. Backstage after a terrific show at Milwaukee's Shank Hall. The night before in Chicago, we hung out for about an hour after the show in the band's tour bus. The band was so cool. First, they all gave me and my wife a hug (they don't even know her so well, but she certainly feels welcome with that greeting; she did meet them in London in '05) and then Peter plays host and pours a glass of wine for the small group of us on the bus (Jon Langford of the Mekons and Waco Brothers and his wife were also there). Lots of laughs and good-natured jabbering away. Then, the tour manager comes in and gets the band. Many fans have been waiting outside the bus for a good hour after the show to get autographs and take photos with the band. They go out there and are great with the fans, then come back in the bus after about 15 minutes for another round of wine. A fun night.

[Bucka001]

Mikael Akerfeldt of Opeth with Peter Hammill at the Classic Rock Magazine 'Prog' awards a few years back, when Hammill was presented with the 'Visionary' award.

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MA presenting the award to PH

[infandous]

Thanks for the pictures and stories, great stuff!

You mention the Phil bashing.........I used to blame him for Genesis "selling out". However, as I've matured, I've realized that it probably was not his idea alone (seems the other two were the most keen on that front) and that they seem to have naturally progressed into more basic song formats. Plus, being a musician I can hardly begrudge them their fantastic success. I'm still not a fan of the post-1977 material, but I'm wise enough now to know that no one "ruined" the band after that. They still made quality music.......just not the kind that appeals to me personally.

[Bucka001]

Thanks for the pictures and stories, great stuff!

You mention the Phil bashing.........I used to blame him for Genesis "selling out". However, as I've matured, I've realized that it probably was not his idea alone (seems the other two were the most keen on that front) and that they seem to have naturally progressed into more basic song formats. Plus, being a musician I can hardly begrudge them their fantastic success. I'm still not a fan of the post-1977 material, but I'm wise enough now to know that no one "ruined" the band after that. They still made quality music.......just not the kind that appeals to me personally.

Actually, after reading Mike Rutherford's biography, I can see MR having just as much (if not more) of an influence toward the pop direction that Genesis veered after.

[Bucka001]

Tony Stratton Smith (head of Charisma Records) with Peter Hammill, circa 1970.

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[Paulrus]

In the RFH London photo from '70, I can name many of these people for those who are interested.

Front Row, from left: Steve Gould (Rare Bird), John Mayhew (Genesis), Peter Gabriel (Genesis), Nic Potter (VdGG), Guy Evans (VdGG), three guys from Jackson Heights, I believe.

Middle Row, by himself, kneeling: Dave Kaffinetti (Rare Bird organist who went on years later to win the role of Viv Savage, the keyboardist with Spinal Tap in that masterpiece of a movie [possibly my fave comedy of all time]).

Back Row: Graham Field (Rare Bird), John Anthony (producer of VdGG, Genesis, Rare Bird), Tony Banks (Genesis), Anthony Phillips (Genesis), Michael Rutherford (Genesis), Glen Colson (Charisma staffer), Howard Werth (Audience singer), Keith Gemmell (with afro, Audience sax player), another Audience dude, Peter Hammill (VdGG rock star!!!), Mark Ashton (Rare Bird), Lee Jackson (Jackson Heights, ex-Nice man)

Notice how Tony Banks is like the only person not smiling. Or drinking. Such a serious guy!

[Bucka001]

Peter Hammil and Peter Gabriel with Paul Conroy (the man in the middle) recently. Paul is a big wig in the music industry. As the president at Virgin, he launched the career of the Spice Girls (one of a hundred stars he helped launch) but we can forgive him for that because he started out as a kid in the late 60s / early 70s as a key staffer at Charisma, where he worked tirelessly on behalf of VdGG and Genesis.

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[moecurlythanu]

^ There are many who have given in to the allure of the Dark Side of the Force.