Peter Hammill- (No More) The Sub-Mariner REACTION & REVIEW

[@Eduardo-Ferreira1982]

The way he sings, shines the meaning of it all. Such a force!

[@michawisniewski1813]

That's a pleasant surprise. Superb song and album!

[@VerMaarte]

This album so blew me away as a young songwriter, especially with songs/recordings like this. I grew up with classical music and 'pretty' sounding instruments for beautiful instrumentation. Along came Hammill, Fripp and Eno.... Making an arrangement so soulful with these sounds is brilliant.

[@webkahmik]

An out-and-out classic pH track. Inimitable.

[@slackdude1]

Read a book about Marillion back in about 1983 and Hammill was mentioned. I recalled seeing his albums but had no clue who he was. Figured out his albums were pictured on Marillion covers. Went to the city and bought everything I could. In Camera was the only early album I could find. I found it really eerie and didn’t grasp the vocal brilliance for several months. Songwriting masterclass with interest

[@peters7654]

Sterling was Sterling Moss an F1 racing driver from the 1950s, Peter May was a cricketer from the same period of Peter’s childhood

[@maartenlemmens8628]

Stirling Moss.

[@peters7654]

Of course, autocorrect got me!

[@maartenlemmens8628]

@@peters7654 i guessed as much!😆

[@DavidImiri]

Man, you've got this nailed. This album is almost sickly strange, but deadly good. This track almost sounds like you're underwater - the muffled booming bass, the tinny sonar-like synths. And oh that voice - he's in fine growly form here. It's scathing, high melodrama. Glad you enjoyed this so much, it bodes well for how you'll like the rest. Me, I'm just reveling in the refreshed memories, grinning voyeuristically (and enviously) at your fresh discovery of it, and glowing with renewed appreciation. It may be seared into my neurons indelibly, and in the early years played into the ground, but in recent decades it's really become a once in a while favorite, not everyday listening. I do hope you're savoring these multiple times on your own time to really soak them in. If you want a treat catch the stripped down piano version of this from the Peel Sessions (1974), with breathtaking vocals.

[@JustJP]

Ty David, im savoring indeed 😋

[@michaelhudson2912]

One of those handful of Hammill songs that sound like NOTHING else. One of my faves.

[@dennisdenbrok7690]

That's one of the pieces the studio versions of which to my ears pale in comparison to certain live versions. Check out the one from the Peel sessions, which, if memory serves, is a bonus track on the album, and is also on KZbin. It features only PH and the piano, so none of the synth, thus piano -- and voice, in particular -- take the job of phrasing, emphasizing the lyrics to much greater effect. For me, the definite, mature version of this piece, and one of my favourites from PH altogether. Thanks for the great reaction!

[@carlomercorio1250]

Douglas Bader was a legless RAF WWII fighter ace

[@maartenlemmens8628]

The German Moehne Dam was blown up in WW 2 by a squadron subsequently called The Dambusters. A famous movie ofvthat same name tells the story. Douglas Bader was a famous fighter pilot .

[@carlomercorio1250]

Peter May was an england cricket captain

[@Eduardo-Ferreira1982]

I think it's Peter on the bass. Maybe it explains why it's so strong. And, yes, this synth, in pop rock, it's quite a new sound ate the time, I guess. But I just wanna say: in Hammill music (and this is the highest points of his work) expect not only music. The calm part, with that choir boy voice, relates to his past, but this is only the beginning. He increased that approach (the nineties, with double vocals, are full of it) and one of the best examples is the incredible "Medieval" (from 1978 "The Future Now" ) Now, ready to hear him going nuts?

[@Eduardo-Ferreira1982]

Another aspect (and I'll shut up again) of this serious sounding, full of doubts song, is the main tone of the last words in each line: mature, sure, York, wall, more (just remembering some)... They're mostly a strong but closed sound too: the "O" or "ô" (sorry, haven't checked fonetic language to speak more properly). So that he can scream them out though they're dark and low. Even if we don't know quite what it means, or if it's just a coincidence, it fits the menacing attack of Hammill lyric and song. "Dark" (see? 😮)

[@Owlstretchingtime78]

'Phonetic'

[@Eduardo-Ferreira1982]

​ Thanks, I had doubts about that 😊

[@webkahmik]

@@Owlstretchingtime78 Eat that fone book.

[@Owlstretchingtime78]

@@webkahmik 'What are we gonna do then?

[@Eduardo-Ferreira1982]

@@webkahmik ahaha

[@shyshift]

David Hentschel played the ARP Synthesizer.

[@kenl2091]

This isn't so much a collection of songs, as an exploration of sonic ideas accompanied by poetry. I wouldn't have it any other way.

[@kevind4850]

Great track indeed, and justly acclaimed. Good pick!

[@chefren77]

There is a lovely live-in-the-studio recording for the John Peel show (BBC Radio) of this song here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e4GQp4iFotF9aq8

[@pentagrammaton6793]

Ah yes, it's a pun on Namor the Sub Mariner, an old Marvel character. 🙃

[@pentagrammaton6793]

Just me who spotted that then, ok

[@lemming9984]

@@pentagrammaton6793 Yep, never picked up on that - I only read the Beano and the Dandy as a kid!

[@user-ue3bp9nq5x]

Instead of the synth, I think an accordion would have been cool. (Kidding). Big Hammill fan here. JP, always love your analysis. (USA)

[@nobrains6107]

A contrary view here. I loved Silent Corner, I still think it's one of the great albums. When I saw the cover of the follow up I thought it was intended as a sister album, and bought it immediately. I absolutely hated it. After several decades and multiple listens I no longer do, but I still don't like it much.

[@dennisdenbrok7690]

I think there is a great album hidden in this good album, but PH on his own does not always make the best choices when it comes to orchestration and arrangements. I've been trying to plug the Peel sessions by Hammill twice now on this channel. They contain live versions of two pieces (this one and Sermon) from IC which demonstrate what could have been. But then again, why not experiment in the studio and present raw, emotional versions on stage.

[@nobrains6107]

@@dennisdenbrok7690 I'll look ito them, thanks.