In September, Peter Hammill is set to unveil a comprehensive 20-disc collection titled "The Charisma & Virgin Recordings 1971 - 1986" box set.
Peter Hammill, the legendary British musician and former member of Van der Graaf Generator, has announced a series of solo shows in England and Scotland, as well as the release of a 20-disc box set titled The Charisma & Virgin Recordings 1971 - 1986. This super deluxe edition, scheduled for release on September 25, 2025, will feature all 13 of Hammill's solo albums remastered from the original master tapes, along with new 5.1 and stereo mixes of The Future Now and pH7 by Stephen W Tayler [1][2][3].
The box set includes 18 CDs and 2 Blu-rays, covering Hammill's output for Charisma and Virgin Records. It also features rare BBC sessions, live recordings, and a Blu-ray video disc of previously unreleased European television performances. A 76-page hardback book with extensive commentary on each album by Peter Hammill and rare images is included in the box set. A limited run of the box set featuring an exclusive postcard will be available [1][2][3].
The announcement of these UK solo shows comes alongside the pre-order for The Charisma & Virgin Recordings 1971 - 1986. These will be the first UK solo shows for Hammill since 2018. The dates for the shows are: September 29 at Edinburgh's Queen's Hall, October 1 at Manchester's RNCM, and October 2 at London's Royal Festival Hall.
John Lydon, the frontman of the Sex Pistols, played The Institute of Mental Health, Burning and Nobody's Business on a 1977 Capitol Radio show, but Hammill's influence extends beyond the punk rock scene. Nadir's Big Chance, a Hammill album from 1975, has been cited as an influence on punk rock musicians [4].
Hammill released his first solo album, Fool's Mate, while still a member of Van der Graaf Generator. Since the last Van der Graaf Generator tour was abruptly curtailed in 2022, Hammill has been performing solo shows in Italy, Japan, and Greece [6].
[1] The Charisma & Virgin Recordings 1971 - 1986
[2] Peter Hammill announces UK solo shows
[3] Peter Hammill's 20-disc box set
[4] Nadir's Big Chance influence on punk rock
[5] Release date of The Charisma & Virgin Recordings 1971 - 1986
[6] Hammill's solo shows since 2022
- Peter Hammill's 20-disc box set, titled The Charisma & Virgin Recordings 1971 - 1986, is set for release on September 25, 2025.
- This super deluxe edition will feature Hammill's 13 solo albums, remastered from original master tapes.
- The box set includes 18 CDs and 2 Blu-rays, covering Hammill's output for Charisma and Virgin Records.
- It also features rare BBC sessions, live recordings, and a Blu-ray video disc of previously unreleased European television performances.
- A 76-page hardback book with extensive commentary on each album by Peter Hammill and rare images is included in the box set.
- A limited run of the box set, featuring an exclusive postcard will be available.
- The announcement of these UK solo shows comes alongside the pre-order for The Charisma & Virgin Recordings 1971 - 1986.
- These will be the first UK solo shows for Hammill since 2018, with dates at Edinburgh's Queen's Hall, Manchester's RNCM, and London's Royal Festival Hall.
