The Silent Corner and the Empty Stage

Album Notes & Community Reviews

Recorded during a Van der Graaf Generator hiatus, 'The Silent Corner and the Empty Stage' bridges Peter Hammill's solo inclinations with his band's signature sound, featuring key VdGG members Hugh Banton, Guy Evans, and David Jackson. The album juxtaposes stark, piano-led compositions against aggressive, symphonic rock, all marked by a raw, direct production and Hammill's dynamic, theatrical vocal delivery. Lyrically, it delves into dense, existential themes of identity, isolation, and faith, notably in the epic "A Louse is not a Home" and the art-history-inspired "The Lie (Bernini's Saint Theresa)."