Chameleon in the Shadow of the Night

Chameleon in the Shadow of the Night
Studio album by Peter Hammill
Released	May 1973
Genre	Progressive rock
Length	50:20
Label	Charisma
Producer	John Anthony
Peter Hammill chronology
Fool's Mate (1971) Chameleon in the Shadow of the Night (1973) The Silent Corner and the Empty Stage (1974)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

Chameleon in the Shadow of the Night was the second solo album by British singer-songwriter Peter Hammill. It followed in the aftermath of the breakup of Hammill's band Van der Graaf Generator, although (as with many of Hammill's "solo" albums from this period) the other members of Van der Graaf Generator all perform on the album, blurring the distinction between solo and group work.

The album was produced by John Anthony at Rockfield Studios, Wales, for the first time using pre-recorded parts done by Peter Hammill in his home studio in Worth. For final mixing the then much better equipped Trident Studios were used. The album was released in May 1973 on Charisma records.

Some of the songs ("German Overalls" and "In the End") relate to Van der Graaf Generator's decision to split, following an exhausting, demoralising and poverty-stricken experience of being a touring rock band^[2].

Hammill has continued to perform "Easy to Slip Away" in concert to the present day. The song relates to him losing touch with student housemates Mike and actress Susan Penhaligon (who were also namechecked in the Van der Graaf Generator song "Refugees").

The complex and atmospheric "(In the) Black Room/The Tower" was originally planned for inclusion on Van der Graaf Generator's album following Pawn Hearts, an album that because of the band's split never came to be.^[3] It features all of Van der Graaf Generator's ex-members. The song was later performed on stage by Van der Graaf Generator when the band reformed in 1975, and also during their 2005 reunion.

The cover was designed by Paul Whitehead, who also was the artist for Fool's Mate as well as for other Van der Graaf Generator and Genesis albums in the beginning of the 1970s. It shows Peter Hammill's astrological sign scorpio twice, as a painting of a real scorpion and as part of a personal logo which Hammill introduced with this album and which would appear on the covers of many coming releases. The photo on the front side was taken by Bettina Hohls in Hamburg.

Track listing

All tracks composed by Peter Hammill

1. "German Overalls" - 7:03
2. "Slender Threads" - 4:57
3. "Rock and Rôle" - 6:41
4. "In the End" - 7:21
5. "What's It Worth" - 3:56
6. "Easy to Slip Away" - 5:18
7. "Dropping the Torch" - 4:11
8. "(In The) Black Room/The Tower" - 10:53

Personnel

• Hugh Banton - keyboards
• Guy Evans - drums
• Peter Hammill - guitars, keyboards, vocals
• David Jackson - saxophone
• Nic Potter - bass

Notes

1. ^ Allmusic review
2. ^ Gallo, Armando. ""Chameleon in the Shadow of the Night" (review)". http://www.vandergraafgenerator.co.uk/pawnhearts/cham_r3.jpg. Retrieved July 18, 2007. 
3. ^ Christopulos, J., and Smart, P.: "Van der Graaf Generator - The Book", page 174. Phil and Jim publishers, 2005. ISBN 0-9551337-0-X

External links

• Album information on the unofficial VdGG site