Joe Banks

Rock and Role: The Visionary Songs of Peter Hammill and VdGG is published today! "Banks tackles Hammill's canon with an energetic, imaginative style... an assiduously researched story" MOJO "An authoritative exploration... highly accessible critiques" PROG rockandrole.net

@HopewellNick Thanks Nick, I'm no longer on X, but that's a great fact which will be going here ;-) rockandrole.net/addendum

@JoeBanksWriter The book is a splendid achievement. You speculate that ‘The Lie’ features the first use of the word ‘erection’ in popular music. A year earlier, in his song ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ from 1974’s Lifemask LP, Roy Harper refers to ‘a massive erection of pushy defence’. Similar theme too!

Rock and Role: The Visionary Songs of Peter Hammill and VdGG is published today! "Banks tackles Hammill's canon with an energetic, imaginative style... an assiduously researched story" MOJO "An authoritative exploration... highly accessible critiques" PROG rockandrole.net

This channel has now ceased transmission. If you've liked my posts, you can continue viewing them at bsky.app/profile/joeban… and facebook.com/joebankswriter/ Be seeing you...

Saw This Is Spinal Tap for the umpteenth time at the appropriately named Tufnell Park Film Club @tpfilmclub the other night, which made me realise how much I non-ironically love the songs! The Ian Anderson-esque chorus of Stonehenge is particularly great! youtube.com/watch?v=qAXzzH…

If you're interested in 'albums of the year'-type lists, then you might want to take a look at this... facebook.com/joebankswriter…

Hawkwind photo archivist Pedro Bellavista has posted some excellent pics from the band's BBC Maida Vale session for the Johnny Walker Show, where they recorded versions of Silver Machine and Brainstorm (02/08/72). Here's a selection... (taken by Victor de Schwanberg)

It's that time of the week again where myself, Graham Harfleet, Chris Clark and Andy Tillison chew through the VdGG back catalogue, the main dish this episode being Still Life. Warning: this broadcast contains controversial views... Listen from 1:00:00 progzilla.com/the-progressiv…

Ep 29: we were also very happy to chat to Paul Garbutt on the podcast about the live side of "In Your Area", as he actually saw this tour in the flesh. We got into his marvelous books, his love for current Hawkwind & the vast number of HW gigs he's been to 🚀 🗿🗿🗿 @HawkwindHQ

We start the new year by announcing that the YouTube version of the new episode is now live! 🗿🚀🗿🚀🗿 #Hawkwind @Hawkwind youtu.be/XZPsXoKl1NM?si…

@hawkbinge A polite way of saying rabid self-promotion ;-) And there's more to come...!

Great to see you on the promo trail once more Joe! 🚀🚀🚀

Only a couple of months after the man himself appeared, here I am on Word In Your Ear talking to David Hepworth and Mark Ellen about the book and all things Peter Hammill and VdGG! (Apologies if it looks like I'm particularly fascinated by my keyboard!) youtube.com/watch?v=7GIvY7…

Inside The Generator, the podcast where myself, Graham Harfleet, Chris Clark and Andy Tillison voyage through the VdGG catalogue, has reached the mighty Godbluff. It's dark, gothic and magnificent, and that's just us... Listen here from 1:02:08 progzilla.com/the-progressiv…

@Toshula Yes, if it has a failing, it doesn't spend long enough on 'The Final Act' of the title. But as I say, definitely not awful.

@JoeBanksWriter No definitely the Final Act, I'm a huge Bowiephile, but I was told it spent more te raking over old Melody Maker reviews of the Tin Machine project and interviews with people who he hadn't worked with for years than it did one TND and Black Star

Just went to see Bowie: The Final Act. Very good, and resists the rather daft mythologising of Moonage Daydream. Instead, it's understated and quite emotional. Talking heads that actually say insightful things too. Anyway, definitely a film worth watching: releasing.dogwoof.com/bowie-the-fina…

@Toshula Not from my perspective. At the very least, it's solid, never in 'awful' territory. Are you maybe thinking of Moonage Daydream, which was definitely more divisive?

@JoeBanksWriter I gave it a wide berth as I was told it was awful, is that not so?

There's a terrific five star review of Rock and Role in the latest Record Collector - many thanks to Kris Needs!

Cheer up, lads, it might never happen...

Hawkwind's gig in Coventry reviewed by Chas De Whalley in Sounds 25th, December 1976. Merry Christmas Joe. @HawkwindHQ @JoeBanksWriter @adbreakanthems

@SoundsClips @HawkwindHQ @adbreakanthems And to you!

@aijac And to you!

@JoeBanksWriter Happy Holidays! And happy writing. Cheers!

Enjoying listening to Peter Hammill's massive catalog - starting with "Nadir's Big Chance" and "Enter K." Thanks @JoeBanksWriter for exposing me to him. And you music heads out there should check out Peter Hammill. He might become your favorite new artist you've never heard of.