8. Van der Graaf Generator – Pawn Hearts
It’s another strange thing; you had to keep some records as secrets on the punk scene, but John Lydon was into [founding member of Van der Graaf Generator] Peter Hammill. There’s an idea that people would hide their Genesis records and get out The Damned ones if people came round. I didn’t hide mine, although I didn’t play them to Ian when he came round.
They’re a funny band, Van der Graaf Generator. At the time, with Pawn Hearts, all of your mates would say: "Ooh, there’s a track that’s three days long… it’s pixie stuff". But ‘A Plague Of Lighthouse Keepers’ is completely overblown, like a nightmare with saxophones. I suppose it’s the ultimate prog-rock album: it’s really overblown, but still of the terrifying. I really like Peter Hammill. He’s another guy who’s really unique – he has a really individual way of singing, and it’s very raw.
