Fool's Mate

Release type:What's this?
studio album
First released:
Jul 1971

Overview Edit

Fool's Mate is the debut solo album by Peter Hammill of progressive rock band Van der Graaf Generator. The title is both a chess and tarot reference. It was produced by Trident Studios' in-house producer John Anthony. The album was recorded in 1971, in the midst of one of Van der Graaf Generator's most prolific periods. Hammill used the album to record a backlog of songs which were much shorter and simpler than his Van der Graaf Generator material, and declared on the original album sleeve: "This isn't intended to be any kind of statement of my present musical position, but at the same time, it is an album which involves a great deal of me, the person, basically a return to the roots."

Fool's Mate includes one of Hammill's most celebrated love songs, "Vision", which he still performs regularly in concert to the present day. Guest musicians on the album included the members of Van der Graaf Generator, members of his label mates Lindisfarne, and guitarist Robert Fripp.

The UK music press was generally very positive about Fool's Mate. Melody Maker saw "one of THE albums of the year".

The cover was designed by Paul Whitehead who at the time was the favourite cover artist for Charisma bands Genesis and Van der Graaf Generator.

In 2005 the album was issued in remastered form by EMI Virgin Records, supplemented with bonus demo recordings of several songs.

This particular version Edit

Record label:
Catalog number:
094631139529
Release dates:
  • Jun 27 2005

Genres

Progressive Rock. Vote on Genres

Track listing Edit

  • CD

    format:
    number:
    title:
    number name artist hh:mm:ss
    1
    Imperial Zeppelin (2005 Digital Remaster)
    3:38
    Play Buy track
    2
    Candle (2005 Digital Remaster)
    4:16
    Play Buy track
    3
    Happy (2005 Digital Remaster)
    2:36
    Play Buy track
    4
    Solitude (2005 Digital Remaster)
    4:56
    Play Buy track
    5
    Vision (2005 Digital Remaster)
    3:13
    Play Buy track
    6
    Re-Awakening (2005 Digital Remaster)
    4:01
    Play Buy track
    7
    Sunshine (2005 Digital Remaster)
    3:56
    Play Buy track
    8
    Child (2005 Digital Remaster)
    4:25
    Play Buy track
    9
    Summer Song (In The Autumn) (2005 Digital Remaster)
    2:13
    Play Buy track
    10
    Viking (2005 Digital Remaster)
    4:44
    Play Buy track
    11
    The Birds (2005 Digital Remaster)
    3:38
    Play Buy track
    12
    I Once Wrote Some Poems (2005 Digital Remaster)
    2:56
    Play Buy track
    13
    Re-Awakening (Early Demo Version)
    4:37
    Play Buy track
    14
    Summer Song In The Autumn (Early Demo Version)
    2:50
    Play Buy track
    15
    The Birds (Early Demo Version)
    3:23
    Play Buy track
    16
    Sunshine (Early Demo Version)
    3:54
    Play Buy track
    17
    Happy (Early Demo Version)
    2:49
    Play Buy track

Credits Edit

  1. performer

    1. Robert Fripp [Guitar, Guitar (Electric)]

Other versions Edit

Fool's Mate 12 tracks format: 1 x vinyl
record label: Charisma
catalog number: CAS 1037
release dates: Jul 1971 in United Kingdom
view details
Fool's Mate 17 tracks format: 1 x CD
record label: EMI
catalog number: 094631139529
release dates: 2005
view details
Fool's Mate 12 tracks format: 1 x CD
release dates: Oct 24 1988
view details
Fool's Mate 12 tracks format: 1 x CD
record label: EMI
release dates: Oct 24 1988
view details
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