H to He, Who Am the Only One by the fantastic Van der Graaf Generator, from 1970
An essential album for progressive rock, a masterpiece by a band I have long talked about in the profile dedicated to them.
It’s a key progressive rock record and one of the masterpieces by this truly great band: very atmospheric, with epic phases, loaded with tension, a kind of musical nightmare, and marked by a great, innovative and masterful use of electronics and synthesizers, with tracks built on complex structures and clear jazz influences.
The lineup on this album features Peter Hammill on vocals, acoustic guitar and piano, Hugh Banton on Hammond organ, Farfisa organ, piano, oscillator and bass pedals, David Jackson on saxophones (alto, tenor and baritone) and flute, and Guy Evans on drums and percussion.
During the recordings, bassist Nic Potter left the band halfway through the sessions, playing only on “Killer”, “The Emperor in His War-Room” and “Lost”. From that point on, Hugh Banton handled the bass lines using his organ pedals, helping define the group’s signature sound.
It’s interesting to note that their first album, “The Aerosol Grey Machine” (1969), was recorded by Hammill, Banton, Evans and Keith Ellis (on bass), while David Jackson took part as an outside guest.
Robert Fripp, the legendary leader and guitarist of King Crimson, appears on this album as a special guest on just one track. His contribution is entirely focused on “The Emperor in His War-Room”. Fripp delivers a magnificent, razor-sharp electric guitar solo in the second part of the piece, called “The Emperor”.
Van der Graaf Generator, in their classic quartet, didn’t have a fixed electric guitarist. Fripp’s arrival adds an acidic, distorted and menacing edge that fits perfectly with the song’s dark mood.
Both bands were signed to the renowned avant-garde label Charisma Records and shared the same producer, John Anthony. It was Anthony himself who invited Fripp into the studio to give that specific track a different touch.
Fripp felt so at ease with the group and with Peter Hammill that he returned as a guest on their next album too, the masterpiece “Pawn Hearts” (1971).
“H to He, Who Am the Only One” (1970) is the first where the legendary quartet (Hammill/Banton/Jackson/Evans) solidified, the one that would later create their subsequent masterpieces.
The album focuses on total isolation, existential loneliness and the loss of self. The very title, “H to He, Who Am the Only One”, contains the scientific and philosophical metaphor that runs through the whole record.
The passage from hydrogen (H) to helium (He) represents the nuclear fusion that happens in the heart of stars, a process that generates immense energy but consumes matter itself, leaving the star alone in space.
The second part of the title (“Who Am the Only One”) underlines the tragic condition of being the only survivor, or the supreme entity, completely isolated in the universe.
Each track explores loneliness from a different angle:
Biological Loneliness (Killer): A prehistoric marine predator, like a shark or sea monster, is condemned by its nature to kill anyone who comes near. Its ferocity traps it in total emotional isolation.
Psychological Loneliness (House with No Door): A metaphor for a depressed or autistic mind. The protagonist compares himself to a house with no doors or windows: he longs for contact with others, but is structurally unable to open up to them.
Historical and Moral Loneliness (The Emperor in His War-Room): A cruel tyrant sits alone in his war room, haunted by the ghosts of his victims. He realizes that absolute power has stripped him of humanity and bonds.
Existential Loneliness (Lost): The psychological drama of the end of a love. Separation leads to the collapse of the protagonist’s identity, who finds himself “lost” and unable to recognize himself.
Cosmic Loneliness (Pioneers Over C): A few astronauts travel beyond the speed of light (“C”). Breaking the laws of physics, they step outside known time and space, remaining trapped in an eternal limbo, floating like “living ghosts”, cut off from humanity forever.
The album is an avant-garde concept that doesn’t tell a linear story, but explores the darkest sides of the human psyche, where the individual discovers himself tragically alone before the universe, history, or himself.
Its sound is a mix of intricate jazz structures, avant-garde and classical music that creates a dense, almost suffocating atmosphere. One of the most distinctive features is the total absence of guitars, replaced by a menacing Hammond organ, a powerful electric sax, and a rhythm section that hits hard.
This album is often called “heavy metal without guitars”, because the weight and volume come precisely from Hugh Banton’s dark, powerful Hammond organ. David Jackson’s sax is treated with heavy effects and works both as a melodic instrument and as a chaotic, dissonant element. His jazz virtuosity adds a touch of unpredictability.
Peter Hammill is the emotional soul of the band. His voice is theatrical, moving from unsettling, melancholy whispers to desperate screams, exploring psychological themes, loneliness and science fiction.
The tracks are long epic suites with constant time changes, alternating moments of apparent calm with chaotic, cacophonous explosions.
Guy Evans on drums and percussion, often using timpani, and Nic Potter on bass create fluid, jazzy textures, yet they can strongly support the heavier parts.
The album is considered, together with Pawn Hearts, one of the cornerstones of their discography and is made up of 5 tracks, two of which are split into two parts, for a total running time of about 46 minutes.
Killer, magnificent, with splendid sax parts by Jackson and a great job by Evans, a track with a psychedelic sound, an impressive opening to the record.
House with No Door is a ballad, with the piano up front and a great flute part, guitars and bass.
The Emperor, with keyboards and Hammill’s singing making the difference. Beautiful!
The Emperor In His War-Room with an outstanding Robert Fripp solo.
Lost, with a jazzy mood, is one of the best pieces not only on the album but by Van der Graaf Generator in general, with a superb Hammill.
Pioneers Over C, different from the others, leaning into the world of space rock, is perhaps the least evocative track on the album.
A MUST for any collection, a timeless masterpiece that still sounds fresh and huge today, after more than half a century.
My Copy
Label: UMC – 089 607-2, Charisma – 089 607-8
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Gatefold
Country: Europe
Released: 8 Apr 2022
Tracks
1. Killer (8:07)
2. House With No Door (6:03)
3. The Emperor In His War-Room (9:04)
- a) The Emperor
- b) The Room
4. Lost (11:13)
- a) The Dance In Sand And Sea
- b) The Dance In The Frost
5. Pioneers Over C. (12:05)
Length 46:32
The Line-up
- Peter Hammill - lead vocals, acoustic guitar, piano (2)
- Hugh Banton - Hammond and Farfisa organs, piano, oscillator, bass (2,5), vocals
- David Jackson - alto, tenor and baritone saxophones, flute, effects, vocals
- Guy Evans - drums, timpani, percussion
With:
- Nic Potter - bass (1,3,4)
- Robert Fripp - electric guitar (3)
Note: All links to the musicians’ works are in the TAGs under the article title or on the "Artists" page
