The album cover features a black-and-white photo portrait shot by Grammy award winning photographer Don Bronstein of Little Walter holding/playing a Hohner 64 Chromatic harmonica and liner notes by Studs Terkel, who had written Giants of Jazz.
The song is characterized by the ringing tones of 12-string acoustic guitars, which is joined by a Hohner Clavinet through a Leslie speaker in the bridge of the song.
The album saw Hammill's first use of the Hohner clavinet D6 keyboard, which would go on to feature prominently on the next few Van der Graaf Generator albums (particularly Godbluff).
His use of the Hohner clavinet model C on "Superstition" is widely regarded as one of the definitive tracks featuring the instrument.
According to journalist Andy Rooney, who was a correspondent in Europe at the time, the Red Army raided the Hohner accordion and harmonica factory at Torgau at the time.
Hohner |
Outside the recording studio and various gigs, he also worked as a product consultant for the Hohner and Lee Oskar harmonica companies.
Among the exhibits there are numerous preliminary models and unique items such as a Hohner Clavinet, Rhodes Piano, Mellotron as well as original instruments from international stars like Keith Emerson (Emerson, Lake & Palmer), Geoff Downes (Asia), Peter Wolf (Frank Zappa) and Tangerine Dream.
In the 1950s and 1960s, he invented various electro-mechanical musical instruments for the German musical instrument manufacturer Hohner, including the Cembalet, the Clavinet, the Guitaret, and the Pianet.
At that point, the sound of "Jingle Bells" was heard played on an 8-note Hohner "Little Lady" harmonica and a handful of small bells.