Van Der Graaf Generator |
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ProgRocker
Forum Newbie Joined: July 25 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 36 |
Topic: Van Der Graaf Generator Posted: October 20 2004 at 15:58 |
One of my latest additions to my musical collection, "Pawn Hearts", arrived in my mail bin yesterday. I hadn't heard VDGG previously, and my initial listen provoked the response "Hmm...this is interesting, but hard to get into." However, after repeated listenings, I have to say that I love this album to death, and I can't help but wonder, "Why have I never ventured to get anything by this band before?" Anyway, my question to you VDGG experts is: What album(s) should I get next/Which ones are the best and which ones are the worst? Obviously, PH is very highly ranked, but other than that which records would work best for a VDGG newbie? All help will be highly appreciated. Thanks. Joshus Shrive NP:VDGG - "Man-Erg" |
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Dick Heath
Special Collaborator Jazz-Rock Specialist Joined: April 19 2004 Location: England Status: Offline Points: 12805 |
Posted: October 20 2004 at 16:20 |
I said it before here, my start point with VdGG was At Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other and then H to HE. Wave has been a favourite for over 30 years.
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Carl floyd fan
Prog Reviewer Joined: March 09 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 176 |
Posted: October 20 2004 at 16:42 |
OH wow! I am getting Pawn Hearts soon through the mail! I have listened to it many times and love it! I personally like "the least we can do is wave to each other". still life is okay.
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Nizzy
Forum Groupie Joined: October 18 2004 Location: Scotland Status: Offline Points: 51 |
Posted: October 20 2004 at 18:36 |
Hey Josh. Welcome to VdGG-world. H to He Who Am The Only One is even better than Pawn Hearts, with two stunning classics, namely Killer and Lost. The other tracks are just 9.5 out of 10! Dick is right about Least We Can Do... which has Darkness 11/11, the equal of anything on the two previously-mentioned albums, plus White Hammer, probably the only mention Malleus Malificorum ever got in a rock song. The three quartet albums after the 1974 reformation - Godbluff, Still Life and World Record - would have been prog's greatest-ever triple album if the band had stored the songs up. As it is, they all came out within about 18 months of each other any way, given that man Hammill's amazing prolificity (prolificness?). The music is perhaps more conventional-sounding than the earlier work, although still far from the mainstream. Drummer Guy Evans refers to it as "blasted metal". Hammill plays lead electric for the first time with VdGG, stepping up the sound a gear. Also note that most of the Hammill solo albums from the 70s, whether VdGG were extant at the time or not, feature the other three. In other words, they're all KINDA Van der Graaf LPs any way - so you'll need the lot! They are a wonderful group who are still rewarding me 20 years after I first heard them. Enjoy. |
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gdub411
Forum Senior Member Joined: August 24 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3484 |
Posted: October 20 2004 at 19:07 |
Avoid at 1st...Aerosol Grey Machine and The Qiuet Zone/Pleasure Dome. Pick up The Silent Corner and Empty Stage as I feel that is his(Hammill) best solo and the one that sounds most like VdGG. If you end up liking all of these go pick up the rest of VdGG and all his solo work through the 70's....enjoy(my favorite band) P.S...warning: from Godbluff and later Peter Hammill's voice becomes much harsher and will take some time getting used to.
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Dan Bobrowski
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: February 02 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 5243 |
Posted: October 20 2004 at 19:15 |
I've been listening to a new era VDGG influenced band: Discipline. The singer/keyboard/sax player, Matthew Parmenter, also has a solo album "Astray" that's similar to VDGG. Sometimes a bit too similar...
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Nizzy
Forum Groupie Joined: October 18 2004 Location: Scotland Status: Offline Points: 51 |
Posted: October 20 2004 at 21:32 |
gdub - spot on re silent corner. And I still couldn't whistle anything from QZ/PD off the top of my head afterabout three years.
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Man Erg
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: August 26 2004 Location: Isle of Lucy Status: Offline Points: 7456 |
Posted: October 21 2004 at 05:00 |
Just mirroring what everyone else has said:-
I'd buy VdGG albums in order of release to hear the gradual progression The Least We Can Do is Wave to Each Other H to He Who am the Only One Godbluff Still Life World Record The Box 4 CD comp is also well worth checking out if you can find it at a reasonable price Peter Hammill buy in any order especially the first 6* Fool's Mate Silent Corner, Empty Stage In Camera Chameleon in the Shadow of the Night Nadir's Big Chance Over * Maybe leave Over until last.It is quite harrowing on the whole . It being about the break-up of his marriage/ relationship.I can remember reading an interview with him at the time.Whoooaa!!! As they say ''The world is your lobster.'' Edited by Man Erg |
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Petra
Forum Senior Member Joined: August 23 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 663 |
Posted: October 21 2004 at 05:16 |
Argh! Van Der Graaf Generator I still can't get into them. First album i heard was Still Life, then tried Aerosol Grey Machine and even Pawn Hearts didnt do it for me! I'm doomed! |
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Don't hate me
I'm not special like you |
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Dick Heath
Special Collaborator Jazz-Rock Specialist Joined: April 19 2004 Location: England Status: Offline Points: 12805 |
Posted: October 21 2004 at 05:33 |
Alas possible not the best choice of albums to gentle yourself into the band. What's that old Irish joke: 'so you'll be wanting to get to Dublin, well my advice is not to start from here'.
I know how the first samples heard of music by a band, can influence your subsequent feelings about the band -- is it irreversible in your case, can you start afresh? |
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Petra
Forum Senior Member Joined: August 23 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 663 |
Posted: October 21 2004 at 05:37 |
It fear it is irreversible Still Life must have blown it for me.
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Don't hate me
I'm not special like you |
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The Hemulen
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: July 31 2004 Location: UK Status: Offline Points: 5964 |
Posted: October 21 2004 at 08:09 |
Am I alone in finding World Record their best effort other than Pawn Hearts? i mean, it's got everything you could possibly want from the band - aggresiveness (when she comes), melodrama (masks), sheer grooviness (a place to survive) and a rip-roaring epic (meurglys III). Perhaps it just features too much guitar for the purists out there... I still maintain it boasts many of their greatest compositions.
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threefates
Forum Senior Member Joined: June 30 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 4215 |
Posted: October 21 2004 at 09:49 |
Actually I'm with Petra, I could never get into VDGG either. The voice was just a big turn off... and sometimes the keyboards just sounded like they were in the wrong songs...
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THIS IS ELP
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Reed Lover
Forum Senior Member Joined: July 16 2004 Location: Sao Tome and Pr Status: Offline Points: 5187 |
Posted: October 21 2004 at 09:58 |
Cheers Biaankaaaa! Thought I was on my own when it came to thinking VDGG were a major |
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sigod
Forum Senior Member Joined: September 17 2004 Location: London Status: Offline Points: 2779 |
Posted: October 21 2004 at 11:47 |
It took me nearly eighteen months and a lot of casual plays of Pawn Hearts before I finally 'got it' with VdGG. A hard band to like but even harder to put down after you find your way in. |
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I must remind the right honourable gentleman that a monologue is not a decision.
- Clement Atlee, on Winston Churchill |
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gdub411
Forum Senior Member Joined: August 24 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3484 |
Posted: October 21 2004 at 13:24 |
Threefates and Reed Lover....I am going to have to disown you now. They're my favorite |
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threefates
Forum Senior Member Joined: June 30 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 4215 |
Posted: October 21 2004 at 13:34 |
Sorry Greg... but they just don't have any rhyme or reason.... The voice is killer tho... regardless of the album. And Sigod, I've listened enough to know that I don't want to hear it again.... Sorry!
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THIS IS ELP
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gdub411
Forum Senior Member Joined: August 24 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3484 |
Posted: October 21 2004 at 13:49 |
Rhyme or reason?...no Hammill never influenced anyone important:Peter Gabriel,Fish,David Bowie,Johnny Rotten... Well I am not fond of Yes or Rush so okay...you're allowed not to like them....I guess
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wombat
Forum Newbie Joined: November 09 2005 Location: Antarctica Status: Offline Points: 29 |
Posted: November 09 2005 at 08:22 |
VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR
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Bj-1
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: June 04 2005 Location: No(r)Way Status: Offline Points: 31157 |
Posted: November 09 2005 at 08:37 |
^
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RIO/AVANT/ZEUHL - The best thing you can get with yer pants on!
EXERIOR Experimental tech/death/progmetal from Norway! |
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