1969/2011 Crimsons or Der Graaf ! - Progressive Rock Music Forum

Author

Message

Topic Search

Topic Options

DisgruntledPorcupine View Drop Down

Forum Senior Member

Joined: January 16 2010
Location: Thunder Bay CAN
Status: Offline
Points: 4395

Posted: February 19 2012 at 00:05

VdGG is my favourite band, so that.

2dogs

Forum Senior Member

Joined: December 03 2011
Location: England
Status: Offline
Points: 705

Posted: February 19 2012 at 02:45

I like some of the tracks on some of the KC albums a lot, but would rather play a VdGG album all the way through.

dedokras

Forum Senior Member

Joined: December 04 2006
Location: Bulgaria
Status: Offline
Points: 635

Posted: February 19 2012 at 04:28

VDGG it is

http://mlyk.bandcamp.com/

Hercules

Prog Reviewer

Joined: June 14 2007
Location: Near York UK
Status: Offline
Points: 7024

Posted: February 19 2012 at 17:37

Horizons wrote:

PabstRibbon wrote:

Every KC are at least very great, I was listening to Beat yesterday, Wow what an album

Very good indeed. Much better than any ELP rubbish.

I'm not a huge ELP fan, but Emerson Lake & Palmer and Trilogy are both far better than any KC album.

Greg Lake knew exactly what he was doing when he jumped ship.

A TVR is not a car. It's a way of life.

bucka001

Forum Senior Member

Joined: November 16 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 864

Posted: February 21 2012 at 14:08

VdGG is my fave band, but Crimson is a pretty incredible institution. At the time of their early 80's reunion, I loved those three albums with the RF/BB/TL/AB lineup, and saw them live. Now, there's just something annoying to me about Adrian Belew's vox, they're just too self-consciously clever (sort of like David Byrne, who I do respect but am annoyed by at times). I never thought I'd say that about Elephant Talk (for instance) as it was one of the coolest tracks I'd ever heard at the time. Now, the vox kill it for me.

In fact, while Hammill's later vox (from about '75-on) hinder some people's enjoyment of VdGG's music, it's those very metal-like harsh vocals which push VdGG into the stratosphere for me. What balls; their music separates the men from the boys. Even on the metal-like Crimson albums I love (Larks, Starless, Red), they're just lacking a killer vocalist (Wetton was too reserved, he just didn't 'go for it' the way a guy like Hammill does) and Hammill's vox would have turned those Crim albums into prog-metal masterpieces.

So, VdGG for me, although I certainly respect and love some Crimson.

For a great idea of what these two institutions might sound like if they had merged, try "Disengage" from Fripp's Exposure album, It's that Red-era type of metal, but with Hammill's insane dementoid-metal vocals over the top (singing in a way that no Crimson vocalist ever could). Brilliant. Also, Tonk from the David Cross solo album has Crimson alumni Cross and Fripp with Hammill's great vox. Again, brilliant stuff.

Edited by bucka001 - February 21 2012 at 14:08

lazland

Prog Reviewer

Joined: October 28 2008
Location: Wales
Status: Offline
Points: 13240

Posted: February 21 2012 at 14:11

A lot depends on my mood and taste at the time. Now, I would probably go for Crimson, but that can change.

What I will say is that I really have to be in the right mood to listen to either, and that can be a long time apart.

Enhance your life. Get down to www.lazland.org

Atoms

Forum Senior Member

Joined: September 12 2010
Location: Sweden
Status: Offline
Points: 546

Posted: February 21 2012 at 15:24

VdGG is without any doubt my favorite band, and I think they were alot more consistent than KC. However, there are few albums that can match the perfection of Islands for me. But one perfect album can't compete against all the amazing albums VdGG has given to us.

Horizons

Collaborator

Honorary Collaborator

Joined: January 20 2011
Location: Somewhere Else
Status: Offline
Points: 16952

Posted: February 21 2012 at 15:32

Hercules wrote:

Horizons wrote:

PabstRibbon wrote:

Every KC are at least very great, I was listening to Beat yesterday, Wow what an album

Very good indeed. Much better than any ELP rubbish.

I'm not a huge ELP fan, but Emerson Lake & Palmer and Trilogy are both far better than any KC album.

Greg Lake knew exactly what he was doing when he jumped ship.

I think you just dislike KC then.

Crushed like a rose in the riverflow.

The Bearded Bard View Drop Down

Special Collaborator

Honorary Collaborator

Joined: January 24 2012
Location: Behind the Sun
Status: Offline
Points: 12859

Posted: March 13 2012 at 18:13

KC.

King Manuel View Drop Down

Forum Senior Member

Joined: October 16 2010
Location: South Africa
Status: Offline
Points: 952

Posted: March 14 2012 at 01:40

For me definetly VdGG. Although they released some albums that where not that great they are more or less my favourite band. Pawn Heart, Godbluff, Still Life, and H to He are masterpiece I enjoy since years over and over again. KC, although I tried listening over and over to their aclaimed albums, never gripped me in any way. There is something to their sound, their arrangemenst that turns me completely off.

Edited by King Manuel - March 14 2012 at 01:42

Don't Bore Us, Get To The Chorus

Blacksword View Drop Down

Prog Reviewer

Joined: June 22 2004
Location: England
Status: Offline
Points: 16130

Posted: March 14 2012 at 05:36

I'll vote for Crimson, as their overall output has been more varied over the years, but both bands are superb in their own right. both have produced albums in my top 10 of all time (Red & Still Life)

Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy!

DiamondDog View Drop Down

Forum Senior Member

Joined: August 15 2011
Location: Cambridge
Status: Offline
Points: 320

Posted: March 14 2012 at 21:40

Van Der Graaf could be inventive and interesting. But nothing they've done gets anywhere near that first Crimson album.

Poll Question: KC or VDGG in their 69/12 discography
Poll Choice	Votes	Poll Statistics
Van Der Graaf Generator	25	[38.46%]
King Crimson	40	[61.54%]
This topic is closed, no new votes accepted