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Ghandi 2 View Drop Down
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Points: 1494 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Van Der Graaf Generator
    Posted: April 22 2006 at 14:47
Ok, well I borrowed the Godbluff DVD from a friend, and my first thought was "Damn, these guys are weird! [but still not as weird as Magma ;-)]" Anyway, I really like Theme One and parts of A Plague... I can't make out most of the lyrics because it's semi-live, (and I can't make out ANY of the Godbluff lyrics, although admittedly I haven't listened to that section a whole lot, as I have always listed to A Plague... first, and then after that I can't stand to hear much more VddG and saxophone. What's-his-name is an excellent player, but the dominant saxophone is tiring for the unitiated. Soon I'll listen to it on its own, although I do like what I've heard of Sleepwakers. I don't like what I've heard of the other songs all that much though, which is why I haven't listened to Godbluff all that much yet) and I don't care all that much for the chaotic sections, and I wish that Hammill had used a real piano instead of that electric one.
I also laugh whenever he starts shouting, especially at "I DON'T WANT TO GO!" Is that a bad sign? 
 
However, I see that Pawn Hearts is now $14 on Amazon; (the psychological difference between $14, $15, and $16 is truly amazing) so I must ask you: from what I've said do you think that I'll like Pawn Hearts?
 
Other things I like are:
Pre-Wall Floyd (especially Animals and WYWH, but it's really all good. Even Ummagumma Studio and More)
TAAB and, to a lesser extent, APP
Jazzy Frank Zappa
Relayer (but not so much CTTE)
other stuff which escapes my memory
 
Off-Topic, but I'm also planning on getting Foxtrot because of its high praise, and I am starting to really like SEBTP; (I still don't see the fuss about Cinema Show, but perhaps with time I'll like it. I also don't understand the hatred of The Battle..., although I must admit that it's not quite worthy of being the longest song of the highest rated album on PA) and I think I'm going to get Birds of Fire because Zappa has interested me in the wonderful world of Jazz-Rock.


Edited by Ghandi 2 - April 22 2006 at 16:45
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retuow View Drop Down
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Points: 163 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 22 2006 at 14:53
The remastered version of Pawn Hearts includes Theme One, so that's an added bonus for you.

I personally don't mind the dominant saxes at all. I might suggest you take a look at The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other, the saxes are less dominant on that album IMHO.

Good luck with VDGG, they're worth it
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Ghandi 2 View Drop Down
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Points: 1494 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 22 2006 at 15:09
I don't mind the sax; I quite like it actually, as it's very unique. But I'm kind of tired of it when I'm listening to the Godbluff material right after A Plague...
 
Yeah, Theme One on the remaster is another thing which drew me to it. Yay for extras that are actually worth something, unlike some other bands like, oh I don't know, Yes. I have not listened once to my studio run throughs of Siberian Khatru and Gates of Delirium.
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Points: 166178 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 22 2006 at 15:10
I think you should try it, Even though its alittle chaotic at the end of  Lemmings. You said you liked what you heard out of A Plague...and Theme One is a good bonus track. Definitly worth the try at least Smile
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Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect.
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retuow View Drop Down
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Points: 163 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 22 2006 at 16:46
Originally posted by Ghandi 2 Ghandi 2 wrote:

Yeah, Theme One on the remaster is another thing which drew me to it. Yay for extras that are actually worth something, unlike some other bands like, oh I don't know, Yes. I have not listened once to my studio run throughs of Siberian Khatru and Gates of Delirium.


I completely agree. All the VDGG remasters are worth the buy. The bonus tracks on H to He, for example, are excellent. Squid 1/Squid 2/Octopus is a real gem.
    
    
    

Edited by retuow - April 22 2006 at 16:48
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Zargus View Drop Down
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Points: 3491 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 22 2006 at 19:28
The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other, is the best VDGG album for beginers and one of my personal favorites it often seem to be a litle forgoten but its realy a fantastic album, a litle lighter then the rest. And it was the first album i bought by em and i culdent think of a beter way to start your VDGG collection.
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Bj-1 View Drop Down
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Points: 31157 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 22 2006 at 22:56
Try Pawn Hearts, if you don't like it, get H to He.

Edited by Bj-1 - April 22 2006 at 22:56
RIO/AVANT/ZEUHL - The best thing you can get with yer pants on!
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Ghandi 2 View Drop Down
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Points: 1494 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 23 2006 at 00:08
Originally posted by Zargus Zargus wrote:

The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other, is the best VDGG album for beginers and one of my personal favorites it often seem to be a litle forgoten but its realy a fantastic album, a litle lighter then the rest. And it was the first album i bought by em and i culdent think of a beter way to start your VDGG collection.
Hmm, I'll have to consider that. As the highest rated album is not always the best to start with, as I saw with CTTE.
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Zoso View Drop Down
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Points: 501 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 23 2006 at 00:10
Originally posted by Ghandi 2 Ghandi 2 wrote:

Ok, well I borrowed the Godbluff DVD from a friend, and my first thought was "Damn, these guys are weird!


My basic first reaction as well.
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Paul K. View Drop Down
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Points: 197 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 23 2006 at 09:09
It seems that we have some sort of conspiracy here, and eventually VDGG's threads would seize forum and turn it to VDGG's church
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retuow View Drop Down
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Points: 163 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 23 2006 at 09:43
Originally posted by Paul K. Paul K. wrote:

It seems that we have some sort of conspiracy here, and eventually VDGG's threads would seize forum and turn it to VDGG's church


Damn, you're onto us. You realise that you will need to be annihilated, so we, the VDGG nutcases, can continue our evil plot for forum domination

And in the end there beckons
more and more clearly
TOTAL ANNIHILATION
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bucka001 View Drop Down
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Points: 864 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 23 2006 at 14:27

Don't judge Godbluff by the DVD. It's probably their best album, but the DVD suffers from crap camera work (where's Hugh Banton? Can we have just one more close-up of Jaxon and/or Hammill - probably not, there's already a million of them) and a generally claustrophobic feeling overall (there's not one shot of the entire band performing).

The Godbluff album/CD, however, is brilliant. Takes some work, though... You have to listen about five times and then it's the best thing you ever heard.

And don't worry about laughing during parts of 'Lighthouse'! The band themselves were cracking up when they listened back to it... sometimes things are just so dark and bizzare that you have to crack out laughing! I often find that some of the darkest things in rock can also have me laughing (and I don't mean in a camp or cheesey way); it's just, "how much more f**cked up can this be?" You mentioned Magma, and I find them to be the same way. A lot of Van der Graaf music has moments like that - it's not the self-consciuosly humorous vibe of a Genesis tune ('Battle of Epping Forest'), it's more subtle than that.
jc
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Ghandi 2 View Drop Down
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Points: 1494 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 23 2006 at 22:17
Yeah, I was ignoring the camera work and mainly listening to the music anyway.
 
After reading some other threads (and the reviews of Pawn Hearts) I'm considering getting H to He... instead, despite the psychological $1 difference. What do you guys think about that?
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Zac M View Drop Down
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Points: 3577 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 23 2006 at 22:23
H to He is one of their best albums and a great place start.
"Art is not imitation, nor is it something manufactured according to the wishes of instinct or good taste. It is a process of expression."

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