Genesis vs Van der Graaf (Generator)
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Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Polls
Forum Description: Create polls on topics related to progressive music
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=109896
Printed Date: April 19 2024 at 04:30
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Topic: Genesis vs Van der Graaf (Generator)
Posted By: Woon Deadn
Subject: Genesis vs Van der Graaf (Generator)
Date Posted: January 09 2017 at 17:26
| Both loved creating long compositions, both had fabulous charismatic vocalists. |
Replies:
Posted By: Pastmaster
Date Posted: January 09 2017 at 18:13
| VdGG |
Posted By: twosteves
Date Posted: January 09 2017 at 20:12
| well I absolutely love one and absolutely loath the other. |
Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: January 09 2017 at 20:35
| Lately I have been with more desire to listen to VDGG, but I guess it's Genesis by a small margin. Though I do prefer Hamill's vocals over Gabriel's (as well as his lyrics) by a very wide margin. |
Posted By: dr prog
Date Posted: January 09 2017 at 22:38
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VDGG breaking up from 72-74 doesn't help them. They missed some great years. Love their 75-78 stuff. H to He is great too. Thought they went backwards with Pawn Hearts I thought and wasn't crazy about Hammills solo stuff from 72-74. Wonder if the band would have sounded similar in that era. ------------- All I like is prog related bands beginning late 60's/early 70's. Their music from 1968 - 83 has the composition and sound which will never be beaten. Perfect blend of jazz, classical, folk and rock. |
Posted By: Hercules
Date Posted: January 10 2017 at 02:00
Yep. Love Genesis..............!!!! ------------- A TVR is not a car. It's a way of life. |
twosteves wrote:Posted By: BaldJean
Date Posted: January 10 2017 at 02:37
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Van der Graaf Generator all the way -------------  A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta |
Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: January 10 2017 at 03:09
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Genesis, though I love VdGG as well. ------------- 
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Posted By: aliano
Date Posted: January 10 2017 at 03:18
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VdGG is my favorite band ever. From Genesis discography I'm only intrigued by SEBTP. |
Posted By: Mormegil
Date Posted: January 10 2017 at 07:33
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Genesis, although starting to appreciate more VDGG. ------------- Welcome to the middle of the film. |
Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: January 10 2017 at 07:40
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Both great bands but I prefer Genesis tbh. Hammill can get on my nerves whereas Gabriel only ever does during the 'Touch Me!!' section of Musical Box. Musically they're both outstanding in every way (with Phil being the more interesting of the two drummers). ------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams |
Posted By: CPicard
Date Posted: January 10 2017 at 08:22
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VdGG is hard to get into, some pieces are a bit too long and a bit too "melodramatic', but the general atmosphere fits more with my personal attitude. |
Posted By: Man With Hat
Date Posted: January 10 2017 at 09:41
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VDG(G) ------------- Dig me...But don't...Bury me I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect. |
Posted By: ALotOfBottle
Date Posted: January 10 2017 at 09:49
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Van der Graaf Generator. I like Genesis, but I can only consume their music in small doses or I feel a bit like you do after eating too much of something that contains loads of sugar. ------------- Categories strain, crack and sometimes break, under their burden - step out of the space provided. |
Posted By: Upbeat Tango Monday
Date Posted: January 10 2017 at 11:24
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I really like both bands, but Genesis is better ------------- Two random guys agreed to shake hands. Just Because. They felt like it, you know. It was an agreement of sorts...a random agreement. |
Posted By: Barbu
Date Posted: January 10 2017 at 12:09
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Gentle Giant ------------- |
Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Date Posted: January 10 2017 at 13:35
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Why (Generator)? I gave my vote to VdGG as VdG only released on studio album. ------------- 
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Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: January 10 2017 at 13:42
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I thought same why are ( ) being used?? Genesis, any day of any year (past, present and future). -------------   
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Posted By: lazland
Date Posted: January 10 2017 at 14:14
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Genesis ------------- Enhance your life. Get down to www.lazland.org |
Posted By: Woon Deadn
Date Posted: January 11 2017 at 14:37
Maybe, I was wrong in using parentheses. I meant that it's both names, certainly! The whole VdGG, all lineups, all years, all releases.
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Posted By: micky
Date Posted: January 11 2017 at 16:38
truth..... ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: January 11 2017 at 18:01
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Genesis! ------------- https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1&_ssn=musicosm" rel="nofollow - eBay |
Posted By: uduwudu
Date Posted: January 12 2017 at 02:30
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The guys who wrote and played Los Endos. |
Posted By: BaldJean
Date Posted: January 12 2017 at 03:21
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I am not at all surprised that Genesis are winning this poll. they are an easy listening band compared to Van der Graaf Generator ------------- A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta |
Posted By: HackettFan
Date Posted: January 13 2017 at 14:07
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I voted for Genesis. I like VdGG, but I always found their compositions too sparse, not enough little tidbits, layered textures, flourishes, and melodical twists and turns to make things interesting. I like their groove and the long drones they come up with, but not usually for the whole duration they hold them. I do think playing two saxes at one time was extra special, but as an amateur guitar player and avid fan of guitar work in general, it feels like there was a gaping hole in the music that a guitarist could have filled. ------------- A curse upon the heads of those who seek their fortunes in a lie. The truth is always waiting when there's nothing left to try. - Colin Henson, Jade Warrior (Now) |
Posted By: thief
Date Posted: January 13 2017 at 14:31
| I think that pairing Van der Graaf Generator with Genesis and results of this poll - less than 60:40 lead for the latter - proves how wildly underrated and special VdGG really is. |
Posted By: geekfreak
Date Posted: January 25 2017 at 12:03
love both but for the whole body of albums it has to be Van Der Graaf Generator by a nose ------------- Friedrich Nietzsche: "Without music, life would be a mistake." Music Is Live Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. Keep Calm And Listen To The Music… < |
Posted By: Dopeydoc
Date Posted: January 25 2017 at 13:21
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Genesis, I love the Peter Gabriel era I only like VDGG. I need harmony to fully appreciate prog |
Posted By: BaldJean
Date Posted: January 25 2017 at 13:47
then you have not really listened. for example: a specialty of VdGG is to take two riffs that appear in a song, usually a slow one and a fast one, and at one time play both riffs at the same time ------------- A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta |
Posted By: Barbu
Date Posted: January 25 2017 at 13:51
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Apples or oranges. ------------- |
Posted By: maryes
Date Posted: January 25 2017 at 16:17
| GENESIS |
Posted By: dr prog
Date Posted: January 25 2017 at 16:32
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Graaf ------------- All I like is prog related bands beginning late 60's/early 70's. Their music from 1968 - 83 has the composition and sound which will never be beaten. Perfect blend of jazz, classical, folk and rock. |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: January 25 2017 at 17:14
| I voted for VDGG. I don't necessarily like them better I was just trying to level the playing field because I know many people who don't even know VDGG will vote for Genesis. This is like a big dog picking a fight with a puppy. |
Posted By: The Bearded Bard
Date Posted: January 25 2017 at 17:35
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Genesis -------------  
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Posted By: Rednight
Date Posted: January 26 2017 at 14:25
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Hell, it's too close to call, Pick it. ------------- "It just has none of the qualities of your work that I find interesting. Abandon [?] it." - Eno |
Posted By: perrinsolo
Date Posted: October 05 2017 at 13:33
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Van der Graaf, I think. These two are possible my least favourite progressive bands... Genesis are melodic, but a bit too bland and somehow not memorable enough. |
Posted By: bucka001
Date Posted: October 06 2017 at 09:18
The ( ) are used sometimes when writers refer to the discography of VdG(G). The reason is because the band's last two 70s albums before they broke up were just credited to Van der Graaf (they shortened the name by dropping the 'Generator' after David Jackson and Hugh Banton left).
------------- jc |
Posted By: Boojieboy
Date Posted: October 06 2017 at 10:12
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I'm not going to choose one over there other (though I do have a preference). I would say though that Genesis is good at presenting the bright and harmonious side of life, and VDGG is good at presenting the darker and more striking side of life. There's a place for both, and both should be appreciated for their unique and original approaches. I still don't get this spirit of judging and rating among the prog. crowd. Seems like the uglier side of western "civilization" and trying to pick the "king" and the winner, and move folks up or down some kind of imaginary ladder. Prog doesn't need hierarchies and judging and criteria for value.
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Posted By: The.Crimson.King
Date Posted: October 06 2017 at 10:27
VDGG for me. I love Genesis from Trespass through W&W, but then began the decline to embarrassment whereas VDGG never tarnished their legacy...and with "Do Not Disturb" even continue to release great albums  ------------- https://wytchcrypt.wixsite.com/mutiny-in-jonestown" rel="nofollow - Mutiny in Jonestown : Progressive Rock Since 1987 |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: October 06 2017 at 11:43
| Yes, but one band sells maybe 40,000 copies of their later albums while the other 4 million. Lol. Not tarnishing your legacy won't result in a big house with a big mansion and lots of long legged groupies(or short legged ones). Although I'm sure VDGG don't care much about that at this point. :P |
Posted By: The.Crimson.King
Date Posted: October 06 2017 at 11:54
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Keeping the legacy intact makes it easy to say "I'm a fan of VDGG", where if I say "I'm a fan of Genesis" I feel the need to quickly add..."70's Genesis". Besides, I have a feeling the groupie days ended for Hammill, Banton & Evans long ago, though Phil is probably still trying to pull ------------- https://wytchcrypt.wixsite.com/mutiny-in-jonestown" rel="nofollow - Mutiny in Jonestown : Progressive Rock Since 1987 |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: October 06 2017 at 12:04
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^ both bands did their best work in the 70s. I actually only like 70s VDGG, I tried a couple of albums since they reunited, wasn't that impressed. don't know what to choose... :(
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Posted By: BaldFriede
Date Posted: October 06 2017 at 12:56
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I love both the 70s and the 21st century VdGG. The second disc of "Present" is sadly extremely underrated, and "Do Not Disturb" is one of their very best albums. -------------  BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue. |
Posted By: The.Crimson.King
Date Posted: October 06 2017 at 13:46
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I think the post 2000 albums stand up strong compared to their 70's output, though anyone looking to explore them should know they far more resemble the harder edge Godbluff/Still Life/World Record style rather than the Aerosol/Least/H to He/Pawn Hearts feel. I rank them... 1) Trisector 2) A Grounding in Numbers - Do Not Disturb (tie) 3) Present (though "Every Bloody Emperor" is fantastic and rather timely just about now) ------------- https://wytchcrypt.wixsite.com/mutiny-in-jonestown" rel="nofollow - Mutiny in Jonestown : Progressive Rock Since 1987 |
Posted By: King of Loss
Date Posted: October 06 2017 at 14:52
| GENESIS FOR SURE!!! |
Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: October 06 2017 at 18:58
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Genesis. ------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: TexasKing
Date Posted: October 07 2017 at 12:47
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Genesis. VDGG is very good, though.
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Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Date Posted: October 07 2017 at 14:22
-------------
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Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: October 07 2017 at 20:27
I understand that's the point of a forum, and even more so the polls section (or lists section), so if you don't like such discussions, you would need to be more selective on the topics you search within the forum (and perhaps just stay out of the polls section). |
Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: October 08 2017 at 14:08
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Genesis.....especially the Gabriel years. I like VDGG music but never really warmed up to the way Hammill sang. ------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Posted By: Frenetic Zetetic
Date Posted: February 21 2018 at 12:55
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Genesis ------------- "I am so prog, I listen to concept albums on shuffle." -KMac2021 |
Posted By: DeadSouls
Date Posted: February 22 2018 at 12:12
| VDGG |
Posted By: I prophesy disaster
Date Posted: February 22 2018 at 12:54
I actually prefer this to the first disc. ------------- No, I know how to behave in the restaurant now, I don't tear at the meat with my hands. If I've become a man of the world somehow, that's not necessarily to say I'm a worldly man. |
Posted By: I prophesy disaster
Date Posted: February 22 2018 at 12:56
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To be honest, I've always thought Genesis was a poor man's Van der Graaf Generator. ------------- No, I know how to behave in the restaurant now, I don't tear at the meat with my hands. If I've become a man of the world somehow, that's not necessarily to say I'm a worldly man. |
Posted By: Squonk19
Date Posted: February 22 2018 at 12:58
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Genesis....unsurprisingly. ------------- “Living in their pools, they soon forget about the sea.” |
Posted By: mlkpad14
Date Posted: February 22 2018 at 13:12
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VDGG, but this is an awesome poll. I really had to think about it. ------------- https://gamecrazyprofessional.weebly.com/ |
Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: February 22 2018 at 21:13
I guess most people would think it the other way around. However, musically, I don't see so much similarity (except that hey both play prog)... I guess VdGG is more similar to King Crimson. But in the theatrical vocals part, yeah, I guess they are similar. Most people will love Peter Gabriel more, but for me indeed Peter Hamill does it much better... I just mostly don't like Gabriel's singing. And I think Hamill's lyrics are better too. |
Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: February 22 2018 at 21:35
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Genesis is winning....as it should be....I mean even the Mick thinks VDGG sucks. ;) When friends come over I like to put VDGG on and they usually go...'WTF' is that.? I tell them...have another beer...it will grow on you. ;) ------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Posted By: Mortte
Date Posted: February 22 2018 at 23:04
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Posted By: charles_ryder
Date Posted: February 23 2018 at 03:00
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VDGG is the solo project of Peter Hammill imho. I like it, but the band (like Genesis) is something more than one man and some good musicians (like VDGG). ------------- om mani padme hum |
Posted By: Frenetic Zetetic
Date Posted: February 23 2018 at 03:08
Very little makes me balk, but the above quote sure did  ------------- "I am so prog, I listen to concept albums on shuffle." -KMac2021 |
Posted By: Mortte
Date Posted: February 23 2018 at 03:26
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Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: February 23 2018 at 03:52
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Talk about apples and oranges! Genesis get my vote but VDGG are excellent. Godlbluff and Still life would be in my prog top 20, and Pawn Hearts wouldnt be far behind them! ------------- Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy! |
Posted By: charles_ryder
Date Posted: February 23 2018 at 04:25
Why not? After the Benefit or maybe after the Aqualang Jethro Tull is the Ian's project, for sure  ------------- om mani padme hum |
Posted By: Mortte
Date Posted: February 23 2018 at 05:46
| ^Tull has sounded a really great band to me always, so does VDGG. |
Posted By: miamiscot
Date Posted: February 23 2018 at 09:32
| As much as I love VDGG, Genesis is the clear winner here. |
Posted By: BaldFriede
Date Posted: February 23 2018 at 09:46
Interestingly David Bowie liked to call himself "Poor man's Peter Hammill". He was a big fan of Hammill and attended the reunion concert of VdGG at the Royal Festival Hall on May 6th 2005. ------------- BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue. |
Posted By: Rednight
Date Posted: February 23 2018 at 10:52
------------- "It just has none of the qualities of your work that I find interesting. Abandon [?] it." - Eno |
Posted By: I prophesy disaster
Date Posted: February 23 2018 at 13:07
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------------- No, I know how to behave in the restaurant now, I don't tear at the meat with my hands. If I've become a man of the world somehow, that's not necessarily to say I'm a worldly man. |
Posted By: I prophesy disaster
Date Posted: April 27 2018 at 14:06
Then they would be wrong because Genesis is the better known group whose music is easier to obtain and more accessible. ------------- No, I know how to behave in the restaurant now, I don't tear at the meat with my hands. If I've become a man of the world somehow, that's not necessarily to say I'm a worldly man. |
Posted By: ProgMetaller2112
Date Posted: April 27 2018 at 14:09
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I love both but Genesis is something else ------------- “War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.” ― George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four "Ignorance and Prejudice and Fear walk Hand in Hand"- Neil Peart |
Posted By: Rednight
Date Posted: April 27 2018 at 15:07
------------- "It just has none of the qualities of your work that I find interesting. Abandon [?] it." - Eno |
Posted By: Junges
Date Posted: April 27 2018 at 15:09
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VDGG by far. ------------- 
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Posted By: ProgMetaller2112
Date Posted: April 27 2018 at 16:28
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^^ Really? By far?? ------------- “War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.” ― George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four "Ignorance and Prejudice and Fear walk Hand in Hand"- Neil Peart |
Posted By: Lewian
Date Posted: April 27 2018 at 17:45
Found this great posting in the thread. I'm really schizophrenic on that one. I love the numbers games including ranking and voting but ultimately this is one thing and proper music appreciation is a totally different thing. |
Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: April 27 2018 at 20:01
| ^ If someone doesn't like the rating thing, then why is he checking out the polls section of a forum? However, yeah, in an idealistic way of seeing it, it seems ugly and whatever, but it's really very useful to get to know new bands. You have to start somewhere, and there's so much available that you can't just listen to all and decide which you like better to start with. So you check lists, rankings, polls, whatever to have somewhere to start. |
Posted By: Frenetic Zetetic
Date Posted: April 27 2018 at 20:05
That is actually rather interesting! I never knew that. Neat! ------------- "I am so prog, I listen to concept albums on shuffle." -KMac2021 |
Posted By: Hiram
Date Posted: July 16 2023 at 12:11
| Bump from ancient past with a vote to VdGG. |
Posted By: Octopus II
Date Posted: July 16 2023 at 12:17
| Like both, but voted for Genesis. |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: July 16 2023 at 12:30
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So many Genesis vs. polls, but I have tended to do such things too much with some of my favourites (i.e. Cardiacs, Swans, Magma, Art Zoyd, Area, Comus, Cos, VdGG, Stereolab etc. -- some much more than others). VdGG for sure. The The Least We Can Do..., H to He...., and Pawn Hearts trilogy of album is incredible. The search for an album (especially for hearing "Hairless Heart" which I still really love) I heard at a bar which turned out to be The Lamb... may be most important to my deeper Prog journey, and that may have led to me discovering VdGG, but VdGG, which I discovered about 20 years ago, is the one that remained way more relevant and interesting to my tastes. I rarely play Genesis now even though I used to love plenty of 70s Genesis. Even by the time I had joined this site I would rarely listen to Genesis any longer as I had discovered a lot of music that excited and entranced me more. And "A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers" is so fantastic and nothing negative that Micky says about it will dissuade me. "Darkness" was another fave of mine. I started with hearing tracks rather than full albums. My first loves were "House with No Door" and "Man-erg". ------------- Just a fanboy passin' through. |
Posted By: Prog Network
Date Posted: July 16 2023 at 12:40
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Very difficult choice, but I'd go with Genesis if not simply for their influence on progressive rock. It seems like I hear a Genesis "clone" album every other day. |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: July 16 2023 at 13:07
Yeah, and if anything that would be an argument for me against Genesis. Most of those who seem very influenced by Genesis that I have experienced are not to my taste.------------- Just a fanboy passin' through. |
Posted By: mellotronwave
Date Posted: July 16 2023 at 13:29
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Very hard choice indeed Voted for VDGG to fill a part of the gap 
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Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: July 16 2023 at 14:49
| Genesis although I like both bands. |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: July 16 2023 at 21:19
| Essentially VDGG were a 3 peice ( I tend not to count Sax as a real rock instrument) and Genesis in the classic early days as a 5 peice. VDGG had no one like Steve Hackett and thats a problem for them imo. When you compare 3 man Genesis to VDGG its a lot closer. I can get my rocks off to ATTWT and Duke as much as Godbluff and Still Life in truth. I do think that Genesis are a little over rated and VDGG under rated but nevertheless The Knife still eclipses pretty much anything VDGG did up to Godbluff just on its own. Genesis did go a bit soft later on while VDGG on the plus side never had a commercial phase (much like King Crimson). Still voting Genesis. |
Posted By: O666
Date Posted: July 17 2023 at 06:32
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Genesis with no doubt . |
Posted By: O666
Date Posted: July 17 2023 at 06:33
Completely Agreed
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