Best Van Der Graaf Generator song?
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Topic: Best Van Der Graaf Generator song?
Posted By: UndercoverBoy
Subject: Best Van Der Graaf Generator song?
Date Posted: May 24 2010 at 14:02
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Which is your favorite? Personally, I'll have to go with "Child-like Faith in Childhood's End." I don't think there is a better moment in music than the last few minutes of that song.
I would have included more options, but I accidentally posted this thread when I didn't want to, messing up royally. So just choose between these few songs.
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Replies:
Posted By: The Sleepwalker
Date Posted: May 24 2010 at 14:05
| La Rossa very slightly over Plague. |
Posted By: The Coastliner
Date Posted: May 24 2010 at 14:20
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The Sleepwalkers JUST gets my vote. It's got such an atmosphere about it...just the lilting nature of the opening that continues right through to the promenade section. It's a very different, very complete kind of song, and an amazing cap to Godbluff ------------- 
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Posted By: TrevRockOne
Date Posted: May 24 2010 at 14:21
| I voted for Sleepwalkers; that tune really has it all; the big chord change that leads into the "tonight before you lay down" part is one of my favorite moments of music ever, but it really hurt not voting for Man-erg, Childlike Faith, and Lighthouse Keepers. |
Posted By: UndercoverBoy
Date Posted: May 24 2010 at 14:25
I agree! I eargasm every time.
If "Child-like Faith" wasn't on here, I would have to kill myself choosing between the others. "The Sleepwalkers," "Man-Erg," "A Plague of Light-House Keepers," "La Rossa," "Lost". So many sublime tracks. Van Der Graaf Generator is the greatest band of all time.
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TrevRockOne wrote:Posted By: Drifter
Date Posted: May 24 2010 at 14:58
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Make mine The Sleepwalkers too. Godbluff is my favorite album of theirs too. |
Posted By: Morningrise
Date Posted: May 24 2010 at 15:36
| The Sleepwalkers just a step ahead over Plague. |
Posted By: Evan
Date Posted: May 24 2010 at 15:50
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From the options. Sleepwalkers. I prefer Undercover Man though. Lemmings is up there, too. |
Posted By: UndercoverBoy
Date Posted: May 24 2010 at 16:27
Strange how everyone who voted "The Sleepwalkers" made a post. Also, almost every post in this thread so far has been in support of it (except for mine and the The Sleepwalker's).
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Posted By: keith_emerson
Date Posted: May 24 2010 at 16:37
The plague ftw! |
Posted By: SaltyJon
Date Posted: May 24 2010 at 17:23
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Out of the choices here, I chose Lost, though had Pioneers Over C or Squid 1/Squid 2/Octopus been present one of those two would have gotten it.
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Salty_Jon" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: UndercoverBoy
Date Posted: May 24 2010 at 17:30
I knew you would say that, Jon ol' buddy.
As I said, some had to be left off because I was stupid and posted the topic before I was finished.
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Posted By: Triceratopsoil
Date Posted: May 24 2010 at 17:50
| I went with Scorched Earth, but only because After the Flood (my all time top VdGG track) wasn't there |
Posted By: SaltyJon
Date Posted: May 24 2010 at 17:51
What, it's not a secret anymore that I love that track?  So I consider it to be a part of H to He, Who am the Only One isn't unknown either? Geez. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Salty_Jon" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: palinurus
Date Posted: May 24 2010 at 17:53
| Where is StillLife?????? |
Posted By: palinurus
Date Posted: May 24 2010 at 17:54
Where is Still Life
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Posted By: JemJem714
Date Posted: May 24 2010 at 18:01
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I've been listening to the Still Life album on a loop for the last week or so, and I'm going with... La Rossa. Really tough though. Love the whole album. And all of Pawn Hearts. And most of Godbluff. And all the others... tricky! La Rossa it is though. I just love how p***ed off Hammill sounds. |
Posted By: UndercoverBoy
Date Posted: May 24 2010 at 19:29
True that! Listening to it with full volume is an experience like no other. Whoever thought that Punk and Prog were at odds with each other probably never heard that song.
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Posted By: Drifter
Date Posted: May 24 2010 at 19:45
It's no secret that Peter Hammill was John Lydon's favorite singer. |
Posted By: Zombywoof
Date Posted: May 24 2010 at 21:31
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I love them all, but "Man-Erg" stands out, both musically and lyrically. ------------- Continue the prog discussion here: http://zombyprog.proboards.com/index.cgi ... |
Posted By: Man With Hat
Date Posted: May 24 2010 at 23:04
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Gotta vote for Lost. ------------- 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: someone_else
Date Posted: May 25 2010 at 02:44
Quite a well-picked dozen  . My vote goes to Childlike Faith in Childhood's End, just above La Rossa, Man-erg and Scorched Earth.------------- 
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Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: May 25 2010 at 02:48
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Undercover Man
But I went for Refugee on your list ------------- let's just stay above the moral melee prefer the sink to the gutter keep our sand-castle virtues content to be a doer as well as a thinker, prefer lifting our pen rather than un-sheath our sword |
Posted By: Syzygy
Date Posted: May 25 2010 at 04:40
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Difficult choice, but I went with Man-Erg. ------------- 'Like so many of you I've got my doubts about how much to contribute to the already rich among us...' Robert Wyatt, Gloria Gloom |
Posted By: ten years after
Date Posted: May 25 2010 at 05:28
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Refugees. Not many songs better than that - by anyone. Man-erg comes close though. |
Posted By: silcir
Date Posted: May 25 2010 at 06:32
| i can't vote, too hard for me. |
Posted By: Okocha
Date Posted: May 25 2010 at 08:37
| Difficult one... Lost, Plague and Meurglys (where is it?) are their best imo. |
Posted By: AtomicCrimsonRush
Date Posted: May 25 2010 at 10:41
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A Plague of
Lighthouse Keepers!
  ------------- 
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Posted By: Zargus
Date Posted: May 25 2010 at 11:24
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/\ Yup! They are all great but the lighthouse keeper is the best of the best! the best epic ever! ------------- 
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Posted By: seventhsojourn
Date Posted: May 25 2010 at 11:33
| Another vote for Refugees. |
Posted By: HolyMoly
Date Posted: May 25 2010 at 11:37
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I'm still getting familiar with most of these tracks (I'm a fairly new fan), but I'll go with Man-Erg. ------------- My other avatar is a Porsche It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle if it is lightly greased. -Kehlog Albran |
Posted By: Zombywoof
Date Posted: May 25 2010 at 15:15
When the sax solo comes in about halfway through (shortly before the above lyric), I get chills everytime. It's just, hands-down, one of the most special moments in music I've heard yet. ------------- Continue the prog discussion here: http://zombyprog.proboards.com/index.cgi ... |
Posted By: UndercoverBoy
Date Posted: May 25 2010 at 18:05
Yeah, that sax solo may be my favorite sax solo ever from my limited experience. It is one of the most cathartic moments in all of music, just like the ending of "Child-like Faith."
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Posted By: The Monodrone
Date Posted: May 25 2010 at 20:01
I know of but haven't heard any of these songs. I just ordered Godbluff.. yes, I am a Van der Graaf Newb.. -------------  
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Posted By: Zombywoof
Date Posted: May 25 2010 at 20:38
The one from "Killer" is pretty...umm...well, it lives up to the song title  ------------- Continue the prog discussion here: http://zombyprog.proboards.com/index.cgi ... |
Posted By: DisgruntledPorcupine
Date Posted: May 25 2010 at 21:15
| Definitely Lighthouse Keepers. |
Posted By: UndercoverBoy
Date Posted: May 25 2010 at 21:47
Good for you, though. As I'm sure many fans will attest to (as well as some of the haters), hearing VDGG for the very first time is a very special experience. Hope you enjoy it.
 |
Posted By: b_olariu
Date Posted: May 26 2010 at 06:47
| All from the list are super, I love this band, but I have a soft spot for Pilgrims, one of my fav pieces ever made by any band. |
Posted By: JemJem714
Date Posted: May 26 2010 at 06:50
Ace! I find the best way to appreciate VdGG is to listen to albums on a loop. Same with any prog album I guess. Pawn Hearts works really well listening to it over and over again.
Still Life is my favourite. But that's another discussion topic.
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Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: May 26 2010 at 11:05
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Man Erg! ------------- Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy! |
Posted By: Rottenhat
Date Posted: May 26 2010 at 14:13
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I voted 'Lighthouse Keepers'
But then I am so far out that I am too far in :)
------------- Language is a virus from outer space. -William S. Burroughs |
Posted By: KingCrimson250
Date Posted: May 26 2010 at 15:21
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If the list had been posted in full, I'm sure Lemmings would've been there, and that's probably what I would have voted for. As it is... I'm torn. La Rossa has that bite to it, but Man-Erg has the haunting middle section, with the absolutely sublime sax solo. Plague gets dragged down a bit partway through and starts to collapse under its own weight, I find. Man-Erg it is. Anyone know what the name means, by the way? |
Posted By: omri
Date Posted: May 27 2010 at 11:22
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I refuse to vote in this poll !
Where are Arrow, Pioneers over C, Murglys III ?
The latter is my favorite track from VDGG's output.
From the list I would probably go with La rossa. ------------- omri |
Posted By: TheGazzardian
Date Posted: May 27 2010 at 11:58
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I voted for Plague, up there with Supper's Ready in my mind as one of the all time best prog epics. My list of top vdgg tracks would probably be: A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers La Rossa Lemmings (Including Cog) Pioneers over C Man-Erg Still Life Arrow < ="utf-8">Place to Survive Squid1/Squid2/Octopus Scorched Earth
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Posted By: TheGazzardian
Date Posted: May 27 2010 at 11:59
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I voted for Plague, up there with Supper's Ready in my mind as one of the all time best prog epics. My list of top vdgg tracks would probably be: A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers La Rossa Lemmings (Including Cog) Pioneers over C Man-Erg Still Life Arrow < ="utf-8">Place to Survive Squid1/Squid2/Octopus Scorched Earth
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Posted By: The Sleepwalker
Date Posted: May 27 2010 at 12:16
Going through a bunch of interviews with peter Hammill on the VDGG website a while ago, there was a part about Peter Hammill's use of science in his lyrics. Man-Erg supposedly has some scientific meaning to it, just like Pioneers Over C or H to He, or PH7. I can't help you much further though, as I don't know a thing about science myself.
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Posted By: lazland
Date Posted: May 27 2010 at 13:45
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None of these - The Wave is my favourite of all time.
------------- Enhance your life. Get down to www.lazland.org Now also broadcasting on www.progzilla.com Every Saturday, 4.00 p.m. UK time! |
Posted By: UndercoverBoy
Date Posted: May 27 2010 at 14:35
Ahem:
"Arrow" and "Pioneers Over C" would have certainly made the poll with 25 options. As for "Muerglys III", maybe.
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Posted By: UndercoverBoy
Date Posted: May 27 2010 at 14:38
Interesting. That's a very good song, but I wouldn't think that someone would consider it their favorite VDGG song.
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Posted By: omri
Date Posted: May 30 2010 at 10:32
I know, I read that !
Still I wanted to make my point, not accusing you in anything, just confessing my love to these tracks. ------------- omri |
Posted By: Zombywoof
Date Posted: May 30 2010 at 10:54
Maybe someone should make a new poll with all of the "write-in" suggestions that came from this poll. Just a thought! ------------- Continue the prog discussion here: http://zombyprog.proboards.com/index.cgi ... |
Posted By: CinemaZebra
Date Posted: May 30 2010 at 23:28
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Masks, followed closely by Man-Erg.
------------- 
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Posted By: Queen By-Tor
Date Posted: May 31 2010 at 01:02
| Sleepwalkers just over Arrow and Pilgrims |
Posted By: Lark the Starless
Date Posted: June 01 2010 at 00:37
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Very difficult...I choose "Childlike Faith in Childhood's End".
Secular (?) lyrics that I can relate with, very powerful song.
 |
Posted By: KingCrimson250
Date Posted: June 01 2010 at 00:51
Hunh, really? That makes a lot of sense. H to He = Hydrogen to Helium? I wonder. That's really interesting. Thanks! |
Posted By: JemJem714
Date Posted: June 01 2010 at 03:01
Yep. I saw this on the "Inside Van der Graaf Generator" DVD. Also, does anybody know if the mis-spelling of VdGG was intentional? Just a side thought.
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Posted By: Falx
Date Posted: June 01 2010 at 03:05
Undercover Man isn't an option? I'm not voting 
------------- "You must go beyond the limit of the limit of your limits!" - Mr. Doctor "It is our duty as men and women to proceed as though the limits of our abilities do not exist." - Pierre Teilhard de Chardin |
Posted By: Geizao
Date Posted: June 07 2010 at 16:42
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A Plague of The Lighthouse Keeper! |
Posted By: CinemaZebra
Date Posted: July 07 2010 at 14:24
 -------------
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Posted By: Moogtron III
Date Posted: July 07 2010 at 16:04
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"Killer", a magnificent track. Good melody, great backing vocals, the slightly disturbing organ parts are very effective... Yes, it's a winner, though not in this poll. They can't beat the plague
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Posted By: DisgruntledPorcupine
Date Posted: July 07 2010 at 16:20
| Wow, Man-Erg has a lot of votes. What is it thats so great about that track, anyway? I prefer Lemmings. Still nothing beats aPoLK, although Sleepwalkers comes close. |
Posted By: Basíleia
Date Posted: July 09 2010 at 05:21
APoLK with The Undercover Man close, but that one's not in the poll
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Posted By: Lodij van der Graaf
Date Posted: July 24 2010 at 22:43
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What a tough choice! Well, all of the above -or rather all of VDGG songs- are my favorite. But "Plague" has a greatest impact, for it's the one responsible to my love to PH/VDGG.
"Arrows" is probably the second most impressive number. "Refugee" is a classic. "Lost" is very touching and wonderful, and "Wondering" itself is the best closing track on a VDGG release. ------------- Grace is a name, like Chastity, like Lucifer, like mine!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
Posted By: trackstoni
Date Posted: July 25 2010 at 04:48
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A Plague wins even against << my Way >> ( only joking ) . It's the Most Sophisticated song i've ever heard , and enjoy it , no matter what ! the Sleepwalkers is Second ! ------------- Tracking Tracks of Rock |
Posted By: rikkinadir
Date Posted: March 17 2011 at 13:52
| man-erg and a plague of lighthouse keepers together in the first place!! |
Posted By: Paper Champion
Date Posted: March 17 2011 at 14:20
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Never liked VDGG, but picked Killer, the first and the only track ever made by this band that I enjoyed . ------------- 
 RIP
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Posted By: jean-marie
Date Posted: March 17 2011 at 18:31
REFUGEE REFUGEE REFUGEEREFUGEE
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Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: March 17 2011 at 19:12
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Hi,
It's all or nothing for me.
I never thought of Peter as just a song writer. I think of him as a massively good poet and expresionist of the highest order there is in the arts.
As to which is a favorite? ... they all are! ... No vote from me!
It's like saying that Snow Dog stinks today because he is wearing his blue t-shirt, and tomorrow he has his yellow t-shirt and he is joe cool and then the next day he has a green neo-t-shirt and everyone thinks he's a cookie from California!
An artist is an artist ... a person is a person ... and a "best" is your preference ... and has no relationship to the work they do ... it is the totality of their work that matters, and Snow Dog is no less an artist because of the color of his t-shirt and your preference. Thus, I tend to not like those kinds of surveys ... just another popularity contest brought to you by ... People Magazine! ------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: Ruby900
Date Posted: March 18 2011 at 01:35
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Oh tricky............I went for Man erg..........
------------- "I always say that it’s about breaking the rules. But the secret of breaking rules in a way that works is understanding what the rules are in the first place". Rick Wakeman |
Posted By: maario
Date Posted: April 17 2015 at 15:46
| Aside Sleepwalkers and other VDGG classics, Meurglys III (The Songwriter's Guild) from the World Record is also very cool song :) |
Posted By: Guy Guden
Date Posted: April 17 2015 at 18:48
One is the loneliest number... Chose Sleepwalkers to break the tie, but ties are okay with me. 
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Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: April 17 2015 at 22:26
| Indeed this one is difficult. It's got to be between "Man Erg", "Plague", and "Sleepwalkers". Plague has the problem that I really love about the first half of the song... but then it goes just a bit too much chaotic for me. Man Erg is probably the most beatiful. But I ended up voting for Sleepwalkers... it just got so much energy. Who needs a guitar if you can have Jackson's sax and Hamill's voice, it just gives any metal a run for their money. Now, I've read many people here complaing about one or another song they like not being here... but the one no one has mentioned and that I really love is Darkness... the very first song I heard from them, and still among my very favourite ones (those vocals at the end are really amazing... almost rivalling Lake's vocals on Epitaph as far as emotion and desperation goes). |
Posted By: snowsnow
Date Posted: April 18 2015 at 03:12
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1) A plague - one of progs best moments 2) Refugees (single version) 3) Afterwards - The standout track from the debut album is a real beauty 4) Man-erg 5) Boat of a million years
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Posted By: MFP
Date Posted: April 18 2015 at 13:18
| I can't choose, impossible poll! |
Posted By: proggman
Date Posted: May 21 2015 at 18:20
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The Sleepwalkers. ------------- When he rides, my fears subside. For darkness turns once more to light. Through the skies, his white horse flies. To find a land beyond the night. |
Posted By: Scorpius
Date Posted: September 21 2016 at 13:36
| Plague of lighthouse keepers for me. There will never be a greater 23 minute song in rock like it. The emotion put into Hamills voice plus the fact that robert fripp plays on it makes it that much better than the rest. |
Posted By: Quinino
Date Posted: September 21 2016 at 14:14
All excellent, can't choose (and I could just regret the absence of Undercover Man, another of my lasting companions for already a couple of decades now  ) |
Posted By: Magnum Vaeltaja
Date Posted: September 21 2016 at 23:09
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Killer. If Emperor In His War-Room was here, I may have gone for that, too. ------------- when i was a kid a doller was worth ten dollers - now a doller couldnt even buy you fifty cents |
Posted By: A_Flower
Date Posted: September 22 2016 at 06:37
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Man-Erg. That song has so much emotion. I love how it starts so pretty and symphonic and then immediately changes and becomes terrifying. It will always be my number 1 VDGG track ------------- User Banned for this Post |
Posted By: Vompatti
Date Posted: September 22 2016 at 07:28
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child-like faith in childhood's end k |
Posted By: DeadSouls
Date Posted: September 22 2016 at 12:17
| Plague |
Posted By: Hrychu
Date Posted: September 22 2016 at 14:36
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I don't care if it's not on the list. Arrow all the way! ------------- “On the day of my creation, I fell in love with education. And overcoming all frustration, a teacher I became.” — Ernest Vong |
Posted By: SquonkHunter
Date Posted: September 22 2016 at 20:01
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Not really a huge fan but I do like Killer quite a bit.
------------- "You never had the things you thought you should have had and you'll not get them now..." |
Posted By: TheLionOfPrague
Date Posted: September 22 2016 at 20:28
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1-Refugees 2-A Plague of Lighthouse Keppers 3-The Undercover Man 4-House With no Doors 5-Pillgrims More or less those are my favorite. ------------- I shook my head and smiled a whisper knowing all about the place |
Posted By: siLLy puPPy
Date Posted: September 22 2016 at 20:32
| that one still to be released :o |
Posted By: snowsnow
Date Posted: September 22 2016 at 22:45
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1) Plague 2) Refugees 3) Afterwards 4) Man-erg 5) Boat of a million years
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Posted By: Lewian
Date Posted: September 23 2016 at 15:32
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Pilgrims, followed by an unrankable group of Killer, Lost, Plague and Child-like Faith |
Posted By: HosiannaMantra
Date Posted: September 27 2016 at 15:00
| "The Sleepwalkers" from the list. Otherwise "Still Life". |
Posted By: micky
Date Posted: September 27 2016 at 15:01
hahah ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: micky
Date Posted: September 27 2016 at 15:02
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Killer from the list... but slim pickings... ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: Michael P. Dawson
Date Posted: September 27 2016 at 16:16
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Chose "La Rossa," could have been "Scorched Earth," but my real favorite is "Still Life." ------------- Buy this thing! https://store.cdbaby.com/Artist/MichaelPDawson" rel="nofollow - https://store.cdbaby.com/Artist/MichaelPDawson |
Posted By: Scorpius
Date Posted: February 13 2017 at 11:46
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Every song on Still life is tied for my favorite VDGG song but ill stick with Childlike faith for this one. After that would be Plague, then Undercover Man, then Man Erg. ------------- The most dangerous man in America. |
Posted By: Magnum Vaeltaja
Date Posted: February 13 2017 at 12:10
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Voted Killer a few months ago but I think now my top 5 would be: 1. Man-Erg 2. After The Flood 3. Undercover Man 4. Emperor In His War-Room 5. Killer ------------- when i was a kid a doller was worth ten dollers - now a doller couldnt even buy you fifty cents |
Posted By: mlkpad14
Date Posted: February 13 2017 at 14:28
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Surprisingly, "Scorched Earth" wins hands-down for me. Where's "Arrow" and "A Louse is Not a Home"?
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Posted By: The Bearded Bard
Date Posted: February 18 2017 at 16:03
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Refugees -------------  
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Posted By: Quinino
Date Posted: February 18 2017 at 16:37
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So many to choose from, real difficult and ultimately unjust But... UNDERCOVER MAN is that gem at the very beginning of a monster masterpiece - not being here makes me choose Scorched Earth instead |
Posted By: socrates17
Date Posted: February 18 2017 at 20:00
| Plague, certainly, however much Killer feels like a personal anthem. The shift between major & minor keys is quite extraordinary, especially at the end. I do want say that I think Scorched Earth is quite remarkable and its nice to see it getting some love. I listen to that and, in fact, all of Godbluff much more than I expected when the LP first came out. The first time I saw them was the World Record tour, 18 October, 1976 at The Beacon Theater in NYC, but I never developed the fondness for that album that I did for Godbluff. During Meurglys III, Peter stalked the stage like a maniac, playing the eponymous Guild Bluebird. My stupid Plymouth wouldn't start, so in a panic I dragooned my friend George (who knew nothing about the band) to drive me into Manhattan by buying him a ticket. (I was fairly certain that it hadn't sold out.) George was suitably impressed. |
Posted By: Frenetic Zetetic
Date Posted: March 02 2018 at 02:23
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Light House Keepers! ------------- "I am so prog, I listen to concept albums on shuffle." -KMac2021 |