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The Best Van Der Graaf Generator album

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Topic: The Best Van Der Graaf Generator album
Posted By: LSDisease
Subject: The Best Van Der Graaf Generator album
Date Posted: January 12 2014 at 09:28
So which one is your favourite one?

Godbluff for me


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"Du gehst zu Frauen? Vergiss die Peitsche nicht!"



Replies:
Posted By: frankbostick
Date Posted: January 12 2014 at 09:38
H To HE


Posted By: Xonty
Date Posted: January 12 2014 at 09:57
They're all so close, especially H To He, up to Still Life, but I'll go for Godbluff because it was the first one I bought (by quite a way) and the one I've given the most spins Smile


Posted By: Gandalff
Date Posted: January 12 2014 at 10:38
Horn Parts, actually - Pawn Hearts.

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A Elbereth Gilthoniel
silivren penna míriel
o menel aglar elenath!
Na-chaered palan-díriel
o galadhremmin ennorath,
Fanuilos, le linnathon
nef aear, sí nef aearon!



Posted By: LSDisease
Date Posted: January 12 2014 at 10:40
World Record is imo better than any pre-Godbluff release including superb Pawn Hearts 

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"Du gehst zu Frauen? Vergiss die Peitsche nicht!"


Posted By: ole-the-first
Date Posted: January 12 2014 at 10:45
Godbluff, closely followed by Still Life and Pawn Hearts.

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This night wounds time.


Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: January 12 2014 at 10:47
Originally posted by Gandalff Gandalff wrote:

Horn Parts, actually - Pawn Hearts.


Lawn Charts for me as well.


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“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: Gandalff
Date Posted: January 12 2014 at 11:01
Originally posted by Guldbamsen Guldbamsen wrote:

Originally posted by Gandalff Gandalff wrote:

Horn Parts, actually - Pawn Hearts.


Lawn Charts for me as well.
They say, the name of the album was created originally as a slip of the tongue of saxophonist David Jackson, who had wanted to record "horn parts".

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A Elbereth Gilthoniel
silivren penna míriel
o menel aglar elenath!
Na-chaered palan-díriel
o galadhremmin ennorath,
Fanuilos, le linnathon
nef aear, sí nef aearon!



Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: January 12 2014 at 11:03
So they say...

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“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: ole-the-first
Date Posted: January 12 2014 at 11:06
Originally posted by Gandalff Gandalff wrote:

Originally posted by Guldbamsen Guldbamsen wrote:

Originally posted by Gandalff Gandalff wrote:

Horn Parts, actually - Pawn Hearts.


Lawn Charts for me as well.
They say, the name of the album was created originally as a slip of the tongue of saxophonist David Jackson, who had wanted to record "horn parts".

Then it should have been 'Porn Hearts', not 'Pawn'LOL


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This night wounds time.


Posted By: Neo-Romantic
Date Posted: January 12 2014 at 13:45
Originally posted by ole-the-first ole-the-first wrote:

Originally posted by Gandalff Gandalff wrote:

Originally posted by Guldbamsen Guldbamsen wrote:

Originally posted by Gandalff Gandalff wrote:

Horn Parts, actually - Pawn Hearts.


Lawn Charts for me as well.
They say, the name of the album was created originally as a slip of the tongue of saxophonist David Jackson, who had wanted to record "horn parts".

Then it should have been 'Porn Hearts', not 'Pawn'LOL

That's actually what he did say, allegedly. At least that's what Wikipedia tells me. Wink They changed it to something similar-sounding I suppose to make it more consumer-friendly.

As for my vote, I'm a self proclaimed obnoxious Godbluff advocate to no end, so that one gets my vote. It's one of the best ever albums ever I've ever heard ever, and I don't care how stupid and childish that sentence appears. I'm very vocal about how much I love this album! Cool



Posted By: Barbu
Date Posted: January 12 2014 at 17:09
Aerosol lately

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Posted By: Horizons
Date Posted: January 12 2014 at 17:10
I still can't pin down my favorite album by them though, i say H to the He here and there - but every time i look at their releases i start to think otherwise. Ouch

Long live Hammill. 


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Crushed like a rose in the riverflow.


Posted By: Wanorak
Date Posted: January 12 2014 at 18:26
The Least We Can Do... for me.

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A GREAT YEAR FOR PROG!!!


Posted By: Prog Sothoth
Date Posted: January 12 2014 at 18:48
'Least...' is probably my favorite.
I'll be honest; nothing after H To He has really clicked with me for some reason. I love certain 'parts' of Pawn Hearts & I'm ok with their stuff afterwards, but for some reason the magic for me has always been their first few albums.


Posted By: Man With Hat
Date Posted: January 12 2014 at 18:58
Pawn Hearts

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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: Metalmarsh89
Date Posted: January 12 2014 at 19:00
While not familiar with everything they've put out, I have to go with Godbluff. Excellent from front to back.

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Want to play mafia? Visit http://www.mafiathesyndicate.com" rel="nofollow - here .


Posted By: gr8dane
Date Posted: January 12 2014 at 19:05
Heard 4 or 5,and the only one I like was Quiet Zone,Pleasure Dome.

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Shake & bake.


Posted By: proggman
Date Posted: January 12 2014 at 19:19
At night, this mindless army, ranks unbroken by dissent, is moved into action and their pace does not relent. In step, with great precision, these dancers of the night advance against the darkness - how implacable their might!

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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: Earthmover
Date Posted: January 12 2014 at 19:23
Voting Still Life, though Pawn Hearts, H to He and Godbluff are really really close.

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http://www.last.fm/user/Bequeathed" rel="nofollow">


Posted By: digdug
Date Posted: January 13 2014 at 14:22
not a huge VdGG fan but I like Godbluff a lot


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Prog On!


Posted By: I-Juca Pirama
Date Posted: January 13 2014 at 18:03
Why Still life has such few votes? It's so gorgeus! Cry
My opinion, of course =P


Posted By: LSDisease
Date Posted: January 14 2014 at 07:15
No votes for World Record. I'm disappointed cos it's my second favourite. 

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"Du gehst zu Frauen? Vergiss die Peitsche nicht!"


Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: January 14 2014 at 07:23
My top 5:

1. Still Life
2. Godbluff
3. H to He Who Am the Only One
4. A Grounding in Numbers
5. Pawn Hearts


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Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: January 14 2014 at 07:51
Still Life


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Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy!


Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: January 14 2014 at 08:06
Still Life does include what I personally think of as being Van Damme Generator's "prettiest" song ever. My Room is unlike anything else I've ever heard from the chaps. Hell, even Jackson sounds oddly melodic and ethereal on this. I've always loved it myself, but when I then heard it from the balcony of a friend's apartment during a thunderstorm without the storm, it suddenly changed gears with me. We cranked the volume way up and it was as if the music, the thunder and lightning bolts secretly began to communicate. My friend and I had goosebumps on our arms and a joint understanding of what was going down, only we've never since been able to put that into words... What a night!

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“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: HolyMoly
Date Posted: January 14 2014 at 08:15
Going with my gut here, but I asked myself which would be the first album I'd reach for if I wanted to hear some VdGG.  I narrowed it down to Least We Can Do and Godbluff, and went with the latter.  Pawn Hearts was my initial thought, but I really only like the first half.

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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: Meurglys
Date Posted: January 18 2014 at 15:46

1. Godbluff

2. Pawn Hearts

2. Still Life

3. H to He

4. The Least



Posted By: Rednight
Date Posted: January 18 2014 at 17:26
Can understand fan affinity for Pawn Hearts in this forum but don't see how Godbluff can be smearing the next two rightful contenders, Still Life and World Record, in that order. Those two pack much more of a wallop than 'bluff.


Posted By: The Bearded Bard
Date Posted: January 19 2014 at 10:11
I only own Godbluff (and Vital), and that's the only one here I've heard more than a couple of times, so no vote.

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Posted By: Metalmarsh89
Date Posted: January 19 2014 at 10:29
Originally posted by LSDisease LSDisease wrote:

No votes for World Record. I'm disappointed cos it's my second favourite. 


It's probably one of those funny circumstances where it's everyone's second favorite VDGG album. LOL


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Want to play mafia? Visit http://www.mafiathesyndicate.com" rel="nofollow - here .


Posted By: LSDisease
Date Posted: January 19 2014 at 12:28
^That zero haunts my sleep at night lol

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"Du gehst zu Frauen? Vergiss die Peitsche nicht!"


Posted By: Mirror Image
Date Posted: May 11 2014 at 01:39
Once I've heard most of their output, I'll feel comfortable in voting. But, right now, I've got to say how outstanding Godbluff is to me. What an album!

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“Music is enough for a lifetime but a lifetime is not enough for music.” - Sergei Rachmaninov


Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: May 11 2014 at 02:32
I can't believe I haven't voted in this poll yet........
........it's a very difficult decision to make. My most listened to VDGG album is probably The Least We Can Do...., but probably go for Pawn Hearts over it by a hair. Most definitely not Alt. if Alt is their swansong, I worry.....a lot......it has some potential, but not a special album like A Grounding In Numbers as far as modern VDGG albums go.
Then I probably prefer PH solo releases Chameleon, Silent Corner and In Camera over VDGG works.   Forgive my raving and drooling......


Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: May 11 2014 at 10:51
If I must listen to Hammill's caterwauling, I would play Pawn Hearts.

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...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: moshkito
Date Posted: May 11 2014 at 12:32
Hi,
 
I can't vote on this one. I'm still partial to "H to He" because it was the first one that got me here 41 years ago, but I also am extremely partial to "Quiet Zone/Pleasure Dome" and then both "Godbluff" and "Still Life".
 
I have not enjoyed the last 3 albums by this band like I did the earlier material, and it is likely that I felt disconnected with the lyrical content and its presentation, which was not an issue before. Thus, the later material has faded for me. But I doubt that at his age, that Peter can maintain the level of emotional strength that he used/spent in the earlier days.


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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: King Manuel
Date Posted: May 11 2014 at 13:16
For me its Pawn Hearts with Still Life following very closely.

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Don't Bore Us, Get To The Chorus


Posted By: Imperial Zeppelin
Date Posted: May 11 2014 at 14:30
I can't choose. I just can't.


Posted By: Mirror Image
Date Posted: May 11 2014 at 14:42
Originally posted by Imperial Zeppelin Imperial Zeppelin wrote:

I can't choose. I just can't.

Which may be the situation I'm going to be finding myself in pretty soon. Cool


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“Music is enough for a lifetime but a lifetime is not enough for music.” - Sergei Rachmaninov


Posted By: Andrea Cortese
Date Posted: May 11 2014 at 15:00
World Record anyone?

Not even you, Meurglys?


Posted By: Mirror Image
Date Posted: May 11 2014 at 15:05
Originally posted by Andrea Cortese Andrea Cortese wrote:

World Record anyone?

Not even you, Meurglys?

Why do people thumb their noses at World Record? I haven't heard it, but what's wrong with it? Is there a compositional shift? Does it seem less focused than other VDGG albums?


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“Music is enough for a lifetime but a lifetime is not enough for music.” - Sergei Rachmaninov


Posted By: Andrea Cortese
Date Posted: May 11 2014 at 15:30
I love that album. Wondering is amazing. Hammill makes up for lost warm and delicate vocals. As a matter of fact from Godbluff he'd been putting a strange anger into his voice.


Posted By: Mirror Image
Date Posted: May 11 2014 at 16:11
Originally posted by Andrea Cortese Andrea Cortese wrote:

I love that album. Wondering is amazing. Hammill makes up for lost warm and delicate vocals. As a matter of fact from Godbluff he'd been putting a strange anger into his voice.

I've already heard, and love, Godbluff, what should I listen to next? Pawn Hearts? Still Life?


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“Music is enough for a lifetime but a lifetime is not enough for music.” - Sergei Rachmaninov


Posted By: Andrea Cortese
Date Posted: May 12 2014 at 00:40
I think you should start with H to He and Pawn Hearts.


Posted By: Andrea Cortese
Date Posted: May 12 2014 at 04:24
... then, next step could be World Record, IMO.


Posted By: Mirror Image
Date Posted: May 12 2014 at 04:26
Originally posted by Andrea Cortese Andrea Cortese wrote:

I think you should start with H to He and Pawn Hearts.

Cool, thanks. I keep reading that Still Life is the next logical step after Godbluff. How do you feel about this album? It seems to have a low rating as well.


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“Music is enough for a lifetime but a lifetime is not enough for music.” - Sergei Rachmaninov


Posted By: Andrea Cortese
Date Posted: May 12 2014 at 04:31
^^^

I own all of their 70s albums on cd (plus Trisector) and love all of them.

Still Life is a strong record (La Rossa is a personal favourite) but to me is a bit too verbose and wordy. I rather prefer Godbluff and World Record.

You should probably go along in chronological order in order to tell the subtle changes in Hammill's singing.




Posted By: Kirillov
Date Posted: May 12 2014 at 05:03
Another vote for Still Life


Posted By: Ruby900
Date Posted: May 14 2014 at 03:33
Pawn hearts. Incredible, challenging and yet oddly beautiful all at the same time...

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"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: AtomicCrimsonRush
Date Posted: May 16 2014 at 05:18
Own em all but Pawn Hearts was thefirst Iheard and the  quintessential VDGG album

followed by TLWCDIWTEO and HTHWATOO




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Posted By: bloodnarfer
Date Posted: May 16 2014 at 10:51
Originally posted by AtomicCrimsonRush AtomicCrimsonRush wrote:

followed by TLWCDIWTEO and HTHWATOO

You kinda just blew my mind that those are the real acronyms for those albums Shocked


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http://www.last.fm/user/ramza1316" rel="nofollow - www.last.fm/user/ramza1316
https://open.spotify.com/user/1211221845" rel="nofollow - https://open.spotify.com/user/1211221845


Posted By: CharlesPL
Date Posted: May 17 2014 at 01:34
Pawn Hearts or Still Life.


Posted By: Prog 74
Date Posted: May 17 2014 at 08:17
Pawn Hearts.  One of my all-time favorite albums period.


Posted By: mike1259
Date Posted: July 23 2014 at 12:54
Quiet Zone/Pleasure Dome
This was the last VDGG album I seriously auditioned and it's to my mind one of their most even albums. I fiercely love Pawn hearts and HtoHE yet QZ/PD is in my personal top ten of all time. fwiw


Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Date Posted: July 23 2014 at 15:06
Originally posted by mike1259 mike1259 wrote:

Quiet Zone/Pleasure Dome

It is a fantastic album. More of a complex new wave-album than classic prog. Certainly a little overlooked and among the four or five VdGG-albums I consider to be flawless.


Posted By: The Doctor
Date Posted: July 23 2014 at 15:16
Originally posted by Mirror Image Mirror Image wrote:


Originally posted by Andrea Cortese Andrea Cortese wrote:

I think you should start with H to He and Pawn Hearts.

Cool, thanks. I keep reading that Still Life is the next logical step after Godbluff. How do you feel about this album? It seems to have a low rating as well.


Still Life is one of my favorites, although Godbluff is my absolute favorite album, Still Life has my favorite VDGG song on it: Childlike Faith in Childhood's End. I'm also fond of La Rossa (another of my top 10 Vandie songs). The other 3 songs are not bad either. All in all, I would place this at number 3, just behind Pawn Hearts.

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I can understand your anger at me, but what did the horse I rode in on ever do to you?


Posted By: addictedtoprog
Date Posted: July 23 2014 at 15:46
Pawn Hearts..


Posted By: bloodnarfer
Date Posted: July 23 2014 at 16:04
Well, I already commented but forgot to vote.  H to He for me

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Posted By: Billy Pilgrim
Date Posted: July 23 2014 at 19:44
Still Life, best all around Album. I can do without some parts of Plague and Arrow and Scorched earth leave me cold sometimes. Every song on Still Life is excellent. 


Posted By: siLLy puPPy
Date Posted: July 23 2014 at 22:06
This is a no brainer. The one that's playing of course!


Posted By: charles_ryder
Date Posted: August 02 2016 at 12:49
Vote for Pawn Hearts - great album. And Peter Hammill is my favorite musician.


Posted By: Barbu
Date Posted: August 02 2016 at 18:39
World Record, lately.

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Posted By: BunBun
Date Posted: August 02 2016 at 22:31
Pawn Hearts gets my vote.


Posted By: b_olariu
Date Posted: August 03 2016 at 03:05
Still life, but all are great until 1977


Posted By: ole-the-first
Date Posted: August 03 2016 at 03:23
Godbluff just slightly over Pawn Hearts.

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This night wounds time.


Posted By: Lewian
Date Posted: August 03 2016 at 05:07
Quiet Zone / Pleasure Dome


Posted By: Vompatti
Date Posted: August 03 2016 at 05:10
Still Life.


Posted By: Zargus
Date Posted: August 06 2016 at 14:30
The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other.

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Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: September 14 2017 at 05:46
H To He, Who Am The Only One is my favorite.


Posted By: miamiscot
Date Posted: September 14 2017 at 08:30
Can't decide between Pawn Hearts and Godbluff. I voted for the latter just to make things a little closer as it has fewer votes. And then there's Still Life which is almost as good.


Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Date Posted: September 14 2017 at 09:15
I guess i don't have any interest in choosing a favorite between those three with the most votes or Quiet Zone/Pleasure Dome. Apart from that I'd like to mention that Meurglys III, The Songwriter's Guild is one hell of a tune and that the rest of their seventies albums are also great (+Aerosol is nice as well).  


Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: September 14 2017 at 10:05
Seems I failed to respond both times that this thread was revived.

My favourite is The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other, but at other times I have had other favourites.

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https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXcp9fYc6K4IKuxIZkenfvukL_Y8VBqzK" rel="nofollow - Duos for fave acts


Posted By: Frenetic Zetetic
Date Posted: March 27 2018 at 02:12
For me, it's gotta be Godbluff. 

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"I am so prog, I listen to concept albums on shuffle." -KMac2021


Posted By: Mortte
Date Posted: March 27 2018 at 02:31
Pawn Hearts.



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