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MovingPictures07 View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 16 2008 at 16:55
Originally posted by tszirmay tszirmay wrote:

Originally posted by febus febus wrote:

Not even in my top 50Disapprove
 
Sadly, I must admit the same. I just can't get into their zone ...... , and ya got to get in .... to get out Embarrassed


That makes the three of us. Wink
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TGM: Orb View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 16 2008 at 18:03
Originally posted by omri omri wrote:

Without answering the question all I can say is that the one who wrote most of the music and all of the lyrics should get most attention.
It's better than the genres where attention is to the look or the number of marriages !


He should, but it's sort of sad that truly incredible players like Jaxon and Banton (my ability to spell his name varies daily, though) don't get that much appreciation here.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 16 2008 at 18:09
Yeah, David Jackson still blows my mind. For the most part, saxophone is an uninteresting and overused instrument except when he is strangling one. His wild soloing at the apocalyptic outro of White Hammer might be one of my favorite musical moments 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 16 2008 at 21:27
Originally posted by James James wrote:

I agree with Rob.Best band ever.


Not quoting your post really, but have you noticed that your avatar if you blink fastly it really dizzes you up, seems as a optical illusion

...Sorry for changing subject... Best band ever? Hmm, no, not for me at least. Though I enjoy them, Godbluff and Still Life are excellent examples of excellent key-leading bands/albums, as well as lyric-lead. Though not my everyday meal, the Eclectic Sub-genre doesn't seem quite for me, though I enjoy the most famous ones, none of them are faves, though Gentle Giant is close.

Great band, but as Antoine and others said, they're not in my "top 50".
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 17 2008 at 12:13
There are so many best bands ever for me, so it's hard to be sure, though VdGG are definitely my favourites when it comes to prog.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 20 2008 at 20:03
Originally posted by TGM: Orb TGM: Orb wrote:

Best. Band. Ever.

Discuss.
This thread was so necessary!!! Thanks!! Clap

Well, I can't say the best or my favorite, but completely special. The two features I love the most about this band are:
- Hammill's voice. My favorite singer. Not much to say here.
- Guy Evan's drumming. One of my favorite drummers (just below Cobham maybe) his style is perfect for VDGG.

Of course Jackson and Banton are impressive too!!

My favorite moment is the middle part of The emperor on his war-room... Ahhh, how I love this song!!
This is not my beautiful house...
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TGM: Orb View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 20 2008 at 21:16
OK. Thanks for the responses. Going to vent my fanboyism a bit here with a couple of more detailed posts on individual parts or lyrics later.

For now:

Orb's favourite bits of VDGG

Vocals - A Plague Of Lighthouse Keepers
Hammill's biggest appeal to me is that he expresses emotions which I've not really even heard other singers attempt. Complex emotions, not just angry or sad or happy, but hesitant, uncertain anger, lonely and increasing sadness, joy gradually coming out from pain and grief, coming from a sense of purpose. This track is the real peak of that, in my opinion.

Saxophone - Sleepwalkers
I do so enjoy seeing an essentially fairly harmless jazzy instrument being used to pull off guitarish licks with extra grit and verve, trading blows with an organ. Pure rock, unique sound and a stunning performance. Equally, I defy anyone not to be moved by the sax solo on My Room (Waiting For Wonderland)

Flute - Out Of My Book
I can't quite explain this one so well, but the ethereal flutes really convey a sort of drifting, uncertain background, the answers floating away. Absolutely love that melody.

Drums/Percussion - House With No Door
Easily the most difficult choice, since I'm less good at listening for these. Maybe, actually, House With No Door. Love it when a drummer can fit his own style neatly into a soft song rather than simply waiting before the big explosion at the end.

Bass - Pioneers Over c
Directional, energetic, and able to take a lead role without feeling either drowned out or redundant. Incredible force, catchy hooks. Everything.

Acoustic Guitar - Killer
Short, sweet melodic additions, giving something incredibly beautiful in the midst of such a dark song, yet only really intensifying the feeling and leaving behind a sort of drowning feeling... the sense of the loss of that brief melody.

Organ - Pioneers Over c
The rock organ performance, in my opinion. Gradual, developing force, modulation of distance, love the way it's phrased. Energetic in the lead, and shining in the background.

Piano - Still Life
Again, the complex expression thing. That particular song is life without a sense of meaning, sort of going through the motions but in a worn out way. Idyllic, yet at the same time unexpectedly flawed. The piano on it is so full of loss, of hesitation and of gradual settlement.

Electric Guitar - Meurglys III
Can't really explain this one yet. Will find a way, eventually.

So... a mixture of comprehensible and incomprehensible reasons. If I'm being productive/skiving off team work tomorrow, I'll get out something about that solo on APOLK.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 21 2008 at 12:38
Originally posted by TGM: Orb TGM: Orb wrote:

OK. Thanks for the responses. Going to vent my fanboyism a bit here with a couple of more detailed posts on individual parts or lyrics later.

For now:

Orb's favourite bits of VDGG

Vocals - A Plague Of Lighthouse Keepers
Hammill's biggest appeal to me is that he expresses emotions which I've not really even heard other singers attempt. Complex emotions, not just angry or sad or happy, but hesitant, uncertain anger, lonely and increasing sadness, joy gradually coming out from pain and grief, coming from a sense of purpose. This track is the real peak of that, in my opinion.

Saxophone - Sleepwalkers
I do so enjoy seeing an essentially fairly harmless jazzy instrument being used to pull off guitarish licks with extra grit and verve, trading blows with an organ. Pure rock, unique sound and a stunning performance. Equally, I defy anyone not to be moved by the sax solo on My Room (Waiting For Wonderland)

Flute - Out Of My Book
I can't quite explain this one so well, but the ethereal flutes really convey a sort of drifting, uncertain background, the answers floating away. Absolutely love that melody.

Drums/Percussion - House With No Door
Easily the most difficult choice, since I'm less good at listening for these. Maybe, actually, House With No Door. Love it when a drummer can fit his own style neatly into a soft song rather than simply waiting before the big explosion at the end.

Bass - Pioneers Over c
Directional, energetic, and able to take a lead role without feeling either drowned out or redundant. Incredible force, catchy hooks. Everything.

Acoustic Guitar - Killer
Short, sweet melodic additions, giving something incredibly beautiful in the midst of such a dark song, yet only really intensifying the feeling and leaving behind a sort of drowning feeling... the sense of the loss of that brief melody.

Organ - Pioneers Over c
The rock organ performance, in my opinion. Gradual, developing force, modulation of distance, love the way it's phrased. Energetic in the lead, and shining in the background.

Piano - Still Life
Again, the complex expression thing. That particular song is life without a sense of meaning, sort of going through the motions but in a worn out way. Idyllic, yet at the same time unexpectedly flawed. The piano on it is so full of loss, of hesitation and of gradual settlement.

Electric Guitar - Meurglys III
Can't really explain this one yet. Will find a way, eventually.

So... a mixture of comprehensible and incomprehensible reasons. If I'm being productive/skiving off team work tomorrow, I'll get out something about that solo on APOLK.

Well, you've come into the hard task of choosing your favorite sections of VDGG songs... That would be something very hard for me

Well, just like you, the vocal part that I love the most is certainly in A Plague. Oh god, I've never heard someone singing like this. And the live version in the Godbluff DVD is amazing. I think this is my favorite moment (fortunately, a 23 minutes moment LOL)
This is not my beautiful house...
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 21 2008 at 12:41
Oh god, this is what happens to me when speaking about favorite VDGG song, I've just changed my favorite moment in the count of two posts Embarrassed

Edited by AlexUC - October 21 2008 at 12:47
This is not my beautiful house...
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 22 2008 at 11:48
I think trying to explain why I love one track better than other based on details like the singing or guitar playing or that kind of things is very interesting but in a way misses the point.
I totally agree about the expression of complicated emotions as one of VDGG's definite strengths.
 
Personally I will mention 4 songs that I love most and try shortly to explain why :
 
My room (waiting for wonderland) - A very sad song. The sadness of a child is something that moves me deeply.
La rossa - A love song that obviously occurs only in the writer's thoughts (dreams ?). No way it will ever come true. Do I like it cause I'm this kind of a guy ? Better not answer this question.
Pioneers over C - 1 year after the first man on the moon and Hamill already think of Astronouts who go for a lifetime journey to space and how will they suffer from lonliness. What a great pesimistic attitude (and what a moving song).
Murglyss III - Like TGM Orb I can't realy explain why I love this one so much (well, the lyrics are great but this is quite usual in VDGG's output). I find this track hypnotic. Probably my favorite of them all.
omri
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 22 2008 at 13:50
Very Good band, but best ever???
 
Probably yes but not a definitive one.
 
I like all their output
 
 




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Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 29 2008 at 15:38
Originally posted by TGM: Orb TGM: Orb wrote:

Best. Band. Ever.

Discuss.
 
 
 
agreed.
It's really nice to have a place where people know who this band is, let alone like them as much as me.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 29 2008 at 17:22
Ok, I must admit I have not been able to gent in to VdGG yet. But a few years ago I couldn't get into Gentle Giant and now.....it's pathetic. Where does one start? Is there any album that is going to overwhelm you with it's awesomeness from note one as say "Dancing with the Moonlit Knight" does for Genesis. (My first early Genesis experience and for the most part first prog experience beside "Roundabout" and Floyd)
You are quite a fine person, and I am very fond of you. But you are only quite a little fellow, in a wide world, after all.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 29 2008 at 18:15
Originally posted by Negoba Negoba wrote:

Ok, I must admit I have not been able to gent in to VdGG yet. But a few years ago I couldn't get into Gentle Giant and now.....it's pathetic. Where does one start? Is there any album that is going to overwhelm you with it's awesomeness from note one as say "Dancing with the Moonlit Knight" does for Genesis. (My first early Genesis experience and for the most part first prog experience beside "Roundabout" and Floyd)


Godbluff starts a-la SEBTP with a very impressive and accessible "The Undercover Man", maybe you could start with that album... IMO is their most friendly, while capturing the very essence VDGG is. H to He is another relatively accessible, with beautiful songs like 'House with no door' and 'The emperor on his war-room', very enjoyable from firsts listens.

But, there's no Fragile or Selling England with VDGG, all the core albums are pretty experimental and unexpected (even avant if you want...). In my case, I started with one of the more experimental, Pawn Hearts, but it blowed me from the fist time... Maybe that could work for you, depending on your taste Smile

Good luck discovering this great world VDGG is!!! Wink
This is not my beautiful house...
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 30 2008 at 11:33
One of the greatest bands ever. The best??? well, that´s a matter of taste. At least they did what Genesis should have done: they split up! A killer band that never was lost. BTW, not only did they lack a guitar player but a proper bass player too!! (for the most of their carreer) Some of the bass lines are slightly out of time. I wonder what Pawn Hearts could have sounded like had the excellent Nic Potter been there with his bass. 
Four pails of water and a bagfull of salts
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 30 2008 at 13:48
For me, the best band ever. Saw them nine times; 7 times in '05, 2 times in '07. They were great every time! By the way, the VdGG book is back in stock (finally) at www.amazon.co.uk
jc
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 03 2008 at 05:36
Yup they are my favorit prog band, im a Vdgg fan boy. and proud of it! Smile
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 17 2009 at 16:56
Best band ever? Hard to say but i agree with aapatsos they're UNIQUE, and one of my top 5 for sure. As someone mentioned is an acquired taste (as in my case Gentle Giant, Il Balletto di Bronzo and many others)and it's a shame they were never so popular at the time (except maybe in Italy where in the early 70's they were more popular than in they own country, more popular than Genesis with Gabriel!).

Anyway i think their new albums are quite good, unfortunately David Jackson is not on Trisector anymore (can't understand why he wasn't on the tour either but instead he was giging with Osanna).
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 17 2009 at 18:17
Bloody bloody bloody good band but not my absolute favourite.As others have said, their output's been patchy (then again, same goes for pretty much every band that doesn't jack it in after a couple of albums) and their most recent effort has certainly done little to elevate them, IMO.

Pawn Hearts and Godbluff are 100% jaw-dropping awesomeness, though. Sheer wonderment.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 18 2009 at 14:11
If every album was as amazing as The Least We Can Do, H To He or Pawn Hearts they would be the best band ever. Unfortunately, their other albums don't amaze me as much. Aerosol Grey Machine has its moments but you can debate whether it's a "real" VDGG album or not. From Godbluff onwards their albums are patchy; good but not great. And the new stuff hasn't grabbed my attention at all. 
"The disgusting stink of a too-loud electric guitar.... Now, that's my idea of a good time."
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