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When did u not only "get", but actually love VDGG?

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Prog-jester View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Prog-jester Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 17 2020 at 19:29
I remember listening to my father's friend's CD collection and discovering Godbluff mere months after falling in love with 70's Genesis and 70's King Crimson (I was 15-16 yrs old). From that record only "Arrow" touched my heart, but more VDGG CDs followed, and there was at least one song I'd like from each album - "Darkness 11/11", "Necromancer', "Still Life", etc.

And then in coupla years it sorta clicked for the first time - I remember it was a remarkably cold winter, I was sitting on a sofa wrapped in several blanket in one corner of the room, and my audio system was playing World Record (I burned myself a CD-R copy just in case) in another corner, and it felt too dark and disturbing to me at that moment. But it was too cold to unwrap myself and go change the CD, so I was just sitting there listening, and gradually finding this music to be more and more appropriate to the situation, ahah.

But then it clicked for real ten years ago, after I watched that Godbluff live on YouTube. It dawned on me that they're basically a singer/songwriter+jazz trio combo They were never Symphonic Prog or whatever, so I just learned to love them for what they were really good at - actual SONGS. Then I found the VDGG book on eBay, then I started digging into PH discography (listened to ALL his stuff in recent years, early 80s is my favourite era), then I named my band's album after their song, hehe... I'm a fan
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Frenetic Zetetic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 18 2020 at 00:28
Originally posted by Psychedelic Paul Psychedelic Paul wrote:

Originally posted by Frenetic Zetetic Frenetic Zetetic wrote:

Originally posted by Blacksword Blacksword wrote:

^^ 2 stars for Pawn Hearts!  

You get used to that with Paul LOL. He'll give something you find a 2.5 a 4.5 Cool. Nothing but love for Paul! Smile
Thanks! I think that's what you call a back-handed compliment. To make up for giving Pawn Hearts a 2-star rating though, The Least I Can Do is give VDGG's two 1970 albums a 5-star rating. Smile

Nah, I don't do backhanded (jk I do I'm a psych major LOL) Wink.

For real though you know I'm playing and I love your posts, threads, and vernacular scrimmages of the golden prog days since past! Clap

Do the VDGG demo tapes get a 6-star rating then, Paul? Wink

"I am so prog, I listen to concept albums on shuffle." -KMac2021
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psychedelic Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 18 2020 at 00:44
^ I've got to be honest and say Van der Graaf Generator's "Present" (2005) album is one of the worst prog albums I've ever heard. For instance, have a listen to this discordant mess on the first track on Disc Two.....
 
Van der Graaf Generator - Vulcan Meld
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote friso Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 18 2020 at 01:44
I was an Iron Maiden fan at age 14 and read a review of Arena's Contagion in a metal magazine. I was hooked instantly and found out it was 'progressive rock'. Started downloading random music labeled such and got the King Crimson debut and VdGG's H to He. I do remember liking the main instrumental theme of The Emperor and bits of House With No Door.. but the singing.. it was just to strange for me. Years later I started listening to Sleepwalkers on this site, which was the first song I really liked. Then came Wondering, still a favorite of mine. H to He was the first vinyl I liked front to back, but that wouldn't fully prepare me for Pawn Hearts still. Took me a full year. I still prefer the roomey reverb sound of the first few records over the more dry sound of the Godbluff era, but I learned to appreciate these records over time as well. Of the solo stuf I really like the PH debut and Chameleon, the other records are a bit under-produced in my opinion.
I'm guitarist and songwriter for the prog-related band Mother Bass. Find us at http://www.motherbass.com. I also enter stages throughout the Netherlands performing my poetry.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote I prophesy disaster Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 18 2020 at 05:02
Originally posted by Psychedelic Paul Psychedelic Paul wrote:

^ I've got to be honest and say Van der Graaf Generator's "Present" (2005) album is one of the worst prog albums I've ever heard. For instance, have a listen to this discordant mess on the first track on Disc Two.....
 
Van der Graaf Generator - Vulcan Meld
 
[ VIDEO REMOVED ]
 
My favourite track from Disc 2 of Present is "Manuelle"
 
 
 


Edited by I prophesy disaster - November 18 2020 at 05:03
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Cristi Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 18 2020 at 05:07
Originally posted by Psychedelic Paul Psychedelic Paul wrote:

^ I've got to be honest and say Van der Graaf Generator's "Present" (2005) album is one of the worst prog albums I've ever heard. For instance, have a listen to this discordant mess on the first track on Disc Two.....
 
Van der Graaf Generator - Vulcan Meld
 

I don't think "discordant" is the word there, but "dissonant". It would make sense.



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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psychedelic Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 18 2020 at 05:19
Originally posted by Cristi Cristi wrote:

Originally posted by Psychedelic Paul Psychedelic Paul wrote:

^ I've got to be honest and say Van der Graaf Generator's "Present" (2005) album is one of the worst prog albums I've ever heard. For instance, have a listen to this discordant mess on the first track on Disc Two.....
 
Van der Graaf Generator - Vulcan Meld
 

I don't think "discordant" is the word there, but "dissonant". It would make sense.
"Discordant" literally means harsh and jarring because of a lack of harmony, and that's how VDGG's virtually unlistenable "Present" album sounded to me, but I'd agree that the album is also dissonant too. I could post another track from the album as an example, but I think we've already suffered enough today with "Vulcan Meld". Smile


Edited by Psychedelic Paul - November 18 2020 at 05:20
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Cristi Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 18 2020 at 05:32
Originally posted by Psychedelic Paul Psychedelic Paul wrote:

Originally posted by Cristi Cristi wrote:

Originally posted by Psychedelic Paul Psychedelic Paul wrote:

^ I've got to be honest and say Van der Graaf Generator's "Present" (2005) album is one of the worst prog albums I've ever heard. For instance, have a listen to this discordant mess on the first track on Disc Two.....
 
Van der Graaf Generator - Vulcan Meld
 

I don't think "discordant" is the word there, but "dissonant". It would make sense.
"Discordant" literally means harsh and jarring because of a lack of harmony, and that's how VDGG's virtually unlistenable "Present" album sounded to me, but I'd agree that the album is also dissonant too. I could post another track from the album as an example, but I think we've already suffered enough today with "Vulcan Meld". Smile

ok, it's all understood, you disliked the album. No need to explain furthermore. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote moshkito Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 18 2020 at 07:35
Originally posted by Lewian Lewian wrote:

Originally posted by micky micky wrote:

like Doc.. I get them..  the way only a few truly have

but can't love them.. no f**king way... they were the fathers of mediocre prog..  
prog for prog's sake.. 
where the trapping of prog were substituted for talent and creativity.. and thus cursing the whole genre of prog from thereafter haha

You didn't listen to them enough I'm afraid. I'm prescribing 3h of VDGG every day for the next five years. If you don't love them by then, increase the dosage to 5h. You may think you get them, but this way they will get you! Big smile

Hi,

To do 3 hours, or more, and not have a brew for it? Not possible, and if you did not prescribe the right brew, I'm not sure that Micky will try it.

I was thinking of some sort of Salted Caramel Saturnian Coffee with a quick shot of something strong, like a good liqueur! Big smile

But, all in all, PH and VdGG is better and makes more sense for the artistic folks than it does the rock'n'roll folks and I, for one, am very glad of it ... I'm tired of the same rock'n'roll and its meaningless lyrics, that are supposed to be fun ... if you are stoned immaculate, and that is ... for kids ... when you got a wife and kids, PH and VdGG makes a lot more sense! Much more literate and intelligent. No comparison with more than half the "progressive" crap!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote richardh Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 18 2020 at 15:26
Originally posted by I prophesy disaster I prophesy disaster wrote:

I've never had a problem with Peter Hammill's voice, and find it perplexing that so many people do.
 
 

really LOL
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Spacegod87 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 18 2020 at 18:34
^ You know that whole area is strange..

I personally like his voice but I can understand why others would hate it.
I guess what it comes down to is, I like it because it's unique. 
He has a theatrical way of singing, and places a lot of feeling in his words.
As for having the "best" voice....no, but to me, that's irrelevant when it comes to Hammill.
He sounds more like a story-teller a lot of the time, and that's kind of what I hear when listening to Gabriel as well. 
Levitating downwards,
atomic feedback scream.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Frenetic Zetetic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 19 2020 at 00:25
Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:

Originally posted by I prophesy disaster I prophesy disaster wrote:

I've never had a problem with Peter Hammill's voice, and find it perplexing that so many people do.
 
 

really LOL

Why is this hard to believe? Jame Larbie's vocals are nauseating AF and Dream Theater is at the top of the heap, LOL LOL.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ProcolWho? Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 05 2020 at 00:30
I must correct an earlier posting, a mistyping of one of the great album titles of all time .


Not , H to He Who ARE The Only One  (lol)

but
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hercules Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 05 2020 at 17:24
Never, and I now know I never will.
Hamill's vocal style drives me away and the music is just not to my taste either.
King Crimson are another band I just don't "get" at all, mainly because I can't stand Fripp's guitar style.
It took me 20 years to "get" Gentle Giant, though, and now I love them.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Mascodagama Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 06 2020 at 03:17
Circa 1985 when I was sixteen. I got Godbluff on vinyl and it rewired my brain.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psychedelic Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 06 2020 at 03:31
I really got into Van der Graaf Generator when I bought "The Least We Can Do is Wave to Each Other" and "H to He, Who Am the Only One" (whatever that means!?), but I went right off VDGG when I listened to their godawful Pawn Hearts album and everything beyond it recently. Confused
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Frenetic Zetetic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 06 2020 at 03:39
Originally posted by Mascodagama Mascodagama wrote:

Circa 1985 when I was sixteen. I got Godbluff on vinyl and it rewired my brain.

That's a unique time period to discover VDGG, IMO! Everyone else was probably blasting Flock of Seagulls and here you are diving deep LOL Clap.

"I am so prog, I listen to concept albums on shuffle." -KMac2021
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psychedelic Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 06 2020 at 03:50
Originally posted by Frenetic Zetetic Frenetic Zetetic wrote:

Originally posted by Mascodagama Mascodagama wrote:

Circa 1985 when I was sixteen. I got Godbluff on vinyl and it rewired my brain.

That's a unique time period to discover VDGG, IMO! Everyone else was probably blasting Flock of Seagulls and here you are diving deep LOL Clap.
Yes, that would be me who Ran with Flock of Seagulls in the Synth Britannia New Romantic 80's era, although I didn't have the hair to match. Smile
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mascodagama Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 06 2020 at 07:06
Originally posted by Frenetic Zetetic Frenetic Zetetic wrote:

Originally posted by Mascodagama Mascodagama wrote:

Circa 1985 when I was sixteen. I got Godbluff on vinyl and it rewired my brain.

That's a unique time period to discover VDGG, IMO! Everyone else was probably blasting Flock of Seagulls and here you are diving deep LOL Clap.
I had to be into stuff nobody else liked - perverse moody teenager that I was. Prog was fairly good for that. Even the other members of the tiny prog clique at my school (...there were three of us...) didn't really dig VdGG, so I knew I was onto a winner. Plus it probably goes without saying that I was a doomed poet living in a meaningless world of fools, so I related to Peter Hammill straight away. 

Did like Japan, Tears for Fears, etc as well to be fair. Though not really Flock of Seagulls.


Edited by Mascodagama - December 06 2020 at 07:09
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psychedelic Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 06 2020 at 08:01
My high/low voltage ratings for Van der Graaf Generator's albums:-
 
 4 stars The Aerosol Grey Machine (1969)
 5 stars The Least We Can Do is Wave to Each Other (1970)
 5 stars  H to He, Who Am the Only One (1970)   
 2 stars  Pawn Hearts (1972)    
 3 stars  Godbluff  (1975) 
 3 stars  Still Life (1976)
 3 stars  World Record (1976)
 3 stars  The Quiet Zone/The Pleasure Dome (1977)
 2 stars  Vital (1978)
 2 stars  Present (2005)
 2 stars  Trisector (2008)
 2 stars  A Grounding in Numbers (2011)
 2 stars  ALT (2012)
 2 stars  Do Not Disturb (2016)
 
 


Edited by Psychedelic Paul - December 06 2020 at 08:02
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