Van Der Graaf, What’s good?
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Music Lounge
Forum Description: General progressive music discussions
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=15892
Printed Date: January 28 2025 at 11:02
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Topic: Van Der Graaf, What’s good?
Posted By: Winter Wine
Subject: Van Der Graaf, What’s good?
Date Posted: December 14 2005 at 08:54
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I've recently acquired some tracks by 'Van Der Graaf Generator', I've always wanted to hear them because i've been told good things about them, What I would like to know, Is if I was to get one of their albums in the next while, What should it be?? I've heard 'Killer', 'Man Erg' and 'Pilgrims'. And they're so brilliant!! Can anyone give me a bit of advice... ------------- My computer's broke |
Replies:
Posted By: Lindsay Lohan
Date Posted: December 14 2005 at 08:55
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EVERYTHING! But Pawn hearts,Godbluff and H to he who am the only one is not a bad start ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Fjuffe/?chartstyle=sideRed - [IMG - http://imagegen.last.fm/sideRed/recenttracks/Fjuffe.gif - |
Posted By: Trotsky
Date Posted: December 14 2005 at 08:57
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My favourite is H To He ------------- "Death to Utopia! Death to faith! Death to love! Death to hope?" thunders the 20th century. "Surrender, you pathetic dreamer.” "No" replies the unhumbled optimist "You are only the present." |
Posted By: Winter Wine
Date Posted: December 14 2005 at 08:58
It's hard to find their records in shops, And when I do they're always very dear!! I end up seeing something else and buying it instead
------------- My computer's broke |
Lindsay Lohan wrote:Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: December 14 2005 at 08:58
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Well, Lindsay got there before me with his reccomendadtions, but I can add to that.. The Least we can do is Wave to Each Other
------------- Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy! |
Posted By: misiu
Date Posted: December 14 2005 at 09:00
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A good startpoint is "H to He I am the only one" or "Still life", which are thier a little bit more accesible mastrepieces. Then you shoud try "Pawn hearts" and "Goodbluff", which are slightly more "weird" than the two above.
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Posted By: Winter Wine
Date Posted: December 14 2005 at 09:00
'The Least we can do...', That's the one in the 'Prog special' Q Mag isn't it? Never seen that one in the shops ------------- My computer's broke |
Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: December 14 2005 at 09:04
Best order on line, although I noticed here in the UK they re-released all the VDGG albums when Present came out earlier this year. I bought all the above mentioned in either HMV or MVC ------------- Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy! |
Posted By: Rainman
Date Posted: December 14 2005 at 09:06
| Everything and Hammill's too! |
Posted By: cuncuna
Date Posted: December 14 2005 at 09:07
I second that. Just step away from the "Van der Graaf" records. Buy only the "Van der Graaf Generator" ones. ------------- ¡Beware of the Bee! |
Posted By: cuncuna
Date Posted: December 14 2005 at 09:08
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Don't buy "Vital". Horrible. ------------- ¡Beware of the Bee! |
Posted By: Winter Wine
Date Posted: December 14 2005 at 09:08
I seen 'Present' in Virgin, 26 Quid!! ------------- My computer's broke |
Posted By: Rainman
Date Posted: December 14 2005 at 09:09
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Though, If I were you, I wouldn't begin with World Record! |
Posted By: Winter Wine
Date Posted: December 14 2005 at 09:10
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Wow. Not a little harsh? I've seen good reviews ------------- My computer's broke |
Posted By: Winter Wine
Date Posted: December 14 2005 at 09:36
Thanks for your help guys  . Seems 'H To He...' is the one i'd go for.  ------------- My computer's broke |
Posted By: NutterAlert
Date Posted: December 14 2005 at 09:51
If you do get vital make sure you get the new re-issue just released. If I were in your shoes i'd get Godbluff, Still Life, World Record and Present and listen to them in that order. ------------- Proud to be an un-banned member since 2005 |
Posted By: Ricochet
Date Posted: December 14 2005 at 10:02
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I find Pawn Hearts good. I find World Record good enough. I find Present good. but the rest is not my type. ------------- 
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Posted By: VanderGraafKommandöh
Date Posted: December 14 2005 at 10:59
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In this order: Pawn Hearts Still Life H to He Who Am The Only One The least we can do is wave to each other Godbluff World Record Present The Pleasure Dome/The Quiet Zone Vital I think that's all bases covered. Also worth buying, but difficult to get hold of is The Aerosol Grey Machine, I actually play this a lot. I just haven't really got into Godbluff as much, I prefer Still Life. But I do like World Record. Meurglys III: The Songwriter's Guild is an epic and Masks is great to. I believe I'm rating Godbluff to low, it has The Sleepwalkers on it and this is one of my favourite tracks by VdGG. -------------   
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Posted By: pero
Date Posted: December 15 2005 at 06:36
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Aerosol grey machine is OK. I can't understand why is so underrated:
My first VDGG was compilation from first 3 albums: Aerosol grey machine, At least we can do ..., and H to he... I think it's exelent selection for start
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Posted By: BaldJean
Date Posted: December 15 2005 at 10:24
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you can't go wrong with VdGG. I'm eagerly awaiting the live album from the Royal Festival Hall concert -------------  A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta |
Posted By: Joren
Date Posted: December 15 2005 at 10:35
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I didn't know about that! |
Posted By: Winter Wine
Date Posted: December 15 2005 at 10:44
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I hope to find some soon ------------- My computer's broke |
Posted By: BaldJean
Date Posted: December 15 2005 at 10:47
will be out either this month or in January ------------- A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta |
Posted By: Suki
Date Posted: December 15 2005 at 13:16
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Start with H to he .... It's their most accessable album. I, for instance, am still trying to 'get into' them. Trust me, you cannot like 'Killer' and 'The House with no Door'. Killer's lyrics is quite addicting too, I cannot help but to remember how I started singing it the same way Hammil does while doing a test at school.. lol... 'So you live... In the... Buttom of sea...' quite nice..
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Posted By: VanderGraafKommandöh
Date Posted: December 15 2005 at 13:40
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Thanks BandJean for the update on the RFH concert CD. I heard it
was coming out this month, but I've not even seen a mention of it
anywhere..., let's hope it doesn't get like Pulse and just keep getting
delayed. It doesn't erk me too much mind, as I have the concert on bootleg, but I do want it officially. Besides, my stereo will not play FLAC recordings. Let's hope it's hear by January, it's on the top of my wants list. BaldJean, do yiou have any idea if it'll be a single CD or more? The whole concert, with no breaks won't fit it on 1 CD and I am really hoping they don't cut too much. Maybe if they make it a two cd album, they can fit other material on it as well? Some news on this would be much appreciated. -------------
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Posted By: horza
Date Posted: December 15 2005 at 13:43
Maidenrulez got there before me with Pawn Hearts  ------------- Originally posted by darkshade: Calling Mike Portnoy a bad drummer is like calling Stephen Hawking an idiot. |
Posted By: Bj-1
Date Posted: December 15 2005 at 14:13
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Pawn Hearts or H to He, then get Godbluff. The rest is up to you. ------------- RIO/AVANT/ZEUHL - The best thing you can get with yer pants on! |
Posted By: Eetu Pellonpaa
Date Posted: December 15 2005 at 15:12
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I like their "Godbluff" album most. Maybe most accesible album from them, not much of cacophony or very avantagarde solutions in it. By the way, I think asking recommendations for VdGG is a very popular subject for a thread on this site! |
Posted By: matti meikäläin
Date Posted: December 15 2005 at 15:35
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start with h to he, godbluff or pawn hearts. first album
aerosol grey.. is maybe their weakest. also dont start with present,
it's a good album but not as good as the early works |
Posted By: Under
Date Posted: December 15 2005 at 16:37
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Godbluff blew me away. Great album. H to He is great as well. Pawn Hearts is sometimes a bit too much for me, or am I getting old... |
Posted By: Winter Wine
Date Posted: December 15 2005 at 18:16
'Senior Member'?? Does that mean 'Senior Citizen'?? ------------- My computer's broke |
Posted By: Pylo
Date Posted: December 15 2005 at 18:31
Maida Vale (The BBC Radio One Sessions) is a good choice to start
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Posted By: Winter Wine
Date Posted: December 15 2005 at 18:36
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Thank you ------------- My computer's broke |
Posted By: Pylo
Date Posted: December 15 2005 at 18:44
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So go for :
because it's harder to get into "Pawn hearts" ------------- Pylo |
Posted By: BaldJean
Date Posted: December 15 2005 at 18:47
5 stars for "Vital". one of the best live albums of all time. anyone who doesn't like it has not really listened to it. Nic Potter's bass is a monster, and the album really rocks. the sound quality is not the best, but the music is absolutely fantastic ------------- A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta |
Posted By: BaldJean
Date Posted: December 15 2005 at 18:52
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as far ais I know, it will be a double CD with all 14 songs. probably like this: CD 1: Undercover Man CD 2: ------------- A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta |
Posted By: VanderGraafKommandöh
Date Posted: December 15 2005 at 20:19
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Thanks BaldJean, that looks like a great solution... let me do the maths: CD 1 Undercover Man (8:28) Scorched Earth (10:07) Refugees (6:01) Every Bloody Emperor (7:36) Lemmings (13:23) (In The) Black Room (11:14) Nutter Alert (6:10) 62:19 CD 2 Darkness (11/11) (7:28) Masks (7:00) Childlike Faith In Childhood's End (12:34) The Sleepwalkers (10:44) Man-Erg (14:23) Killer (9:20) Wondering (8:03) 68:52 Yes, that would certainly work. These are rough estimates on timings mind, I am sure tracks will segue at different times, due to crowd clapping and cheering, on the official release. So no room for any odd tracks from other performances, which is actually good actually, it keeps the RFH gig as a whole. Now waits patiently... taps fingers... -------------
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Posted By: SirPsycho388
Date Posted: December 15 2005 at 21:10
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I'm trying to do the same thing, so I've decided to start with "The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Eachother" because it seems like its their first prog effort, and then with each album that follows it, you will hear them improve and get proggier. It'll also be cool to see their progress. If you just start with their most famous prog effort, i think its Pawn Hearts, then you'll think the earlier ones suck. I did this for Genesis, starting with Trespass and going in order from there. I would have never liked Trespass or Nursery Cryme as much if i started right away with Foxtrot or Selling England. Just my approach. ------------- Strangers passing in the street by chance two separate glances meet and I am you and what I see is me. And do I take you by the hand and lead you through the land and help me understand the best I can |
Posted By: SlipperFink
Date Posted: December 16 2005 at 21:30
Good advice PsychoKiller. When listening to Prog bands, it's nice to see a cronological "Progression". The "core ID" of the band is usually established in the early records, and it often a blast to "Take the journey" with the group thru the years. Happy Holidays everybody! SM. ------------- Modesty is an ornament, but one goes further without it. Old German Proverb |
Posted By: M. B. Zapelini
Date Posted: December 17 2005 at 05:16
If you have enough money, buy "The Box" instead of the original albums. And if you want "live" VdGG, "Maida Vale" is a must. "Vital" is very good, but "Maida Vale" has more classics. ------------- "He's a man of the past and one of the present" PETER HAMMILL |
Posted By: Andrea Cortese
Date Posted: December 17 2005 at 06:36
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Does no one likes The Quiet Zone/The Pleasure Dome? I do!! |
Posted By: Ricochet
Date Posted: December 17 2005 at 06:41
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^^ enjoyable album,but nothing too great about it...
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Posted By: Andrea Cortese
Date Posted: December 17 2005 at 06:43
| Cat's Eye/Yellow Fever (Running) is a stunning track! IMO one of their best, even though not an "epic" one! |
Posted By: Ricochet
Date Posted: December 17 2005 at 09:53
^^ agreed on that!! I once put it on a medley I created on my mp3...  so it has great value to me...
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Posted By: DallasBryan
Date Posted: December 17 2005 at 19:07
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Cant stand Peter Hammil's grating voice, but Pawn
Hearts, Still Life, H to he, and the Hammil solo Silent Corner/Empty Stage are good albums. 
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