flyfisher Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 The Hawkwind topic got me listening to my old In Search Of Space album, which led me onto revisiting some my other 1970s stuff including a few VdGG albums, which I've been greatly enjoying this evening. Similar in their spacey/cosmic/sci-fi aspects to Hawkwind, but generally not as 'heavy', which to be honest I prefer. probably not as commercially successful as Hawkwind (no 'Silver Machine' moment) but they are still recording and touring in various lineups with Peter Hammill still in the key role. Anyone else a fan? "Darkness 11/11" is from their 1969 album "The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other" and features Nic Potter on bass. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDmhP6YiN6s[/media] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 Oooh, I LOVED Van der Graaf Generator back in the day. My favourite was always Still Life, which I still nerdishly know all the lyrics to some 30-odd years after hearing it first! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYBifGynf6g Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 And my other fave, also on the same album, was Pilgrims - so melodic and lovely http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaIT3CFRaf4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickeyboro Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 I found them pretty unlistenable, but 'Theme One' still sends shivers up my spine - written by (the) George Martin and used to be a Radio 1 theme tune for something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 (edited) Wasn't it Tommy Vance's signature theme on R1? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWcJ7WeAK78 Edited October 28, 2011 by Clarky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alyctes Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 (edited) Been a fan for a long time. It was the segue from "Undercover Man" into "Scorched Earth", on 'Godbluff', which first trapped me. Guy Evans, what a great drummer. And Peter Hammill's solo stuff is up there with the best of them. 'Sitting Targets' is a hugely underrated album. I always sort of thought VdGG were an interesting version of Genesis, who I found very bland and noodly. Edited October 28, 2011 by alyctes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmo Valdemar Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 (edited) I adore VDGG, Still Life by far my favourite album of theirs - La Rossa is as exhausiting and devastating as any King Crimson of the era. I love the fact that at first listen they can appear quite impenetrable and rambling, they can often take quite a bit of work to understand. But once you get it, the songs are under your skin forever. Edited October 28, 2011 by Cosmo Valdemar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molan Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 [quote name='alyctes' timestamp='1319839015' post='1419317'] Been a fan for a long time. It was the segue from "Undercover Man" into "Scorched Earth", on 'Godbluff', which first trapped me. Guy Evans, what a great drummer. And Peter Hammill's solo stuff is up there with the best of them. 'Sitting Targets' is a hugely underrated album. I always sort of thought VdGG were an interesting version of Genesis, who I found very bland and noodly. [/quote] I still love Godbluff and play it fairly often. Can't really pick a favourite track these days but as an impressionable tenager I think Scorched Earth was probably the one that stood out the most: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQbfNZOH0Ag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alyctes Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 (edited) [quote name='molan' timestamp='1319844171' post='1419390'] I still love Godbluff and play it fairly often. Can't really pick a favourite track these days but as an impressionable tenager I think Scorched Earth was probably the one that stood out the most: [/quote] That's the standout for me, even now. (I always thought - and still think - it was about Richard Nixon, FWIW. 1975 album; it was probably easier to see then.) Edited October 29, 2011 by alyctes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 "Still Life" is one of my favourite albums of all time. The first side with "Pilgrims", "Still Life" & "La Rossa" is just superb. Bought the CD remaster a few years back & it's one of the most frequently played things on my ipod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mart Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 I love "The Least We Can Do ...", but haven't heard Still Life - sounds like I should check it out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 (edited) I've only discovered them recently, starting with this performance. I stumbled across it as I have an old Hohner Pianet, like Hammill is playing here, and was looking for examples of them. His delivery does remind me of Withnail on occasion, but there's a genuine intensity about it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzoaWrRYg98 Edited October 29, 2011 by Beer of the Bass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ash Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 I've been a fan of VDGG for years, saw their latest lineup in the town where they formed - Manchester - a couple of years ago at Bridewater Hall. Superb band I used to listen to Guy Evan's drumming which really added dynamics to the band through all their longer pieces. All mentioned above are worth a listen I particularly like 'A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers' from Pawn Hearts. Hammill was a big influence on John Lydon and an album called 'Nadir's Big Chance' from PH in the mid 70's precluded Punk. VDGG were never targetted by the press as a 'dinosaur' prog band during the punk years as much of their music had a truly vicious streak and they had 'cred'. Their only live album 'Vital' was one of the first [i]truly [/i]live albums - warts and all. Check out Nick Potter's colossal fuzz bass onslaught! Also have a listen to organist Hugh Banton's delicate melodic bass playing on 'House With No Door' on their earlier album 'H to He Who Am The Only One'. Slight off topic but is everyone aware that Howard Devoto and Magazine are back with a new album and tour next month? I saw them at the Academy a year or so back for their first gig in 20 odd years and it was superb. Unfortunately the great Barry Adamson will not be touring this time because of his film work but great news all the same for fans of more eccentric rock genres. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hutton Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 'The Least We Can Do......' is one of my very favourite albums. It takes me down memory lane in a big way! Thanks muchly for the post! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treeb Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 VDGG are superb live ... particularly in their current trio format ... I was blown away by Childlike Faith in Childhood's End when I saw them earlier this year. I must admit to being impressed by Hugh Banton's bass lines ... especially because, live, he plays them with his feet while he's playing keyboards. I have enough trouble with just my two hands as it is ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTractor Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 (edited) Bliss! Never even thought VdGG would be mentioned here. Have been a fan since "[i]The Least We Can Do Is Wave to Each Other"[/i]. To me the quintessential album is their "string quartet": "[i]The Quiet Zone / The Pleasure Dome[/i]", though "[i]Still Life[/i]" makes for more pleasurable easy listening. The song "[i]Theme One[/i]" in the version with the church organ (rather than the Hammond version) is played heavily in this family. bert Edited October 29, 2011 by BassTractor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorks5stringer Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 We had one at school and the Science Teacher used to get us to shock ourselves with it.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bottomfeed Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 (edited) [quote name='ash' timestamp='1319883311' post='1419610'] ...Hammill was a big influence on John Lydon and an album called 'Nadir's Big Chance' from PH in the mid 70's precluded Punk. VDGG were never targetted by the press as a 'dinosaur' prog band during the punk years as much of their music had a truly vicious streak and they had 'cred'. Their only live album 'Vital' was one of the first [i]truly [/i]live albums - warts and all. Check out Nick Potter's colossal fuzz bass onslaught! Also have a listen to organist Hugh Banton's delicate melodic bass playing on 'House With No Door' on their earlier album 'H to He Who Am The Only One'. [/quote] Vital & Nadiir's big chance were my introduction to Mr Hammill & co... Then went back to previous albums... World Record, Still life etc... Nick Potter's dirty bass on Vital really got my attention..... Great stuff! Love the 'take no prisoners' fuzzy octaves on 'Still Life' [i] (about 3.30 in)[/i] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2v-4_ujnNtw[/media] Edited October 30, 2011 by bottomfeed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher Posted October 30, 2011 Author Share Posted October 30, 2011 [quote name='yorks5stringer' timestamp='1319932102' post='1420360'] We had one at school and the Science Teacher used to get us to shock ourselves with it.... [/quote] Now you mention it, so did we. Our favourite trick was to stand on an insulated stool, charge ourselves us and then light a bunsen burner with the spark. Happy days. I s'pose "H&S" has put an end to such things for schoolkids today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTractor Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 [quote name='yorks5stringer' timestamp='1319932102' post='1420360'] We had one at school and the Science Teacher used to get us to shock ourselves with it.... [/quote] Damn you lucky bastards! All we had was a wimpy [i]Wimshurst influence machine[/i], which was used to raise the recently washed hairs of those damn clean rich kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 Mine's all on vinyl. Memories stirred ... time to get a few CDs I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher Posted October 31, 2011 Author Share Posted October 31, 2011 A lot of my old albums are only on vinyl too but I recorded them onto my PC and converted them to MP3s many years ago. Makes them so much more accessible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB1 Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 (edited) MB1. Saw them in Manchester at the Free Trade Hall a long time ago on the World Record Tour. Dave Jackson was the first person i saw play two saxes at once! Edited November 1, 2011 by MB1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeBass Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 wow! this is a revelation - how did I miss this thread in 2011? absolutely stunning band in all it's formats. looking forward greatly to seeing them again in Manchester on June 28th 2013. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetaFunk Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 I saw VdGG at St Marys College, Strawberry Hill, Twickenham in about 1970. Good band and happy memories! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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