1

Van der Graaf

Generator

Van der Graaf Generator

Guy Evans y Hugh Banton

Datos generales

Origen Mánchester, Inglaterra,

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Reino Unido

Información artística

Género(s) Rock progresivo

Rock psicodélico

Rock experimental

Período de

actividad

1967–1972, 1975–1978, 2005–presente

Discográfica(s) Charisma, Mercury Records,Polydor Records

Web

Sitio web www.vandergraafgenerator.co.uk

Miembros

Hugh Banton

Peter Hammill

Guy Evans

Antiguos miembros

David Jackson

Nic Potter

Chris Judge Smith

Graham Smith

Van der Graaf Generator fue uno de los grupos más importantes del rock progresivo inglés de los años

1970. Fueron los primeros artistas que firmaron para la compañía Charisma Records. La banda alcanzó

un considerable éxito en Italia.

Las principales características de Van der Graaf Generator (VdGG) eran la combinación de la voz

dinámica de Peter Hammill y lossaxofones tratados electrónicamente de David Jackson, generalmente

sobre pistas de diversas clases de teclados (como el órgano Hammond o el clavinet de Hohner). Los

discos de VdGG tendieron a ser de una atmósfera más oscura que otros grupos de música progresiva (un

título que compartieron con King Crimson, cuyo guitarrista, Robert Fripp, aparece en dos de sus

álbumes), aunque los solosde guitarra son una excepción en vez de una regla.

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Hammill era el principal letrista del grupo y, a menudo, la línea entre la música escrita para su carrera de

solista y para su banda era difusa.

El nombre del grupo está basado en un equipo eléctrico diseñado para producir electricidad estática,

el Generador de Van de Graaff. El nombre fue sugerido por uno de los primeros miembros del grupo,

Chris Judge Smith. El error ortográfico fue accidental.

Historia del grupo

Formación e inicios de la carrera

Van der Graaf Generator se formó en 1967 cuando varios de sus miembros estudiaban en la Universidad

de Mánchester. El trío estaba constituido por Peter Hammill (guitarra y voces), Nick Pearne (órgano) y

Chris Judge Smith (percusión e instrumentos de viento). Gracias a un demo, Mercury Records le ofreció

a esta primera encarnación de la banda (orientada al blues y al jazz) un contrato de grabación que solo

firmó Peter Hammill, a la sazón, de 19 años.

En 1968, Pearne fue reemplazado por Hugh Banton. El grupo fue capaz de asegurarse a Tony Stratton-

Smith como manejador a tiempo completo. A través de él, el grupo se hizo con los servicios de

un bajista llamado Keith Ian Ellis. El baterista Guy Evans se unió al poco tiempo. Esta formación grabó

una serie de cintas demos para Mercury, antes de sacar un disco sencillo (que incluía los temas "The

People You Were Going To" y "Firebrand") para Polydor Records. El disco sencillo fue publicado bajo

presión de Mercury, pues había violado el contrato como solista de Hammill.

Aunque el grupo tocó en el programa Top Gear de BBC Radio 1 en noviembre y que estaba

desarrollando un tour exitoso, se separó principios de 1969. El robo de un vehículo y del equipo del

grupo en Londres se unió a las presiones que condujeron a esto, en combinación con el rechazo de

Mercury para cancelar el contrato como solista de Hammill y la negativa del grupo para firmar en los

inconvenientes términos con que Hammill lo había hecho.

En julio de 1969, Hammill fue a grabar su primer disco como solista en Trident Studios. Banton, Evans y

Ellis se le unieron como músicos de estudio. A través de un convenio negociado por su manager, el

planeado álbum como solista de Hammill, The Aerosol Grey Machine, fue publicado por Mercury bajo el

nombre del grupo en pago de liberar a Hammill de su contrato como solista. Inicialmente, el álbum solo

fue publicado en los Estados Unidos.

Lo primero que hizo Tony Stratton-Smith luego de fundar Charisma Records fue firmar al grupo. Sin

embargo, antes de grabar su segunda producción, titulada The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other,

Ellis abandonó la banda (posteriormente, se uniría por un breve tiempo a Juicy Lucy y a una encarnación

de Iron Butterfly) por lo que debió ser reemplazado por Nic Potter, además, David Jackson

(saxofón y flauta) se unió al personal de la banda.

Período clásico

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Con la grabación de The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other se empezó a establecer un sonido

nuevo en la banda, el cual dejaba atrás la influencia psicodélica de The Aerosol Grey Machine en favor

de texturas musicales más oscuras influenciadas por el jazz y la música clásica. The Least We Can

Do... fue muy bien recibido y sería seguido por un disco de título oscuro y que seguiría adelante con la

evolución musical de la banda: H to He, Who Am the Only One. Potter abandonó durante las grabaciones

del disco nuevo y el grupo decidió arreglárselas sin un bajista, haciendo que Banton sustituyera el bajo

con ayuda de los pedales bajos del órgano. En la canción "The Emperor In His War Room", aparece la

colaboración del guitarrista Robert Fripp.

Así las cosas, el cuarteto integrado por Hammill, Banton, Jackson y Evans que resultó de la grabación del

álbum H to He es considerado ahora como la formación "clásica" de VdGG y, sin ningún cambió procedió

a grabar el álbum Pawn Hearts, considerado como uno de los mejores trabajos de la agrupación. Solo

contiene tres temas: "Lemmings", "Man-Erg" y la pieza conceptual de 23 minutos llamada "A Plague of

Lighthouse Keepers", muy acorde con los tiempos, pues otras bandas del movimiento progresivo

también grabaron durante esos años canciones de larga duración. De nuevo, Fripp hizo una aparición en

el disco como guitarrista. El álbum resultó ser altamente exitoso en Italia, encabezando las listas de

discos más vendidos durante doce semanas. La banda realizó una gira por Italia durante unas semanas,

sin embargo, los conciertos estuvieron plagados por militantes de diferentes organizaciones extremistas,

desde las Brigadas Rojashasta del neofascismo. El grupo viajó por varias ciudades

desde 1970 hasta 1972, pero sin contar con apoyo de la compañía discográfica y, posiblemente,

experimentando dificultades económicas que acabaron con la separación del grupo y llevaron a Hammill

a seguir con una carrera como solista.

Los otros tres miembros de la banda grabaron un disco instrumental con Nic Potter, Ced Curtis y Piero

Messina, usando el nombre "The Long Hello". El disco homónimo fue editado en 1973 en música.

Primera reunión 1975-1978

La separación de Hammill del grupo fue en buenos términos y los mismos Banton, Jackson y Evans, entre

otros, contribuyeron a su trabajo solista en varias oportunidades. Alrededor de 1975 los integrantes del

grupo estuvieron listos para trabajar juntos de nuevo y, en solo doce meses, grabaron tres discos

nuevos. Las sesiones fueron producidas por el propio grupo (los discos anteriores de VdGG habían sido

producidos por John Anthony en los estudios Trident), y, en cierta forma mostraban un sonido más

tenso y sistemático. Godbluff, en particular, mostraba a Hammill haciendo un uso significativo del

clavinet de Hohner. Still Life apareció el mismo año.

Luego del disco World Record, se alejaron de la banda Banton y luego Jackson. Nic Potter regresó y, en

un giro típicamente excéntrico, Banton fue reemplazado por un violinista, Graham Smith. Esta

formación produjo el disco The Quiet Zone/The Pleasure Dome. Asimismo, el grupo acortó su nombre a

'Van der Graaf'. Después de The Quiet Zone/The Pleasure Dome solo grabaron un disco más, una vez que

Charles Dickie se hubiera unido al grupo en el cello, apareció el doble disco en vivo Vital. Cuando fue

publicado, ya el grupo se había separado, en el verano de 1978, otra vez, de manera amistosa.

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Un disco de material "nuevo" fue publicado después de la separación. Time Vaults es una colección de

grabaciones de tomas y ensayos hechas entre 1972 y 1975. Sin embargo, la calidad del sonido varía de

estándar para demos a muy pobre.

Segunda reunión, 2005

Banton, Jackson y Evans hicieron apariciones ocasionales en los discos solistas de Hammill posteriores a

la separación de 1978 y los miembros de la formación clásica de la banda tocaron juntos

ocasionalmente. En 1991, tocaron varias canciones en la fiesta de cumpleaños de la esposa de David

Jackson. En 1996, el cuarteto apareció en un concierto que ofrecían Peter Hammill y Guy Evans en el

Union Chapel de Londres para interpretar "Lemmings". En 2003, Banton, Jackson y Evans se unieron a

Hammill pare tocar la canción "Still Life" en el Queen Elizabeth Hall deLondres. Ninguna de estas

apariciones fueron anunciadas a la audiencia con antelación. Esta última aparición llevó a los miembros

del grupo a escribir y ensayar material nuevo en el verano de 2004. Un disco doble llamado Present, fue

el producto de esta reunión de la banda y fue publicado en abril de 2005. El 6 de mayo de 2005 se

celebró un concierto de reunión en el Royal Festival Hall, en Londres, seguido por una gira por Europa

durante el verano y el otoño de 2005. El concierto ofrecido en Leverkusen, Alemania del 5 de noviembre

de 2005 fue filmado para un programa llamado "Rockpalast" y transmitido el 15 de enero de 2006.

Peter Hammill afirmó en un boletín de noticias de diciembre de 2005 que no había planes para más

conciertos o grabaciones por parte de la formación clásica de VdGG en el futuro cercano. No obstante,

la revista Mojo anunció en julio de 2006 que el grupo estaba dispuesto a grabar y presentarse en vivo.

En septiembre de 2006, Hammill anunció que el grupo continuaría como un trío, sin Jackson.

Formación actual

Peter Hammill - guitarra, piano eléctrico y voces (1967-1978, 2005-)

Hugh Banton - órgano (1968-1976, 2005-)

Guy Evans - batería (1968-1978, 2005-)

Miembros de formaciones anteriores

David Jackson - saxofón y flauta (1970-1977, 1978, 2005)

Chris Judge Smith - voces, batería e instrumentos de viento (1967)

Nick Pearne - órgano (1967)

Keith Ian Ellis - bajo (1968)

Nic Potter - bajo (1970, 1977-1978)

Graham Smith - violín (1977-1978)

Charles Dickie - cello (1978)

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Las distintas formaciones de la banda

1967: Peter Hammill, Nick Pearne, Chris Judge Smith

1968: Peter Hammill, Guy Evans, Hugh Banton, Keith Ian Ellis

1970: Peter Hammill, Guy Evans, Hugh Banton, David Jackson, Nic Potter

1970: Peter Hammill, Guy Evans, Hugh Banton, David Jackson

1975: Peter Hammill, Guy Evans, Hugh Banton, David Jackson

1977: Peter Hammill, Guy Evans, Nic Potter, Graham Smith

1978: Peter Hammill, Guy Evans, Nic Potter, Graham Smith, Charles Dickie, David Jackson

2005: Peter Hammill, Guy Evans, Hugh Banton, David Jackson

2006: Peter Hammill, Guy Evans, Hugh Banton

THE AEROSOL GREY MACHINE

Studio Album, released in 1969

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Afterwards (4:58)

2. Orthenthian St. (Part I) (2:23)

3. Orthenthian St. (Part II) (3:53)

4. Running Back (6:32)

5. Into a Game (5:56)

6. Aerosol Grey Machine (0:56)

7. Black Smoke Yen (1:18)

8. Aquarian (8:27)

9. Necromancer (3:30)

10. Octopus (7:41)

11. Giant Squid* (3:19)

12. Ferret & Featherbird** (4:34)

13. People You Were Going To***

(2:44)

14. Firebrand*** (4:08)

Total Time: 60:20

*USA Mercury LP release included

no 11 in place of no 09

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** The FIE! Records CD release

includes no 9 and 11 with one Extra

No 12

*** The Repertoire CD misses no

11, but contains no 13 and no 14 as

additional tracks these 2 songs

were first published in 1968 as a

single.

Line-up / Musicians

- Hugh Banton / piano, organ, backing vocals - Keith Ellis / bass, backing vocals - Guy Evans / drums, percussion

- Peter Hammill / lead vocals, acoustic guitar - Jeff Peach / flute

THE LEAST WE CAN DO IS WAVE TO EACH OTHER

Studio Album, released in 1970

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Darkness (11/11) (7:27) 2. Refugees (6:22) 3. White Hammer (8:15) 4. Whatever Would Robert Have Said? (6:17) 5. Out Of My Book (4:07) 6. After The Flood (11:28) Total Time: 43:56 Bonus tracks on remaster (2005): 7. Boat of millions of years (3:50) 8. Refugees (single version) (5:24)

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H TO HE, WHO AM THE ONLY ONE

Studio Album, released in 1970

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Killer (8:07) 2. House With No Door (6:03) 3. The Emperor In His War-Room (9:04) - a) The Emperor - b) The Room 4. Lost (11:13) - a) The Dance In Sand And Sea - b) The Dance In The Frost 5. Pioneers Over C. (12:05) Total Time: 46:32 Bonus tracks on remaster (2005): 6. Squid 1 / Squid 2 / Octopus (15:24) 7. The Emperor In His War-Room (first version) (8:50)

PAWN HEARTS

Studio Album, released in 1971

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Lemmings (11:39) 2. Man-Erg (10:21) 3. A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers (23:04) a) Eyewitness b) Pictures / Lighthouse c) Eyewitness d) S.H.M. e) Presence of the Night f) Kosmos Tours g) (Custard's) Last Stand h) The Clot Thickens i) Land's End j) We Go Now Total Time: 45:04 Bonus tracks on remaster (2005): 4. Theme One (original mix) (3:15) 5. W (first version) (5:04)

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6. Angle of Incidents (4:48) 7. Ponker's Theme (1:28) 8. Diminutions (6:00)

GODBLUFF

Studio Album, released in 1975

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. The Undercover Man (7:00) 2. Scorched Earth (10:10) 3. Arrow (8:15) 4. The Sleepwalkers (10:26) Total Time: 35:51 Bonus tracks on remaster (2005): 5. Forsaken Gardens (live) (12:23) 6. A Louse is Not a Home (live) (10:26)

STILL LIFE

Studio Album, released in 1976

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Pilgrims (7:07) 2. Still Life (7:20) 3. La Rossa (9:47) 4. My Room (Waiting for Wonderland) (8:09) 5. Childlike Faith in Childhood's End (12:20) Total Time: 44:45 Bonus track on remaster (2005): 6. Gog (live) (12:23)

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WORLD RECORD

Studio Album, released in 1976

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. When She Comes (7:58) 2. A Place to Survive (10:00) 3. Masks (6:55) 4. Meurglys III, The Songwriter's Guild (20:47) 5. Wondering (6:33) Total Time: 52:13 Bonus tracks on remaster (2005): 6. When She Comes (8:10) * 7. Masks (7:24) *

THE QUIET ZONE / THE PLEASURE DOME

Studio Album, released in 1977

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Lizard Play (4:29) 2. The Habit of the Broken Heart (4:40) 3. The Siren Song (6:04) 4. Last Frame (6:13) 5. The Wave (3:14) 6. Cat's Eye / Yellow Fever (Running) (5:20) 7. The Sphinx in the Face (5:58) 8. Chemical World (6:10) 9. The Sphinx Returns (1:12) Total time: 43:20 Bonus tracks on remaster (2005): 10. Door (3:28) 11. The Wave (instrumental) (3:03) 12. Ship of Fools (single version) (3:43)

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PRESENT

Studio Album, released in 2005

Songs / Tracks Listing

CD One: SONGS - 37:29 1. Every Bloody Emperor (7:03) 2. Boleas Panic (6:50) 3. Nutter Alert (6:11) 4. Abandon Ship! (5:07) 5. In Babelsberg (5:30) 6. On the Beach (6:48) CD Two: IMPROVISATIONS - 65:21 1. Vulcan Meld (7:19) 2. Double Bass (6:34) 3. Slo Moves (6:24) 4. Architectural Hair (8:55) 5. Spanner (5:03) 6. Crux (5:50) 7. Manuelle (7:51) 8. 'Eavy Mate (3:51) 9. Homage to Teo (4:45) 10. The Price of Admission (8:49) Total Time: 102:50

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TRISECTOR

Studio Album, released in 2008

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. The Hurlyburly (4:34) 2. Interference Patterns (3:49) 3. The Final Reel (5:47) 4. Lifetime (4:43) 5. Drop Dead (4:44) 6. Only in a Whisper (6:43) 7. All That Before (6:26) 8. Over the Hill (12:26) 9. (We Are) Not Here (4:04) Total Time: 53:16

A GROUNDING IN NUMBERS

Studio Album, released in 2011

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Your Time Starts Now (4:14) 2. Mathematics (3:38) 3. Highly Strung (3:36) 4. Red Baron (2:23) 5. Bunsho (5:02) 6. Snake Oil (5:20) 7. Splink (2:37) 8. Embarrassing Kid (3:06) 9. Medusa (2:12) 10. Mr. Sands (5:22) 11. Smoke (2:30) 12. 5533 (2:42) 13. All Over The Place (6:03) Total Time: 48:45

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ALT

Studio Album, released in 2012

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Earlybird 2. Extractus 3. Sackbutt 4. Colossus 5. Batty Loop 6. Splendid 7. Repeat After Me 8. Elsewhere 9. Here's One I Made Earlier 10. Midnite Or So 11. D'Accord 12. Mackerel Ate Them 13. Tuesday, The Riff 14. Dronus

VITAL

14

Live, released in 1978

Songs / Tracks Listing

1978 Original double LP: SIDE ONE 1. Ship Of Fools 2. Still Life 3. Last Frame SIDE TWO 1. Mirror Images 2. Medley (Parts Of 'A Plague Of Lighthouse Keepers' And 'The Sleepwalkers') SIDE THREE 1. Pioneers Over C 2. Sci-Finance SIDE FOUR 1. Door 2. Urban 3. Nadir's Big Chance 1989 CD release: 1. Ship Of Fools (6:44) 2. Still Life (9:43) 3. Last Frame (8:59) 4. Mirror Images (5:48) 5. Medley: a) Plague Of Lighthouse Keepers b) Sleepwalkers (13:47) 6. Pioneers Over C (16:59) 7. Door (5:29) 8. Urban / Killer / Urban (7:36) Total Time : 75:09 2005 Remastered Edition double CD: DISC ONE 1. Ship Of Fools (6:43) 2. Still Life (9:42) 3. Last Frame (9:02) 4. Mirror Images (5:50) 5. Medley: a) Plague Of Lighthouse Keepers b) Sleepwalkers (13:41) DISC TWO 1. Pioneers Over C (17:00) 2. Sci-Finance (6:16) 3. Door (6:00) 4. Urban / Killer / Urban (8:20) 5. Nadir's Big Chance (7:00) Total Time: 89:34

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MAIDA VALE (THE BBC RADIO ONE SESSIONS)

Live, released in 1994

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Darkness (7:21) 2. Man-Erg (11:08) 3. Scorched Earth (9:42) 4. Sleepwalkers (10:01) 5. Still Life (7:22) 6. La Rossa (10:01) 7. When She Comes (8:10) 8. Masks (7:24) Total Time: 71:09

Line-up / Musicians

- Peter Hammill / vocals, guitars, keyboards - Guy Evans / drums - Hugh Banton / organ, bass pedals and guitar - David Jackson / saxes, flutes

REAL TIME

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Live, released in 2007

Songs / Tracks Listing

DISC ONE - 70:10 1. The Undercover Man (8:29) 2. Scorched Earth (10:05) 3. Refugees (6:01) 4. Every Bloody Emperor (7:36) 5. Lemmings (13:20) 6. (In The) Black Room (11:16) 7. Nutter Alert (6:05) 8. Darkness (7:20) DISC TWO - 58:36 1. Masks (6:47) 2. Childlike Faith In Childhood's End (12:34) 3. The Sleepwalkers (10:44) 4. Man-Erg (11:36) 5. Killer (9:55) 6. Wondering (7:01) Total Time: 128:46

Line-up / Musicians

- Peter Hammill / guitars, vocals, piano - Guy Evans / drums - David Jackson / saxophones, flute - Hugh Banton / organ

Releases information

Released by Fie! Records in 2007; recorded live at The Royal Festival Hall, London, 6th May 2005

LIVE AT THE PARADISO

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Live, released in 2009

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Lemmings 2. A Place To Survive 3. Lifetime 4. (In The) Black Room 5. Every Bloody Emperor 6. All That Before 7. Gog 8. Meurglys III, The Songwriter's Guild 9. The Sleepwalkers 10. Man-Erg 11. Scorched Earth

Line-up / Musicians

- Peter Hammill / vocals, guitar, pianos - Hugh Banton / organ - Guy Evans / drums

RECORDED LIVE IN CONCERT AT METROPOLIS STUDIOS, LONDON

18

Live, released in 2012

Songs / Tracks Listing

Disc One - 52:07 1. Interference Patterns (4:22) 2. Nutter Alert (5:35) 3. Your Time Starts Now (4:25) 4. Lemmings (14:26) 5. Lifetime (5:24) 5. Bunsho (5:38) 6. Childlike Faith (12:16) Disc Two - 34:29 1. Mr. Sands (05:22) 2. Over The Hill (12:21) 3. We Are Not Here (04:54) 4. Man-Erg (11:50)

Line-up / Musicians

Peter Hammill - Vocals, Guitars, Keyboards Hugh Banton - Keyboards, Organ, Bass Guy Evans - Drums

Releases information

Recorded Live in Concert at Metropolis Studios, London album by Van Der Graaf Generator was released Aug 07, 2012 on the Conveyor label.

TIME VAULTS

19

Boxset/Compilation, released in 1982

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Liquidator (5:24) 2. Rift Valley (4:40) 3. Tarzan (2:09) 4. Coil Night (4:12) 5. Time Vaults (3:33) 6. Drift (I Hope It Won't) (2:40) 7. Roncevaux (6:55) 8. It All Went Up (4:07) 9. Faint and Forsaken (2:45) 10. Blackroom (8:52) Total time: 46:17

Line-up / Musicians

- Peter Hammill / vocals, guitars, keyboards - Guy Evans / drums - Hugh Banton / organ, bass pedals and guitar - David Jackson / saxes, flutes

Releases information

First officially released on musicassette only by Sofa Sound in 1982, later on LP by Demi Monde (DM 003) and on CD by Thunderbolt (CDTB 106).

NOW AND THEN (VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR / JACKSON, BANTON, EVANS)

20

Boxset/Compilation, released in 1988

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Saigon Roulette - Jackson, Banton, Evans (4:43) 2. The Liquidator - Van Der Graaf Generator (5:27) 3. Gentlemen Prefer Blues - Jackson, Banton, Evans (2:58) 4. The Main Slide - Jackson, Banton, Evans (4:07) 5. Tropic Of Conversation - Jackson, Banton, Evans (7:19) 6. Spooks - Jackson, Banton, Evans (5:15) 7. Tarzan - Van Der Graaf Generator (2:14) 8. The Epilogue - Jackson, Banton, Evans (4:10) Total Time: 36:16

Line-up / Musicians

On the Van Der Graaf Generator tracks: - Peter Hammill / piano & vocals - Hugh Banton / organ & bass pedals (presumably, because he is credited with 'sax', which can't be true compared to the Time Vaults release) - Guy Evans / drums - David Jackson / saxophone On the Jackson, Banton, Evans tracks: - David Jackson / saxophones, flutes & keyboards - Hugh Banton / keyboards & drum programmes - Guy Evans / drum machine, percussion, baliphones & trumpet

Releases information

Thunderbolt (The Magnum Music Group) CDTB 042 (1988)

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I PROPHESY DISASTER

Boxset/Compilation, released in 1993

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Afterwards (4:57) 2. Necromancer (3:36) 3. Refugees (5:24) 4. The Boat of Millions of Years (3:50) 5. Lemmings(including Cog) (11:37) 6. W (4:26) 7. Arrow (9:46) 8. La Rossa (9:50) 9. Ship of Fools (3:46) 10. Medley (Parts of "A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers" and "The Sleepwalkers") (13:32) Total Time: 70:44

Line-up / Musicians

- Peter Hammill / vocals, guitars, keyboards - Guy Evans / drums - Hugh Banton / organ, bass pedals and guitar (No 1 to 8) - David Jackson / saxes, flutes (No 1, 8, 10) - Keith Ellis / bass (No 1, 2) - Nic Poter / bass (No 3, 4) - Graham Smith / violin (No 9, 10) - Charles Dickie / cello, keyboards (No 10)

THE BOX

22

Boxset/Compilation, released in 2000

Songs / Tracks Listing

CD 1: "Bless The Baby Born Today" 1. People You Were Going To (3:32) 2. Afterwards (4:45) 3. Necromancer (4:11) 4. Refugees (6:19) 5. Darkness (6:52) 6. After the Flood (10:59) 7. White Hammer (8:16) 8. House With No Door (6:33) 9. Killer (8:20) 10. Lost (11:09) CD2: "The Tower Reels" 1. Theme 1 (3:01) 2. W (4:28) 3. A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers (23:06) 4. (In the) Black Room/The Tower (11:47) 5. Lemmings (16:42) 6. Man-Erg (11:09) CD 3: "One More Heaven Gained" 1. La Rossa (9:51) 2. Arrow (8:53) 3. Still Life (7:26) 4. My Room (7:29) 5. Sleepwalkers (10:26) 6. Pilgrims (7:11) 7. Childlike Faith in Childhood's End (12:25) 8. Scorched Earth (10:13) CD4: "Like Something Out Of Edgar Allen Poe" 1. Masks (7:00) 2. Meurglys III (16:47) 3. When She Comes (8:02) 4. Wondering (6:42) 5. The Wave (3:15) 6. Cat's Eye/Yellow Fever (Running) (4:49) 7. Chemical World (6:14) 8. Door (3:26) 9. Sci-Finance (6:16) 10. The Sphinx in the Face (5:33)

Line-up / Musicians

- Guy Evans / drums, percussion, baliphones - Hugh Banton / keyboards, drum programmes - David Jackson / saxes, flutes, keyboards - Peter Hammill / vocals, piano - Chas Dickie / cello - Keith Ellis / bass and background vocals - Nick Potter / bass

Releases information

EMI

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Van Der Graaf Generator biography

VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR is an English eclectic progressive rock band with front man Peter HAMMILL from

'the classic period' that has proven be one of the most important bands of the progressive genre.

In England, 1967 Chris Judge SMITH formed 'VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR', but after his departure it was up to

Peter HAMMILL (vocals, keyboards, guitar), Hugh BANTON (organ, bass on organ), David JACKSON (sax, flute) and

Guy EVANS (drums) to become one of progressive rock most proliferate and unique bands as well as the first band

to be signed to the Famous Charisma Label. The band was named after the scientific instrument 'the Van de Graaff

generator', which is used for accumulating high voltage bolts. VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR (VdGG for short) is

known for its extrovert dynamics (ranging from slow, calm & peaceful to fierce & heavy), its intense and emotional

'love it or hate it' vocals by Peter HAMMILL, its celebrated contribution to extended progressive songwriting and its

combination of psychedelic, jazz, classical and avant-garde or even acid influences. Moreover, VdGG can be seen as

the first band that was to combine the very progressive with the very personal, whereas other bands used to work

with abstractions and fantasy. Peter HAMMILL has a talent for singing out intense graving, anger, panic and

confusion whilst still being able to sing warm and caring in other passages. The band never really fitted in the

symphonic progressive rock subgenre because of its widespread influences and unique style, though the band would

have symphonic leanings throughout it's career. Unusual for the time was the focus on organ, drums and sax,

whereas in the sixties the guitar and the bass guitar had played a major role.

The band had a leading role in the very first progressive phase releasing high-rated albums from 1970 to 1975. The

strong conceptual 'H to He Who am the only one' (1970), the intense and highly innovative and daring 'Pawn Hearts'

(1971), the bleak and ever evolving 'Godbluff' (1975) and the matured 'Still Life' (1976) are often cited as

masterpieces of the progressive genre. Alongside VdGG there would be a very interesting solo-career for Peter

HAMMILL who frequently invited members of the band to come and join on his seventies recordings, some of which

are seen as 'lost VdGG albums'. VdGG would directly influence a lot of Italian progressive acts, a country in which

they were particularly well received. The band stopped performing in its classic line-up after 1976, not to return until

2005.

The first VdGG album (though without David JACKSON) 'The Aerosol Grey Machine' was actually intended to be the

first Peter HAMMILL album, but was recorded under the VdGG flag due to contractual constrictions. Only the last

song 'Octopus' would feature what fans think of as 'the VdGG sound' whereas most of material could be perceived as

late-coming sixties psych with some progressive and even proto-metal (due to the heavy bass riffs by Keith ELLIS)

leanings. The album was recorded in two days and didn't sound very professional, but listened to as a sixties

psychedelic rock record it stands quite well.

In 1970 the band released 'The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other' which introduced the VdGG sound with

intellectual songwriting, lot's of slightly distorted organs and intense dark passages. Moreover, wind-player David

JACKSON would join in to complete band with his double sax playing. At this time the band would gather itself a cult-

following, though significant commercial success would never be reached in England.

The second 1970 release, the strangely named 'H To He Who Am The Only One' (the first words referring to the

chemical reaction in the sun) would show the band having grown towards brilliance with the best of lyrics about

troubling solitude by Peter HAMMILL and great epic songwriting in 'The Emperor in his War Room' and the

celebrated 'Pioneers over C'. The latter would take visual and philosophical songwriting to a new level. In the studio

King Crimson front-man Robert FRIPP would join to add some guitars to the mix. Due to the departure of Nic

POTTER the bass would be played by organ-player Hugh BANTON for halve of the album and on tour.

In 1971 the band would return with an even more daring and adventurous recording, the much anticipated and

revered 'Pawn Hearts'. Psychedelic darkness was taken to the maximum with not a single passage left untouched by

inspired heavy progression. This would make the album both a favourite and one of the less liked classics of the

progressive genre. The album would feature the 23 minute epic 'A Plague Of Lighthouse Keepers'. After this album

Peter HAMMILL would focus on his solo-career releasing 'Chameleon In the Shadow Of The Night' (1973), 'The

Silent Corner And The Empty Stage' (1974) and 'In Camara' (1974) with much participation of other VdGG members.

These albums are considered to be great progressive records by most fans of VdGG. The VdGG recordings that

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were made during these years would be released as 'Time Vaults' (1982).

The year 1975 would bring us the return of VdGG with the classic 'Godbluff' that would have four ten-minute long

epics showing a complex, but less freely psychedelic VdGG. The instrumental and lyrical development of these four

songs is phenomenal and the before-mentioned dynamic range of the band was stretched to the maximum. After that

the band was quick to record 'Still Life' (1976) on which the band's sound matured with a more solid production. In

1976 the band would also record 'World Record' which is often seen as a regression with three less progressive

tracks on side one and a strong epic 'Meurglys III, The Songwriter's Guild' that was plagued by a long aimless jam-

session towards the end. Later this year Hugh BANTON quit VdGG and he was soon to be followed by David

JACKSON, because of the problematic financial situation of the band.

In 1977 the band was revived with the return of Nic POTTER on bass and the addition of Graham SMITH on the

violin. 'The Quet Zone', otherwise known as 'The Pleasure Dome' showed a different band with a different sound. In

1978 the band's first live album was released, the double lp 'Vital' with David JACKSON appearing as a guest

musician and the addition of Charles DICKIE on cello and synth. Due to a different line-up and a different zeitgeist

(the rise of punk) the sound would again differ from the classic VdGG sound, which would have a distinctive effect on

most songs. After this Peter HAMMILL would once again focus on his solo-career.

The return of the Generator with the classic line-up would be a main event of 2005 for the progressive community

with the well received 'Present' (2005) and the celebrated 'Real Time' live-album which would feature great live-

recordings of most of the bands progressive classics. The first concert in the Royal Festival Hall in London (where

'Real Time' was recorded) would be visited by fans from 32 countries with black-market tickets rising to a staggering

1000 dollars on Ebay. After the departure of David JACKSON they would record 'Trisector' in 2008 and 'A Grounding

In Numbers' in 2011. In 2012 the band is releasing yet another new album as a trio, 'ALT'.

Retrospection. VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR has always remained too small to be a widely recognized act (like

for instance Genesis or Yes), yet it was too big to get an illustrious title as ' underground band'. The band acquired

some devoted following over the years and is nowadays considered to be one of the biggest acts of progressive rock

history, as the amount of reviews and debates on PA can underline. For lot of us their music has proven to be very

hard to get into, but it is even harder to live without it once you've acquired a taste for the band. The way the band

combines the very personal with the abstract sound of progression creates a fascination that lives on and the way

Peter HAMMILL puts his soul in the music seems to be untouchable for other musicians.