Just discovered by accident that they've reformed, done a new album and are touring. Seeing them in Glasgow next weekend. Anyone seen them or heard the new album?
Impressions?
Van der Graaf
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- Beware the Quoth
- 35529 posts since 4 Sep, 2001 from R'lyeh Oceanic Amusement Park and Funfair
An idiot on Set Theory:
"In some cases there is an object called red that contains everything that is red. In much the same way a pot is a plate."
"In some cases there is an object called red that contains everything that is red. In much the same way a pot is a plate."
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- KVRist
- 78 posts since 5 May, 2004 from Sweden
oooh 
had no idea...
haven't heard the album, but possible to listen to clips online:
http://www.vandergraafgenerator.net/site.php
had no idea...
haven't heard the album, but possible to listen to clips online:
http://www.vandergraafgenerator.net/site.php
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- KVRAF
- 7414 posts since 8 Feb, 2003 from London, UK
Only thing I know is "Theme One", the Tommy Vance Friday Night Rock Show theme music... And I might be mistaken about that...
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- KVRist
- 86 posts since 31 May, 2003
Nice... I listened to the clips and they've still retained that classic VDGG sound. I'll have to pick it up. "Still Life" is one of my all time favorite CDs.
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- Beware the Quoth
- Topic Starter
- 35529 posts since 4 Sep, 2001 from R'lyeh Oceanic Amusement Park and Funfair
Bloody hell, that was one of hell of a gig! Wow.
An idiot on Set Theory:
"In some cases there is an object called red that contains everything that is red. In much the same way a pot is a plate."
"In some cases there is an object called red that contains everything that is red. In much the same way a pot is a plate."
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- KVRAF
- 7414 posts since 8 Feb, 2003 from London, UK
Cool!
I was going to say "Is 'wow' the full review" but, thinking about it, "wow" is probably more of a summary of the feel of the gig than additional words could explain: it leaves me wishing I'd been there.
I was going to say "Is 'wow' the full review" but, thinking about it, "wow" is probably more of a summary of the feel of the gig than additional words could explain: it leaves me wishing I'd been there.
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- KVRian
- 866 posts since 30 Jul, 2004
I'd really like to have seen the group together. I've seen PJAH perhaps 10 times over the years, from 1977 or 8 in San Francisco to Grenoble in the mid-1990's (Roaring 40's tour), on one occasion with Jackson and perhaps twice with Nick Potter, but never with Banton or Evans. His solo gigs ranged from absolutely brilliant to worthwhile, and the thing that struck me more than once was the tansformative power of a good performance over the material. I never thought that "Refugees" or "The Future Now" were particularly good songs until I saw Hammill give them an inspired performance.
The new album is a bit better than Hammill's last few solo recordings (which I don't much care for), and it's much, much, better engineered than anything they ever did back in the day. But while Jackson's technique has evolved over the years in various ways without his losing his quirky character, Banton has played enough jazz and other genres over the years since VDGG split up that some of his parts on the new VDG record have roots in evidence that are, for me, too "normal".
Still, a must-have for VDGG fans, and I really regret that the tour isn't going to get close enough to this part of France for me to see them.
The new album is a bit better than Hammill's last few solo recordings (which I don't much care for), and it's much, much, better engineered than anything they ever did back in the day. But while Jackson's technique has evolved over the years in various ways without his losing his quirky character, Banton has played enough jazz and other genres over the years since VDGG split up that some of his parts on the new VDG record have roots in evidence that are, for me, too "normal".
Still, a must-have for VDGG fans, and I really regret that the tour isn't going to get close enough to this part of France for me to see them.
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- KVRAF
- 6496 posts since 26 Nov, 2004 from Frederick, MD
Damn . . . doesn't look like their new CD's been released in the States. Amazon only has an import version available and no sound samples.
I practically lived and breated Van der Graaf while in college "back in the day." Never had the chance to see them live. Godbluff, Still Life and World Record were my favorites, but I loved all their stuff.
Can't say I've kept up with Peter Hammill, though.
I practically lived and breated Van der Graaf while in college "back in the day." Never had the chance to see them live. Godbluff, Still Life and World Record were my favorites, but I loved all their stuff.
Can't say I've kept up with Peter Hammill, though.
