Van der Graaf Generator

[stanton]

Unknown to most some might call this the greatest band of the known Universe.

The BBC-Session version of Darkness:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBMuSFSMo28

One of the 10 greatest songs ever!
Especially in this version.

[stanton]

Attended a Van der Graaf Generator concert last Thursday. Met a few old fans who are responsible for the finest bootleg live recordings back in the 70s, stuff which I heard extensively in the last 20 years despite their Lo-Lo-Fi mono quality.

The concert was a pretty brutish one, and for that rougher than the other ones I had the pleasure to hear since their 2005 comeback. The set would have been a great surprise if I hadn't already known that they were playing the two 23 min tracks Flight (albeit a Hammill solo epic) and A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers. And with Meurgly's III another longish piece. Also 3 tracks form the last 2 albums and Scorched Earth for the encore.

Fantastic and intensive concert.

[dave jenkins]

I would have liked to have seen "A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers", probably my favorite VdGG track. I'm not so keen on "Flight" and anyway it's available live on The Margin. The recent VdGG DVDs have been good. I think I'll play the one from The Metropolis tonight.

[dave jenkins]

Huh, I didn't realize this was up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUnTqMUYmwo

It's nice being able to see the 4-piece in action.

[stanton]

Huh, I didn't realize this was up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUnTqMUYmwo

It's nice being able to see the 4-piece in action.

That's the ultimate fan version. Cut together from every available audience video recording. I think there were a lot. The sound is probably now taken from the official CD, or maybe still from the best audience recording.

The 2 existing TV recordings from 1972 and 1975 are also available on YouTube.
Ohh, and the 2 tracks from the Beat Club from 1971. Still with a real bass player then.

Lighthouse Keepers is probably my favourite track of them too. Or Darkness, or Man-Erg.

[dave jenkins]

The sound is probably now taken from the official CD, or maybe still from the best audience recording.

I was suspecting the CD, although there are a few moments of audience noise that aren't on the CD. Maybe some clever editing?

[stanton]

If the audience noise is only between the tracks then yes.

[dave jenkins]

Of course, I like the K Group too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wVbW6BHRl0

I found a recent rendering of Lighthouse Keepers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtfHCoWK51M

[dave jenkins]

Hmm, I was expecting something a bit more radical: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu2I2pT7CpI

[dave jenkins]

Merlin Atmos! http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00PUJZ3OO/ref=pd_luc_rh_mrairec_02_01_t_lh?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Yeah, baby! 

[stanton]

13 of the 14 songs which were played on that tour. Only Mr. Sands is missing.

There is also a new PH solo album available.
As a normal CD, or as a 3 CD. 

http://sofasound.com/phcds/allthatmightbox.htm

[dave jenkins]

Merlin Atmos! http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00PUJZ3OO/ref=pd_luc_rh_mrairec_02_01_t_lh?ie=UTF8&psc=1

In da house! 

[dave jenkins]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/After-Flood-Graaf-Generator-1968-1977/dp/B00TQE9SR2/ref=pd_sim_m_h__2?ie=UTF8&refRID=133DG612BG51WFKYZHW5

[stanton]

Yeah, I noticed that a few days ago. Great, great versions, and most are pretty different from the album versions, many are even better than the album versions.

The only disappointing aspect is that those sessions which are only available in bad quality are still missing. Which could mean, must mean that they were not preserved by the BBC. I still hope that the music collection of John Peel the transcription LPs of those can be find.
I love all the BBC stuff, also from other bands and musicians.

Those songs which were not officially released before, were already released on diverse bootlegs in comparatively good quality. I hope these are now presented in perfect quality.

[stanton]

Darkness:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBMuSFSMo28


Killer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDc5MeV7IKc

Still Life:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBZGZrOpu5I