A similar band you might like from the same era: Pavlov's Dog!
I just discovered Van Der Graff Generator...
An interesting experimental British band from the 60s and 70s. Their music is interesting, however they're not for everyone. Please give them a try and let me know what you think.
Thanks.
PS... you need an open mind for this band.
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Welcome to a different world, VDGG were unique, not sounding like anything else. Aerosol the grey machine H to He who am the only one Godbluff Still life World Record Pawn Hearts (not so accessible) You can also check Peter Hammill’s solo career, the singer, the poet and the soul of that band. Fools mate In camera The future now Nadir's big chance The silent corner and the empty stage. There are others good ones too but above are for me their/his better works. |
... and Peter Hammill and company are still going strong; just recently released a new live album. Totally agree with @petg60 . A couple of very accessible songs are 'Killer' off of 'H to He' and 'Necromancer' from 'Aerosol the Grey Machine'. One amusing description of Peter Hammill I once read was 'David Bowie on bad acid'.... |
My first VDGG album was Pawn Hearts in the $1.99 budget bin at Cheap Thrills Records in NJ circa 1978. It was way out there even for the college crowd. Man Erg is awesome. Lighthouse Keepers is a fun trip. VDGG and Peter Hamill was largely ignored back then but are considered very influential pioneers these days by many. |
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....I took a pause when I read the comment about Hammill once being compared to "David Bowie on bad acid..." OhhhK....that'll work for a 'heads' up'...if you drift my catch..... (....had a pleasant surprise the other, literally at hand for a year +, unrecognized...) It ought to smoooth out razor blase' moozik..... 😬😂😏🤨🤪😐 ;) I not skeerd... |
@mapman - I get the feeling that almost every copy of 'Pawn Hearts' ended up in the cut-out bins (the first couple of Soft Machines, too); few were the bins I perused that didn't have at least one in there. I wonder who at the record company thought this would sell well enough to order so many records pressed? |
.....sounds normal 'enough', a bit different for the era... We had Zappa and co., so.... 'BritProgRock' would be fairly called 'eclectic' for even SoCA, but seems familiar to some of what drifted south from the Bay area... There's a mention of Atomic Rooster.....that I recognize. Strange even to acidheads.....blissed or bolted, horizontal or abscent if only in 'gone blank, end of broadcast day screen static.... 😏
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(...leans forward, heavily on the cane that wobbles...) "....I watched some of the better minds of my generation, ’m talkin’ ’bout, my.... Their brains slowly turnd’ thu’ Soup...ones’ that ’scapth are like Us...I hope.... Th’ ones’ that Stayed....in the guv now...harder t’ tell ’m apart...but..." *G* Gee, I be woke..... time to go back to sleep...Yeah, that would be found in the MISC slots at the retrorec stores..... I've got mine from the time, try this.... ;)
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Big VDGG fan here! Dark, brooding, intense, excellent musicianship, complex, thoughtful lyrics. All brought together by Hammill’s ’pour you emotional guts out’ style of singing. As far as I'm concerned, they stand up to the quality of most other prog bands of the time. Not always an easy listen, but certainly worth the effort. Also check out most of Peter Hammill’s solo releases. The early ones were not too far from VDGG in quality. These especially: The Silent Corner and the Empty Stage
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