Conference marvin::uk_music

    I am a Hammill fan, but I haven't kept track of his activities lately.
    PH has a 'mailing list' that you can subscribe to, which sends details
    of his activities, projects and makes available 'merchandise' not
    available from usual outlets. I am not currently on the list since
    my last house move.
    
    Andrew
    

    BTW: Van Der Graaf's albums are now available on CD via Virgin.

    If you like these guys (I love them), make sure you get a copy of
    a live performance called "VITAL". Some of the best Van der Graaf
    I ever heard!
    
    	Carlos

    Is that live VDGG lp the one with the violinist in the line-up?
    
    Bob

    	Yup!
    
    	That's the one. It has the best version I've heard of "ship
    of fools". Well, both lp's are first rate. 
    
    	The only thing I didn't like was that the records were a little
    bit too noisy (I heard 3 different sets). If I find the CD, I'll
    buy it.
    
    	Carlos

    I thought VITAL was pretty un-vital to my collection - the sound
    is terrible.
    

    I never had Vital - lack of funds at the time - but I saw that version
    of the group live several times, and although I loved them, they
    did have a very odd live sound. Apart from the obvious tortuous
    style of ol' Pete's vocals, they used to mix the drums right out
    front, but so that you could still hear everything else. Took some
    getting used to, certainly.
    
    I also saw the four piece (Hammill, Evans, Banton, Jackson) quite
    a few times before they split (73/4?) and many times after they
    reformed a year or two later, when Godbluff came out. One gig by
    this line-up at the Marquee was particularly stunning, possibly
    made more so by the collective state of mind of the band and the
    audience! I think this would have been part of the tour they did
    to promote Still Life.
    
    Are any of their records still available, particularly Godbluff,
    Still Life, H to He, Pawn Hearts, and (er) the other one (prompt,
    prompt) from about 70/71, damn, I can't remember any tracks or lyrics!!
    
    Heeeelllp!
    
    Bob

Just discovered this notesfile - so my comments aren't exactly timely!

VdGG's worked varied from the brilliant to the appalling depending upon whether
Hammill was on song or not. They've written a lot of my favourite contempary
music - but also some of the worst rubbish that I've ever heard.

Hammill is a lyrical genius - but totally screwed in the head. A lot of this
must be down to his strict Roman Catholic boarding school at Stoneyhurst near
Preston. I knew someone at college who came from here - and he just freaked at
his first sniff of freedom in 10 years - he just went around wrecking the
joint! Hammill's release manifests itself with intensively personal songs that
are brilliantly crafted. The music, though well played by some very capable
musicians, supports the lyrics.

Lyrics and good musicianship were VdGG's hallmark. don't expect any great tunes
or heavy-metal riffs - the music can be quite "doomy" and, as mentioned before
plays second-fiddle to the lyrics.

Hammill has a terrific singing voice with a range that I don't think any other
rock singer can match. It goes all the way from a falsetto to a deep bass.
Robert Fripp (of King Crimson fame) had Hammill sing the major roles on his
solo album "Exposure" when he ran into contractual difficulties with Darryl
Hall's record label. He describes Hammill as the "vocal equivalent of Jimi
Hendrix" for his sheer vocal range.

Hammill is well respected in the industry. He did backing vocals on Peter
Gabriel IV ("Family and the Fishing Net", "Shock the Monkey" and "Lay your
hands on me" if I remember correctly). Wherever Gabriel's voice is being
smothered - that's Hammill!

The band were seen by their record label, Charisma, as their best hope. In the
early seventies, VdGG toured supported by two minor groups on the same label -
Lindisfarne and Genesis.

The band were never commercially successful - never having more than a hard
core following, though Pawn Hearts did get to No. 1 in the Italian album
charts!

They wrapped up in 1978 after two live performances at The Marquee. Hammill
swore that they would never reform. I had an interesting conversation with
Hammill and John Lydon (a Hammill fanatic) in the bar afterwards - Lydon's 
reputation ensured that nobody else came near!


Line up
-------
	The classic "real" line-up was:

	Peter Hammill Vocals/guitars
	Hugh Banton keyboards/bass
	Dave Jackson Sax and flute (last I heard he was driving lorries in
				    Reading)
	Guy Evans Drums.

After the '76 split Banton and Jackson left to be replaced by

	Nick Potter on Bass (had been with VdGG until "The Least we Can do..")
	Graham Smith Violin
	Charles ?  Synth. and viola.	

Here's a summary of what they until 1982 when pocket money ran dry!

VdGG 1968-72 and 1975-78.

Albums in Chronological order:

'68-72 
------

o Aerosol Grey Machine		(patchy at best!)
o The Least we can do is Wave	(couple of reasonable tracks 
  to Each Other			- Darkness 11/11 and Refugees)
o H to He Who am the only one	(First strong (but there is some rubbish) album
				 - Pioneers over C. & Killer)
o Pawn Hearts			(Brilliant - 40 minutes of intense listening 
				 (if you want the lyrics then let me know))

'75-78
------

Godbluff			(4 strong tracks. Sleepwalkers and Arrow
				 particularly good)
Still Life			(Great - especially if you're into philosophy 
				 in a big way. Try Pilgrims, La Rossa and
				 Still Life)
World Record			(Last desperate attempt with strongest lineup 
				 to get commercial respectability. Easiest
				 introduction to VdGG. Try "Place to Survive",
				 "When she comes" and "Meurgyls II, the
				  Songwriter's Guild"

(New line up)

The Quiet Zone/The Pleasure Dome (Pretty indifferent)
Vital (double live)		 (Flat and insipid. Recorded at Marquee and
				  NOT remixed in any shape or form. There is
				  no comparison between this and actually
				  hearing VdGG/Hammill live!)


Peter Hammill  
-------------

Some gems in his solo career - however it doesn't match up to the work that he
did with the band. Only for the devotee!

Foolsmate 
Chameleon in the Shadow of the Night
The Silent Corner of the Empty Stage
In Camera
Nadir's Big Chance
Over
The Future Now
Ph7
A Black Box (last album that I bought - though I keep meaning to buy more...)

After '80 he's had a stream of albums titles of which include:

Moving Targets
Enter 'K'

Anyone bring me up to date since the early eighties?!

Cheers

Steve

    Don't forget that Pete wrote Vision (is that the correct title?).
     I have a tape of this from a BBC session from yonks ago, and it
    is BRILLIANT.  Anyone who wrote this deserves a lot of recognition.
     Someone once called him 'Morrisey when he gets older', I think
    this is quite apt, or have I opened a rathole???
    Mike

    I wouldn't go that far, Mike! They are playing in two completely
    different musical veins/eras, and I feel Hammill's lyrics and music
    are far more complex than Morrissey (no put-down of Morrissey, though).
    
    Re -.2; Pete is still churning them out, from his 'cottage industry'
    studio in Wales I believe, but I stopped listening to him almost
    totally around about the time of the 'new' line-up (78). I have
    recently had a hankering to listen to some of that old VdGG stuff,
    from say "Wave" to "Still Life". I can still 'hear' it in my head,
    and I believe, as it was so far removed from everything else, it
    won't have become trapped in it's era. Also, I feel strong enough
    to listen to it without becoming suicidal! (although there is some
    very positive stuff there, for instance the glorious 'Childlike
    Faith in Childhood's End')
    
    Are any of those albums still available?
    
    Bob

    Does the VDG sax player still teach at Bulmersh School?
    Mike

    Mike,
    
    Pray tell what his name is/was and I might be able to tell you!

    David Jackson, sometimes known as Jaxonsax.
    
    Bob