Van der Graaf Generator / Peter Hammill S& D, C or D?

*promises to listen to NMTBHTSP after VdGG*

Nadir's Big Chance is great - if his other solo albums are similar it's about time I gave them a try as well. *mental note to get on SoulSeek tonight...

They aren't

The three albums after Fool's Mate were due for a re-issue and then yanked from schedule for some reason - I'm quite sure I saw them advertised in a mag along with one batch of VDGG re-issues, but then nothing. I have seen promo copies of the remasters with bonus tracks on eBay, minus the finished artwork.

Anybody care to rank his solo stuff?

I love MAIDA VALE. It's BBC sessions. Can't recommend it enough.

Saturday Morning = BLASTING VdGG

Peter Hammill interview in the Terrorizer prog special, jim.

Sweet. Thanx Herman.

Thread about it here Anyone got Terrorizer Prog Rock Special (part 1)? actually.

Tony Iommi's looking well.

"La Rossa" is the most demented trawl thru un- or barely-requited love that anybody ever wrote. I'm listening to some bootleg versions that end with the band carpet-bombing every fragile emotion you ever thought you might've had.

I mean, for alleged prog musicians, these boys were only interested in rocking the fuck out and bringing the terror back in the 70s.

I need to find lots of cheap VdGG real soon. The 'Killer' riff popped into my head earlier today, under no provocation whatsoever.

Damn straight. The boots I've acquired thru t0rrentz are rilly interesting because the band play so rough. I kinda thought that Hammill's emphasis on the noize element when they reformed for Present was a bit revisionist but he was totally right: they played really loose and ferocious and flat-out noise.

Cool! I'll get my download-savvy brother on the case...

Really liked "Pawn Hearts". That's all I've heard so far.

Also according to Hammill's website there's a new 3-piece Van der Graaf album on the way. I've said before I'm disappointed they won't be working with Jaxon but I'm really looking forward to hearing this.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/30/Trisector.jpg

has anyone heard this yet?

No, but I want to.

Noodle Vague's online atm so now's a good time to say that while I was absent, Still Life became one of my favourite albums.

Still Life is still my fave, mate. Kind of sums up everything they went after, although perhaps, just perhaps, it's more Hammillcentric than the other rekkids. For a long time I wanted "Childlike Faith" played at my funeral, but now I recognise that people are essentially shallow fuckers so I've plumped for "Agadoo".

Hahaha! I think lyrically and conceptually it sums up a lot of thoughts I'm having at the moment. La Rossa and Childlike Faith especially. The former is a sort of "look at yourself, this is you" song, and I can't pay it a higher compliment than to say it actually affected the way I thought about myself. The latter has the most epic moment in 70's rock (barring maybe "Eclipse" from Yes' And You And I), namely the bit when Hammill sings "naked to the galaxies": at that moment my jaw drops and all is lucid

Alongside Will Oldham Hammill is the lyricist that speaks to me most closely about what goes on in my head. Early on that kind of overshadowed VdGG for me and I think it's easy to forget what a dope band they are and how much they bring to the table that you just don't get on PH's solo output.

Also I've just realised I haven't heard the new one yet, and whilst I alway mourn when Jaxon's not there, I think I need to put that right quick sharp.

Okay I put it right. This is some good shit. I wish Chaks was still here.

This is BANGIN'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Fzhqfr9rcg

These guys are still total badasses

Sounds pretty good if a bit reminiscent of "You Really Got Me"...

On the album that track is just kicking tremendous quantities of ass. I just mailed my bruv about it, to the effect that the first 3 or 4 tracks are kind of angular and difficult and distancing, and then the rest of it is - "Every Bloody Emperor" aside - the best stuff they've come up with on this go round and up there with a lot of the 70s tunes.

Haven't listened to em yet but thought you guys might be interested in this
http://www.eggcityradio.com/?p=323

NICE! thanks for the link there.

been really diggin ph7 lately.

Thanks for the link! I'll put on ph7 now in tribute to my friend in the post above.

Courtesy of Spotify, I've just been handed pretty much their entire discography (sans first album) on a plate.

"Lemmings" is doing strange and beautiful things to my head.

Is that the one with weird sax riff?