(1st Wave) - VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR

VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR - England (1969)
HARD PROGRESSIVE ROCK

I am far from an expert on this group. However, it would be difficult to omit them if only for their album, “Pawn Hearts,” which I know well. VDGG is not the best-known of groups, but “Pawn Hearts” is not only worth listening to, but also historically significant. Peter Hammill, singer and lyricist of the group, has a unique voice, one which influenced several prog vocalists. His lyrics plumb the depth of literature, while his music, epic in nature, benefited from the band’s original arrangements. “Pawn Hearts” features piano, keyboards and saxophone, as well as guitar work from KING CRIMSON founder Robert Fripp. VDGG’s sound (already unique because it was driven by saxophone and keyboards, guitar and drums) cannot be easily related to the archetypes of folk, blues, rock or jazz, despite the fact that it contains elements of all of these.

DISCOGRAPHY:
The Aerosol Grey Machine (69) / The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other (70) / H To He, Who Am The Only One (70) / Pawn Hearts (71) / 68-71 (72) / Godbluff (75) / Still Life (76) / World Record (76) / The Quiet Zone - The Pleasure Dome (77) / Vital - Live (78) / First Generation - Scenes From 1969-1971 (86) / Second Generation - Scenes From 1975-1977 (86) / I Prophesy Disaster (93) / Maida Vale - The BBC Radio One Sessions (94) / Darkness '76 (99) / The Box (00) / Present (05)

BEST ALBUMS:
H To He, Who Am The Only One (70), Pawn Hearts (71), Godbluff (75), Still Life (76)