Van Der Graaf Generator
An eye-opening trip to San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury during the summer of 1967 inspired British-born drummer Chris Judge Smith to compose a list of possible names for the rock group he wished to form. Upon his return to Manchester University, he began performing with singer/songwriter Peter Hammill and keyboardist Nick Peame; employing one of the names from Judge Smith's list, the band dubbed itself Van der Graaf Generator (after a machine that creates static electricity), eventually earning an intense cult following as one of the era's preeminent art rock groups.
Despite the early involvement of Judge Smith and Peame, the group found true success as a vehicle for Hammill, whose dark, existentialist lyrics made him the focus of considerable attention. After the release of the 1968 single "People You Were Going To," Judge Smith left Van der Graaf Generator, which by then consisted of Hammill, keyboardist Hugh Banton, bassist Keith Ellis, and drummer Guy Evans. The group soon split, and in 1968 Hammill entered the studio, ostensibly to record a solo album; however, he ultimately called in his ex-bandmates for assistance, and when The Aerosol Grey Machine appeared, it did so under the Van der Graaf Generator name.
Although Ellis was replaced by Nic Potter and woodwind player David Jackson, the reconstituted group continued on for 1969's Least We Can Do Is Wave to Each Other. After 1970's H to He, Who Am the Only One, Potter departed; the Generator recorded one more LP, 1971's Pawn Hearts, before Hammill left for a solo career, putting an end to the group. After five solo efforts, however, Hammill again re-formed Van der Graaf Generator in 1975 for Godbluff. Following a pair of 1976 albums, Still Life and World Record, Banton and Jackson exited; as simply Van der Graaf, the band recorded The Quiet Zone with new violinist Graham Smith. After a 1978 live set, Vital, the group officially disbanded, although most members made appearances on Hammill's subsequent solo records.
Twice during the '90s, Van der Graaf reunited for one-off gigs, and in 2005 released a reunion album, Present. Without Jackson, the trio of Hammill, Banton, and Evans recorded Trisector, which appeared in 2008. They appeared in concert frequently in 2009, and released another studio album, A Grounding in Numbers, in 2011. An album of studio jams and outtakes titled ALT followed a year later. The trio returned in 2016 with their 13th studio effort, Do Not Disturb.
© Jason Ankeny /TiVo
Artistas similares
-
The Quiet Zone / The Pleasure Dome (Deluxe)
Alternativa & Indie - Editado por UMC (Universal Music Catalogue) el 1/09/1977
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Do Not Disturb
Rock progresivo - Editado por STRIKE FORCE ENTERTAINMENT el 29/09/2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
-
-
-
Vital (Live At The Marquee Club, London, United Kingdom / 1978 / Remastered 2021)
Alternativa & Indie - Editado por UMC (Universal Music Catalogue) el 1/07/1978
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Live In Rimini, 9th August 1975 (Remastered 2021)
Alternativa & Indie - Editado por UMC (Universal Music Catalogue) el 3/09/2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
First Generation
Rock - Editado por Charisma Catalogue el 1/01/1986
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Pawn Hearts Sessions
Alternativa & Indie - Editado por UMC (Universal Music Catalogue) el 1/01/1972
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Live at Rockpalast (Live, 2005 Leverkusen)
Pop/Rock - Editado por M. i. G. - music el 24/05/2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Live At Maison De La Mutualité, Paris, 6th December 1976 (Live At Maison De La Mutualité, Paris, France / 1976)
Alternativa & Indie - Editado por UMC (Universal Music Catalogue) el 3/09/2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
I Prophesy Disaster
Pop - Editado por Charisma Catalogue el 1/01/1993
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Merlin Atmos: Live Performances 2013 (Deluxe Edition)
Rock progresivo - Editado por Esoteric Recordings el 1/02/2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Live In Concert at Metropolis Studios, London (Live at Metropolis Studios)
Rock - Editado por Salvo el 4/06/2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
An Introduction (From The Least To The Quiet Room) (2000 Digital Remaster)
Rock - Editado por Charisma Catalogue el 1/01/2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Masters
Rock progresivo - Editado por Synergie OMP el 1/01/1998
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Van Der Graaf Generator - BBC Radio Broadcast Sounds Of The Seventies In Concert June & September 1971.
Rock - Editado por ELEC el 5/11/2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
-
Van Der Graaf Generator - BBC Radio Broadcast John Peel Sessions Broadcasting House London 1971-1976.
Rock - Editado por ELEC el 5/11/2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo