Time Vaults - Van Der Graaf Generator

Advantages: Noisy, and Brilliant
Disadvantages: Not a good started for the uninitiated

.... Superlatives lose me at this moment……… …………. However more treats are in store for us here with the rabid punky cacophony of "Door" with speeds up constantly finishing off in a blur of white noise, then there is the jazz jamming on "Urban/Killer/Urban" and finishing off with the punk blast of "Nadirs Big Chance". Way back in '78 this was the make of break album for the band, and rather unsurprisingly the band split shortly after mainly due to financial pressures, but other factors may have been involved, such a the relative perceptions of sanity between various members. Peter Hammill then forged of with what he joking refers to as his solo carrier which would at times involve all of the other members of the band. Last year Van Der Graaf Generator returned with the classic four piece line up that recorded most of their albums for a much needed... Read review

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Advantages: Glimpse Into early Brilliance
Disadvantages: Not as Great as What Was To Come

...Yet another Van Der Graaf Generator re-issue from the newly resurrected Charisma Label. This Album is considered by the band and fans to be the 1st Van Der Graaf Generator album, the pervious album "The Areosol Grey Machine" was a Peter Hammill solo album and was only released under the VDGG name in order to free them from Mercury records, before they even started they had already been F***ed over by record companies, the question on my mind being how many artists and bands have never had their music see the light of day as a result of such record company shenagins. Anyhow this progressive rock gem sitting my grubby mits is the wonderfully remastered (by Peter Hammill) version, which features the original artwork lovingly restored and a 16 page booklet. The booklet has the original sleeve notes by Peter which must make the poor man... Read review

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Advantages: A Compelling and Fantastic Voyage
Disadvantages: Disoreantating and Disturbing

...I first heard Van Der Graaf Generator after I bought this album on tape in 1985 from HMV on Union Street in Aberdeen. I was a mere 16 year old contender at the time, but I fell in love with this album and the band within the first bar or Lemmings. My love of this band was the only good thing to happen to me in the two dark and depressing years I spent in the Granite City. The result of this has been a 20 year long Obsessive Compulsive disorder to hear everything this band ever recorded. I had no idea at the time that a good few of my punk rock heroes were also fans of the band, and that a large number of soon to be aging punks like myself had a guilty progressive rock secret hiding in their closets. This album was recorded in 1971 at trident studios in London and produced by John Anthony (a man responsible for producing a large... Read review

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