Ranking The VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR Studio Albums
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ก.ค. 2024
- The legendary UK band Van Der Graaf Generator has been an inspiration for many artists over the years. Love him or hate him, Peter Hammill has one of the most unique voices in Prog Rock. So today I will rank all 13 of their studio albums. Just for you!!! #progrock #prog #progressiverock
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Love this band. So melancholic and powerful at the same time. Pilgrims is an amazing sont! Cheers Scott keep on spreading your positive energy!
Yea indeed!!!!
For me VDGG was one of those bands that I tried to get into through the years but just couldn’t, until something clicked recently and now I really love them, what a great band !
Really enjoy your videos Scot, keep up the good work!
Exactly my experience with them!!!
Yeah I was the same you have to work at it, as daft as it sounds but when it clicks it’s amazing stuff
Yes!!!!
NIce one. Pawn Hearts is also my favourite Van Der Graaf Generator album.
Yes!!! You know!!!
Thanks for a great video & your great delivery
Thanks, Chris!!!
Vdgg are an absolute favorite of mine. Thank you for doing this.
What a band!!!
Great episode, your top 4 have all been my favourite at different times, you've got me excited to listen again now!
I’ve been on a VDGG binge so I thought the time was right!!!
In the early '70s in Charlotte, I became friends with a gentleman from Manhattan who was working on what would become the internet, and the gent had some great records, including Pawn Hearts. I often left his place floating about the ground. Among our musical immersions were smoke-infused dives into Fripp & Eno, Faust, Xenakis, George Crumb, Tomita, early Yes and Genesis (as it was early 70s), King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Gryphon, Strawbs, Moody Blues, The The (a little later), Elliott Carter, Olivier Messaien, Hatfield and the North, Barclay James Harvest, and many imports and labels like ECM and Nonesuch. A confluence of contemporary classical, avant-garde, world, and progressive music. In retrospect, it may have been the availability of these rare treasures, perhaps unsearched today, that made for such a protean stew during the renaissance of the late 60s early 70s.
I don’t know what it was - but something was definitely in the air. Or maybe it was in the water…
how common was that music around young people? now, for me is depressing.
@@nicolasbascunan4013 It was and is a rarified air. At the time, he and I were the only people I knew into it. It is the South, alas, though granted, in prog Charlotte, where ELP and PFM could draw 250,000 people to the raceway in '74.
@@MisterWondrous wow!
@@nicolasbascunan4013 Granted...The Allman Brothers, and a half-dozen other bands were there too. But ELP and PFM were the best and brightest.
Excelents picks i Agree Great Band and a Great video.
Thank you so much!!!
H to He and Quiet Zone are my two favs. Good ranking video!
What a band!!!!!!
Currently been obsessed with VdGG for about half a year now and they are easily my favorite progressive rock band. There's just something unexplainable about their sound -- Jackson's sax, Hammill's vocals, Evans' drums, Banton's organ... there is quite literally nothing else like them. They always take me a bit when I dig into newer sides of their discography but once stuff clicks it sticks with me for so long. I love this band so much.
Also I believe this is the first time I've stumbled upon your channel and I just wanted to take the time to say that I absolutely love your energy dude. Straight to the point and very entertaining. Cheers :)
Thank you!!! I’m still relatively new (18 months) on the old TH-cam. Yeah, VDGG is the most unique band in the Prog canon!!!
Amazing run through Scot. Not really listened to them so will need to make a start soon
They are a challenging band to be sure. But once you “get” it you will be hooked!!!
Spot on Scott! Love VDGG! Thank you!
What a band!!! 👍👍👍
Amazing 👍👍👍
❤️❤️❤️
So excited that you are doing this! I am still to see it and might come back with comments later. I'm totally in to VdGG since some time, they're rapidly becoming a favorite band of mine.
I love them. So unique!!!
Great episode! Thanks a lot! And I have the same top three, as most would I guess. A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers my fav epic of all time; sublime and creepy but ultimately rewarding, a part of my soul. By the way I love your GBV-shirt. Please do the Peter Hammill ranking at some point!
Gotta do a PH ranking!!! (And a Robert Pollard solo episode too…)
@@TheProgCorner Yes! and Yes!! (a than a Circus Devils!!!?)
Oh yeah!!!!
I Love Vdgg, Scot! Great list!!! I'm overdue for a listening fest of these guys soon!
I go for months without them. And then I binge hard. They’re THAT kind of band…
Love this and your enthusiasm!! I knew nothing about this band so will enjoy getting into it.
Let me know what you think!!!
@@TheProgCorner saw David Cross with his band in Wales a few years ago. David Jackson played some tracks with them. He played two saxophones at ones :). Should have looked into them back then. Listening to Pawn Hearts now. Loving it so far !
Question, is the track ‘Theme One’ by this band almost the same melody as the Collapso by National Health?
Jackson and Cross work so well together!!!
You’re right!!! I never noticed!!!
I’m listening to Aerosol right now as I type this & I think it’s superb for a debut. What a band
hello sir scott Do you remember Mr ryuchi Sakamoto who left us one more sad loss ..
I was shocked 😲
Horrible. I just did my Japan Prog episode (which included YMO.) so sad.
“Godbluff” really made an impression on me during the first C19 lockdown. It uncannily suited the atmosphere of the time. I finally ‘got’ this excellent band only at that point after failing to when I first heard their music 30 years earlier. Now I have many of their and PH’s solo discs! Yet another original band that hailed from Manchester. Good rundown, thanks.
VDGG can take a while to sink into your brain!!!
Great group, don't have or heard albums after 2006. This is my list:
1. The least we can do is wave to each other.
2. Still Life.
3. Godbluff.
4. Pawn Hearts.
5. World Record.
6. The Quiet Zone/ The Pleasure Dome.
7. H to he, who am the only one.
8. The Aerosol Grey Machine.
Excellent video, keep up the good work! x
Their later stuff is definitely worth your time. Overall I prefer their seventies output but isn’t that true for all the greats…
Good ranking. Got to mention the Bath Forum Concert Box Set which was recorded last year. It is awesome.
I’ve heard it’s amazing. I need to pick that up!!
Meravigliosi e grandiosi ,unici !
Fantastic show, love VDGG, one of my favorite and definitely one of the most original bands ever. They are in my top 3 of the classic prog scene.
My top 5 is:
5.Still Life
4.The Least We Can Do Is Wave to Each Other
3.Pawn Hearts
2.Godbluff
1.H To He, Who Am The Only One, cheers and all the best.
Every time I listen to them I love them more…
Good call 👍
Having discovered Yes and Genesis around 1974, I fell in love with prog as a genre but it took me until around 1978 to listen to my first VdG(G) album (Vital, which is live but contains some original tracks so should have been included in your listing) This cemented my love, sparked an exploration of the prog world outside the big six and is probably why I still listen today. Other than missing Vital, your ranking is almost spot on!
Sounds like we had a very similar ride!!!
who are the big six (rather, which one of the following is not included) Yes, Crimson, Genesis, ELP, Floyd, Rush, Jethro Tull?
Great band VDGG!! What can I say!! Great selection, good choices, top 3 is amazing!!!
They are so underrated!!! 👍👍👍
Oh my flippin heck!
VDGG!!!!
@@TheProgCorner Yay!
Have a nice Easter Scot
Thanks, Thomas!!!
Love the hat
Love those guys!!!
Great albums! Agree with your ranking More or less. I just want to mention that Refugees Is the most beautiful song ever
It might be my favorite VDGG song. That or Plague (of course…)
Really hoping you make a Peter Hammill discography ranking! Though it would probably have to be a 45 minute long video lol!
I can see a PH ranking happening!
Don't know how I missed this and Gentle Giant🤦♂️🙂Been waiting for VdGG since your early days on YT but you did say you would do this video and you did. Under the influence of PH would be great! Peter Hammill's brain makes mine hurt sometimes 😁Great job and now on to Gentle Giant!👏🎷🎹🎻🎸✌️
BTW David Jackson's birthday on Friday🎷🎁🎉🕯️
My favorite Sax player ever!!!
@@TheProgCorner Given his complete originality on the sax and his dedication to bring music to severely disabled children via Soundbeam technology he's my favorite musician ever!🎷🎷🎷🎷🎷
So good!!! 🎷 🎷
Absolutely correct top-3!
Yes!!!!!
I discovered this band pretty late but it's one of my favourite now
I was late too!!! I think I got Pawn Hearts in 1980…
Good luck with Peter Hammill solo discography ranking, isn't there something like nearly 40 albums?
It’s a rather large catalog!!!
VDGG is that seminal prog band with a heavy emphasis on saxophones, imo.
Truly a pioneer
I love how David Jackson would play the alto and tenor sax at the same time. Now THAT’S Prog Rock!!! What a band.
Great band, I love their music. For me all their albums are good, my top 5 below:
1 - The Least We Can Do…
2- World Record
3- Pawn Hearts
4- Godbluff
5- H to He
Classics - all of them!!!
Just began to get in to VDGG recently. So far I have three albums and they're all in your top three! Don't know whether to laugh or cry.
Your instincts led you down the right path!!!
@@TheProgCorner Based on your video, I'd say I'm not going to run out of great VDGG albums to buy anytime soon!
Nope!!! One of the best overall discographies of any band.
Getting back to you way late Scott! HOWEVER, however, I gotta put my two cents in on VDGG. I've lived with the core seventies albums for a long time. It's really difficult to choose among them.
So, I will make an entirely personal ranking. This comes from my inner psyche, not too much like it could have come to PH and the boys.
My fave HAS to be Still Life.
Second is Pawn Hearts. After that, Godbluff, H to He, Yhe Least (what a debut).
The most gorgeous, lamenting, beautiful tune is Afterwards, from Aerosol Grey Machine. Hammill's voice is so pure, it makes me weep. Shit, I feel like a six year old, with sand and Tonka toys. While Viet Nam was raging. I was too young to know. How lucky was my soul?
T
We are all lucky to have PH in our lives!!! 👍👍❤️❤️
just as i was about to request it
Yes!!!! Great minds think alike!!!
Imo, they were the perfect existential prog band.
Yes they were!!!
To pick a favourite of the Van Der Graaf Generator catalogue is such a hard thing to do! At any one time I can pick one of about six albums. And the comeback albums are so damn good
Yes they are!!! Some fans weren’t listening closely enough…
Very interesting and uncompromising band, one the best Prog bands and Peter Hammill is an amazing lyricist.
An absolute genius.
First listens of this band - while I can't say I didn't like it, hard to say that I really did like it. But curiosity or something undefinable kept me coming back for more, and thank heavens for that. I guess it's an acquired taste, if so I seem to have acquired it. I love this music! Nothing else like it. I wonder was Ian Anderson influenced by them?
I think they influenced a lot of bands!!!
The seminal prog band for me. Hammill's lyrics and the foreboding nature of the band's music shaped my later teen years. Pawn Hearts and H to He particularly are indelibly stamped on my psyche (for better or worse!). Love Hammill's 'Chameleon in the Shadow of the Night' and 'The Silent Corner and the Empty Stage' albums almost as much. Was lucky enough to see both VDGG and Hammill solo in their 70' heyday. Intense and memorable experiences.
That must have been incredible!!!
As much as I like the 21st century albums, I'd rate Quiet Zone above them. Otherwise I can see where you're at!
Quiet Zone is awesome. I really like how fresh it sounds!
«Afterwards» is by far the best song on #aerosol# , It was my first VDGG album bought in 1973 , In fact it is one of their best songs ever
👍👍
Great video! Van der graaf is maybe my favourite prog band, how about rock band without guitar and bass haha, if their riffs were on guitar they would be proto metal classics. Godbluff is prob stronger than pawhearts song by song, but plague of lighthouse keepers in progrock masterpiece, if close to the edge is a heaven, plague is a hell for sure 😂
There you go!!! Heaven and Hell. Perfect description!!!
Cheers man! Did you ever get to see them / Peter live?
Sadly, no.
Pawn Hearts is one of the crown jewels of prog!!!😊
Absolutely!!!
1. H to He, Who Am the Only One
2. Godbluff
3. Still Life
4. Pawn Hearts
5. World Record
6. The Least We Can Do is Wave to Each Other
7. The Quiet Zone/The Pleasure Dome
8. Trisector
9. Present
10. A Grounding in Numbers
11. The Aerosol Grey Machine
12. Do Not Disturb
13. ALT
Bam!
All 13 Studio albums are good, Yes indeed. I always have had a soft spot for "The Quiet Zone" but "Pawn Hearts" is their crowing achivement, no doubt ! Peace
I know right? It’s such a different sound from them … but I love it!!!
At this point I have only one album from these guys but at least it’s your favorite, “ Pawn Hearts. “ I’ve recently been getting into several other early prog bands, namely Eloy and Nektar. However VDGG has an element of weirdness that I’ve found intriguing and they’re one of the oldest of the bunch. It’ll be a tough decision as to which album I’ll pursue next. After having seen this ranking, I’m likely to go with another early to mid 70s release. Thanks for the countdown.
When in doubt - go with the classics!!!
@TheProgCorner
Well I've narrowed it down to the
" The Least we can do is wave to each other " album, for it's darkness. Plus it's hard to go wrong with anything that came out in 1970.
Pretty much!!!
🤩
Such a different sound Peter Hamill came up with in an already out there and experiential genre. Even when I don’t necessarily love a track I can’t help but view the vast majority of Peter Hamill’s music as being very “meaningful, soulful, artful” and yes often dark in tone.
Can’t wait for the solo ranking here’s hoping PH7 ranks decent, black box has also grown on me a fair bit but PH7 is really filled with instantly memorable songs. Ask me in 5 more years as a young in my early 20’s Prog fan what my favourite is and maybe I’ll have switched to another personal favourite “In Camera” but for now PH7 has a surprising hold on my ears and mind when it comes to the solo rankings.
As for the band, it’s always tough to pick one but if you asked me today I’d probably pick Still Life as my #1.
Fantastic stuff and it just gets better with more and more familiarity. Not a beginner Prog artist and band for me but now that I’m really getting into it more and more man they are just phenomenal.
The more time one spends with PH the better the results tend to be. He is such a visionary that I understand why he had a difficult time accepting the “Progressive Rock” label. But the only band more truly progressive than VDGG might be KC.
Oh man... VdGG is in my top 3 bands. Pretty agree with your ranking, except that i probably will put A Grounding in Numbers little higher...
I was sad putting it that low but every album is so good!!!
VdGG is one of my favourite bands! My ranking of their albums is quite similar:
1. Pawn Hearts (1971)
2. Godbluff (1975)
3. The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other (1970)
4. H to He Who Am The Only One (1970)
5. Present (2005)
6. Still Life (1976)
7. Trisector (2008)
8. Do Not Disturb (2016)
9. World Record (1976)
10. The Quiet Zone / The Pleasure Dome (1977)
11. ALT (2012)
12. A Grounding In Numbers (2011)
13. The Aerosol Grey Machine (1969)
Excellent!!!!
Present above Still Life?
I somehow feel that the album Vital should have got a mention - one of my all time favourite live albums.
You’re right!!!! One of my favorite live albums ever!!! A truly “vital” release…
The streak from The Least to Still Life is one of the most powerful ones in any prog band
Indeed it is!!!
@@TheProgCorner I'd add World Record into that run!
Why not?!??
@@TheProgCorner Oh, I didn't realize I replied to you instead of OP, but why not indeed lol
The Songwriter’s Guild. ❤️👍
Jan 1971...I saw Freedom..Curved Air, Black Sabbath...then Feb I saw Genesis bottom of the bill, Audience and Vab der Graaf, all before I was 17 years old...Van der Graaf were/are one of the best bands that I ever saw, so Heavy, so utterly menacing, I agree about Refugees..The West that hammill mentions is Cornwall and the Susan is Susan Penhaligan
I didn’t know that!!! 1971 was a great year.
World Record is one of the most underrated records i know of, its my 4th best by them, just because of the 3 before it
It’s an album that gets better and better over the years!!!
@@TheProgCorner yes absolutely, and i didnt like Meurglys 3 at first but it is truly great imo.
Hey do a review of Colin Scot and be amazed by the guests…including VDGG
Wakeman
Anderson
Hammill
Squire
Collins
And he spells his last name correctly!!!!
Best band ever.
Love them!!!
Criminal how this band didn't get their due
Facts.
I can understand that for people used to the "safe" prog of Genesis, Yes, or Pink Floyd, VDGG could be a difficult listen, which is why I would never recommend Pawn Hearts as a starter album for them: their heads would probably explode. I'd probably wean them on The Least We Could Do.
My own introduction was the song "My Room" on a prog compilation called "Journey To the Edge" (1994). I totally loved it and thinking it was typical (how wrong!) set out to discover more. My reaction was "How the hell have I managed to miss this band for nearly 20 years?"
The one gem missing from your list (as it's not strictly a studio album) is "Maida Vale: the BBC Radio Sessions." Given the complexity of their music, performing eight songs from five albums in live sessions without missing a beat was quite a feat.
Pawn Hearts was the first VDGG album I heard and boy was I confused!!!
You are so right about the ''safe'' prog syndrome - that was me.
In 1972 age 13 I bought ''Pawn Hearts'' as it was the one to have at the time. On first hearing I thought it was either the most incredible thing I had ever heard, or the most horrible thing I had ever heard, and I wasn't sure which. Having spent my hard earned cash on Pawn, I decided to get my moneys worth out of it before offloading it.
Bang ! After about a week of solid listening it all just fell into place and the horror sections suddenly made sense and became beautiful and I was hooked forever. APOLHK is forever my favourite song.
1 Pawn hearts
2 Still Life
3 Godbluff
4 H to He
5 Least we can Do
Have you ever listened to Amon Duul II?
I have and consider them the best Krautrock band. That said, I know that I have barely ever mentioned them on the channel. Yeti, Wolf City, Tanz Der Lemminge…great stuff!!!
Have you ever think making a video about them?
The greatest Band ever glace this planet!!
I’m okay with that…
Are you both keeping safe? I see that there are some pretty bad storms near you.
Yeah, it’s nasty but I think we’ll miss the worst of it!!!
Just looking at the weather radar in your area. Take care. There are some bad thunderstorms just southwest of you that could spawn tornadoes..
I forgot- because I was concerned about you both - I have a rather rare VDGG album, I Prophesy Disaster, on Charisma vinyl.
Nice! That was a cool compliment album!!! I’ve never seen it on vinyl…
"well Refugees is just incredible it can't get any more beautiful than tha--"
*releases Pilgrims*
👍👍❤️
One of my all time favorite bands. I like the 2nd trilogy of albums better and Still Life is my all time favorite.
Still Life is perfect.
@@TheProgCorner There's something about the 2nd trilogy which makes more sense to me. The first Trliogy is less coherent and although it's haunting and there are some amazing songs with really dark and unique atmosphere, it's still GodBluff, Still Life and World Record that I gravitate towards. They just feel right and I'm constantly surprised that their 1971 Pawnhearts is always rated as their best.
Still life and Godbluff are my favourite VDGG Albuns.
Just did my own, and now searched for others, seems we all disagree except maybe PAWN HEARTS at the very top !
Pawn Hearts is that kind of album!!!
@@TheProgCorner yup !!!!
I'm missing Present dont have it ..... yet!
Ok buddy
1 - Godbluff
2 - Still Life
3 - World Record
4 - The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other
5 - The Aerosol Grey Machine
6 - H to He, Who Am The Only One
7 - Pawn Hearts
8 - Do Not Disturb
9 - The Quiet Zone/Pleasure Dome
10 - Trisector
11 - A Grounding In Numbers
12 - ALT
Wow! Pawn Hearts at #7!!! Very interesting. But yeah, Present is pretty amazing!!!
Weirdly enough I actually like most of the other 69/70s albums more than Pawn Hearts
That would be unacceptable but for the fact that ALL those early VDGG albums slap hard!!! 👍👍👍
They are one of my favourites, and I feel that their reputation will grow and grow through the years as more people discover and rediscover them. However...I felt A Grounding in Numbers was a great album, up there with the best, especially after the disappointment of Trisector, which I felt suffered from the absence of Jackson, whereas A Grounding sounded like a band settled into their new, turncated line-up and finding new energy and strengths. But Do Not Disturb...Well, I thought that was a bitter disappointment, a collection of songs that felt like either off-cuts or first run-throughs that they never went back to flesh out. Banton hardly seems to appear on it at all, contributing some chords or arpeggios but none of the thunderous, full-blooded keyboards we're used to from him, and there's far too many reflections of life on the road, the sign of a ban running out of inspiration.
Funny, I really like Trisector!!!
@@TheProgCorner I was disappointed when it came out, feeling that the music was patchy and they felt unbalanced, as if they were missing something. I would listen and think, "You know what this song needs? Saxophone!"). However, when I compared it to "Do Not Disturb", I certainly liked it a lot more!
Every song is better with David Jackson on it.
God save King Charles III.
Now, where is my trusty steed and lance? I have to clock in, too!
Get to work!!!
This vid had 999 views and 99 comments. Guess I'll round it off. Hey Scot! Just wanted to wish you and yours a Good Friday and a Happy Bunny Day! Supposed to get 7 straight days of sunshine so I washed the car. Lol! Later bro. Peace to all.☮️🐰🐰🐰🐰😎
I’ve been watching the view count!!! I’m glad it was you that took it over 1k. Yeah, I’m fickle about my analytics…
@@TheProgCorner That was comment 975 on your channel from me. Unreal!!👍😎
Especially considering I have posted 202 videos!!! Thank you!!! If all my viewing friends were so engaged: I would be halfway to world domination!!!! ❤️👍👍❤️
@@TheProgCorner Hail to THE KING OF PROG❗️❗️❗️😎
Thank you, Jeff!!! ❤️👍❤️👍
You are so wrong. The Aerosol album is so fricking great
I never loved it…
Hello me gril Sally
Hey Scot! In hour 12 of 12 of this tornado watch. The nasty stuff missed me to the north. I have absolutely no knowledge of this band. Sorry. Peace brother!☮️😎#973
Stay safe!!!
@@TheProgCorner That's the plan!🌪👀😎
O Michael Oldfield was first. Kevin Coyle was second
Sod the music, " said the man in the suit,
"I understand profit and without that, it's no use,
Why don't you go away and write commercial songs;
Come back in three years, that shouldn't be too long... "
Exactly!!!
Rotten Fish 😂
Non sono affatto d'accordo, THE AEROSOL GREY MACHINE deve stare assai più in alto rispetto a questa classifica dei migliori dischi dei VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR!!!!!!! La mia personale classifica è questa: 1 PAWN HEARTS, 2 THE LEAST WE CAN DO... 3 H TO HE... ,4 GODBLUFF, 5 STILL LIFE, 6 THE QUIET ZONE... 7 THE AEROSOL GREY MACHINE, 8 WORLD RECORD, 9 A GROUNDING IN ..., 10 PRESENT, 11 TRISECTOR, 12 DO NOT DISTURB , 13 ALT. Però ci sarebbe anche da menzionare quello senza HAMMILL ovvero THE LONG HELLO e quello di raccolta di vari inediti e spezzoni live, TIME VAULTS anche questi assai interessanti!!!!!!
Excellent list!!! 👍👍
Why are u screaming so much??
WHO ME???!!! I CAN’T HEAR YOU!!!!
@@TheProgCorner 😂😂😂😂
It’s my schtick. My early videos weren’t getting watched so…
@@TheProgCorner we Live in a world of deaf people, if It wasnt so nobody would listen to Shakira or Katy Perry
Good point.