Van Der Graaf Generator

The history of Van Der Graaf Generator is long and features many stops and restarts along the way but always around the central characters of Peter Hammill, Guy Evans, Hugh Banton & David Jackson until 2005 when Jackson left the band permanently, the others carrying on as a trio.

This box-set covers their releases from 2005 (with Jackson) until 2016 as well as a stack of live material – 14 discs in all including a DVD of the ‘Live at the Paradiso’ show. It also includes a 96 page booklet with interviews pictures and lyrics.

Now, anyone familiar with VDGG will be familiar with their dark and aggressive tone, the complex patterns, interplay between instruments and almost chaotic scoring.
The way that their ‘songs’ develop is, and always has been, as much an intuitive collaboration as a structure, with the four (or three) members taking equal responsibilities. No individual stars, a complete band of rogues.
The work they did after reforming in 2005, after a hiatus of 27 years, is undeniably Van Der Graaf Generator. The sound is similar to their original releases but there is added maturity as well as, in the case of Peter Hammill, a sense of frailty. The power is still there as well as the complexity and the completely soulful presentation of their music. Unlike many of their ‘Progressive’ cohort, VDGG always play from the heart and there is a great sense that they are enjoying playing.
The sound of the band after Jackson left is clearly different, his horn was a huge part of the sound of VDGG, but the quality is no less and sometimes the three piece format actually improves the sound, adding space and depth. The albums released since 2005 are probably as good as anything they have ever done.

The sheer volume of this collection suggest that it will not be listened to in one great ‘binge’, and nor should it. Every thing that the band put into their music deserves proper attention.

Reviewing each album individually will exhaust the reader as well as the writer, suffice to say that this is one of the most exhilarating and exhausting collections and any ardent fan of the band will find it an essential one.