The original British progressive rock band Van der Graaf Generator couldn't call itself anything else. Flowery and intricate, the name in honor of the electrical appliance sounds more than original.
Fans of conspiracy theories will find their subtext here: a machine that generates electricity - and the original and outrageous work of this group, causing tremors in the knees of the public. Perhaps this is the best thing that the guys could come up with.
Van der Graaf Generator - the beginning
The art-rock band of the era began its activities back in 1967. University of Manchester students Peter Hamill (guitarist and vocalist), Nick Pearn (keyboards) and Chris Judge Smith (drums and horns) managed to come up with a catchy name for the band. They recorded the single "The People You Were Going To" and a year and a half later, at 69, they went their separate ways.
The ideological inspirer and front-man of the group, Peter, a little closer to the end of the same year, formed a new team. It included bass player Chris Ellis, keyboardist Hugh Banton and drummer Guy Evans. With this line-up they are recording an album, which is released not in the good old England, but across the ocean, in progressive America.
It is always difficult for creative people to be in the same team for a long time. There is a constant rotation in the "Generator". Ellis, who left the group, was replaced by David Jackson, who plays the flute and saxophone. Added bassist Nick Potter. With the arrival of new members, the style of music also changes. Instead of the psychedelics of the first album, the second, "The Least We Can Do is Wave to Each Other", comes out classically jazzy.
The audience reacted positively to the band's new sound. Inspired by this technique, the band recorded another single in the same year. This composition, which recorded the first albums of the group, is considered a classic to this day. He brought the group his recognizable style and popularity.
First successes
The quartet recorded another album in 1971, Pawn Hearts, which contained only three songs. "A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers", "Man-Erg" and "Lemmings" are considered Van der Graaf Generator's best works to this day.
Van der Graaf Generator is actively touring. For two years (1970-1972), millions of listeners are introduced to their work. The guys deserve special love in Italy. Their album A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers is wildly popular. They stayed at the top of the Italian charts for 12 weeks. But the tour does not bring commercial benefits, the record companies are not interested in cooperation - and the team breaks up.
1975 - continuation
After the breakup of the group, Peter decided to pursue a solo career. The rest of the members assisted him as guest musicians.
In 1973, Banton, Jackson and Evans tried to start independent careers. They even recorded an album named after the newly created group - "The Long Hello". It went completely unnoticed by the general public.
Having failed in solo work, the participants decide to unite again in the line-up that brought popularity to the group in 1975. During the year they record as many as three albums, and personally act as producers.
But the group begins to feverish: in 76, Banton left again, and after a short time, Jackson. Potter returned and a new member of the team appeared - violinist Graham Smith. The group removes the word "Generator" from its name. The participants release two albums: live and studio and break up again.
The album "Time Vaults" is published after the end of the joint activity. It contains unreleased works, moments of rehearsals during the period of the group's existence. The sound quality, frankly, was not the best, but loyal fans added it to their collection.
Van der Graaf Generator today
After the group broke up, the classical composition occasionally gave concerts. In 91 they sang at the anniversary of Jackson's wife, in 96 they graced the solo album of Hammil and Evans with their presence, and in 2003 in London, in Queen Elizabeth Hall, the most famous composition, Still Life, sounded. After a performance in the Royal Concert Hall, where the group was warmly received by the public, the idea arises to unite again.
The rockers begin to search for new material, write songs, rehearse, and in the spring of 2005 their disc “Present” was released, loudly declaring that the group was returning with a triumph.
A month later, a concert took place at the Royal Festival Hall, which secured a successful return to the stage.
The team goes on a European tour. Upon returning, David leaves the group, but his absence does not affect the others. In 2007, a disc with a recording of a triumphant comeback concert was released, then, at the beginning of the next year, the album "Trisector". A year later, in the spring - again a concert European tour, and in the summer - a tour of the USA and Canada, and several concerts in Italy. 2010 - a concert in the Small Hall of the London Metropole, 2011 - the release of the album "A Grounding in Numbers".
It's not final yet
Van der Graaf continue to generate ideas, even though this keyword is long gone from their band name. In 2014-15, the group, together with the artist Shabalin, developed the concept of the Earlybird Project art project and presented it to the community. By the way, the name of the project was given by the title song "Earlybird", which opens the 2012 album.
Van der Graaf never ceases to amaze their fans, proving to everyone that age is not a hindrance to creativity, and years only add courage and desire to bring something completely new and unusual to your work.
I wonder what they will come up with in the next decade?
