••• Van der Graaf Generator albums poll 1970–2012•••

Excludes live albums and the new album, Do Not Disturb, which isn't out yet. Which three are your favourites?

(Couldn't see an existing poll, but if it's there somewhere feel free to kill this one.)

 

I don't feel like it's fair for me to vote, because the only VDGG records I've heard are H to He, Pawn Hearts,m and World Record, thus far... I love Pawn Hearts but it took me years to fully appreciate.

 

I like Pawn Hearts and Godbluff best, but I haven't heard any of the reunion albums.

 

Godbluff is my favourite. The other two contenders for my top 3 would most likely be Still Life and World Record, but I really love all the early albums. Most of the reunion stuff is very good, too (song-based material).

 

Close call for me between Godbluff, H to He and Still Life, but I went with Godbluff. Pawnhearts is incredibly good and important, too, but doesn't hit me the same way as the songs on those other three LPs. Quiet Zone/Pleasure Dome and A Grounding In Numbers are also first tier VdG(G) albums in my book.

 

Pawn Hearts, a truly fascinating voyage in the dark realms of prog rock!

 

"H To He.." got my vote.

"Pioneers Over C" is mind-blowing.

 

Ups.... I thought I could only choose ONE album and went with "H To He" because of "Killer". Love the sinister vibe this albums has, not unlike "Love It To Death", "Master Of Reality" or "An Electric Storm". Alice Cooper, Black Sabbath and The White Noise.

 

The like of all the albums up to World Record will not be seen again. Also unbelievably there are Japan sacd mini sleeves of the first 6. Just need a vinyl reissue programme like King Crimson.
I voted for Godbluff.

 

I bought them all in order, as they were released, so the first three listed are all very special to me, having first heard them as a teenager, when I was devouring music. Really don't want to pick one before any of the others, as I can't fault anything on those first three.

 

Vital really needs to be included-- first because it has a full album's worth of new material, second because it sounds like no other VDG album-- extreme, punkish and vital indeed! To my mind it is the greatest thing Hammill has ever done.

Apparently the forthcoming "Do Not Disturb" is real good, tho.

 

Wot, no "The Aerosol Grey Machine"?

"Pawn Hearts" got my vote.

 

A tough call for me between H to He and Pawn Hearts. Killer is my absolute favorite song by them, but I think Pawn Hearts is a more consistent album so it got my vote.

 

Looks like we can only pick one. I went with "Pawn Hearts". It was my first VDGG and still my favorite. I never found it as difficult as others seem to. I took to it pretty much right away. My second favorite VDGG is "Silent Corner and the Empty Stage".

 

Between God Bluff and Pawn Hearts. A funny aside...when I first purchased Pawn hearts I thought it said Prawn Hearts. I wondered why they would name the album after the heart of shrimp.

 

An amazing band, and run of albums.

Most bands whose work ends up filed under 'prog', I simply struggle to listen to anymore; but Van der Graaf (and King Crimson; maybe one or two others) are somehow immune to this issue ... is it because they stayed true to their initial impulses/values*, or something else? ... All I know is, VdGG (and Peter's solo stuff) still speaks to me.

I picked Pawn Hearts, probably for its outsized impact on my young self. But the amazing thing is, I think that their albums done since reuniting in the new millennium are, if anything, their best work yet; something I cannot say about the mighty (and beloved) Crimso or, in fact, anyone else in that genre. And I can't wait for their new album.


*Not gonna name names, but so many proggy titans abandoned ship when the opportunity (or financial need) arose, to dilute their aims to go corporate ca. 1978 or after; Peter & co. were unwilling (or perhaps constitutionally unable?) to participate in this fall from grace, and put in some hard work to get by more as an independent cottage industry (Robert Fripp has famously chronicled the dedication and struggles of this path.)

 

H to He, Who Am the Only One for me. Who else could follow the punk power of 'Killer' with the unbearable poignancy of 'House with No Door'?

 

VdGG had a really strong run of albums in the 70s and they managed to maintain their creative edge where some of their peers seemed to lose their way as the decade wore on. My vote here goes to the enigmatically titled H to He Who Am The Only One. It goes straight for the jugular right out of the gate, one of their most direct, visceral statements. (I could have easily voted for Pawn Hearts as well, though it took me a while longer to penetrate that one.). Each track is a masterpiece in its way. "Emperor In His War Room" offers an penetrating character study, demonstrating why Hammill is regarded as one of the sharpest lyricists of his day, and it features a searing cameo from his friend, R. Fripp. I also have to give a special endorsement to the haunting "Pioneers Over C". As someone who is partial to a little science fiction, this multi-segmented epic captures my imagination, creatively conveying a sense of space travel as successfully as any rock track I can think of. There's a point about nine minutes in where it seems to go "through the monolith" 2001-style, very effective. I like what the band went on to do in the second half of the 70s, including the rather underrated Quiet Zone/Pleasure Dome album, but H to He remains their high water mark for me.

 

I had to vote like the majority, but the single-vote poll does a big disservice to their other fabulous albums from the 70s.

 

H To He hooked me like no other of their releases has, thus far. I do like parts of The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other, especially the apocalyptic "After The Flood" (I really need to listen to Pawn Hearts more).

But yeah, "Pioneers Over C"--what an amazing track. Very 2001. Might be one of the most underrated songs ever in prog rock.

 

Pawn Hearts for me. I have never heard anything remotely like it. Lemmings and Man Erg have been live staples but on the last tour, the trio took on Lighthouse Keepers. Superb.

Godbluff comes next, the rest of the 70s albums not far behind.

That run of albums in the 70s (together with Peter Hammill's solo albums) is unmatched by anyone IMHO.

One week to go till the next one.

 

A easy choice for me, Pawn Hearts. H to HE is a nice prequel.

 

godbluff, captures their essence.

 

I need to get more VdG eventually. Right now I only have Pawn Hearts and World Record. Very unique band. Have to be in the right mood to enjoy them though.

 

Where's Aerosol Grey Machine?

My favorite is H to He.