Will see, if the dynamics of the original recordings remains, obviously, it is a very interesting box, I am sure it will still be available after the first week of release and then all the info will be there. Anyway, this thread give me the idea to listen to Edit: Just want to add, for those of you who do not have the Merlin Atmos live double cd, you can purchase blindly it is very good.
I have been very late to the VDGG game starting to slowly getting acquainted to their material in 2005 with Present and then Real Time. I have worked my way back to their first album and along the way developped an addiction for Peter Hammill solo material. This music gets better when taken in small doses by making some quality time to listen and digest it, album by album. There’s nothing more rewarding than the feeling of having deeply immersed yourself into an album and be speechless once the spin is over. Now a lot on this thread will agree that VDGG music is definitely unique in the prog genre. It is prog for sure with perhaps a dash freejazz/avant-garde sub-genre as well. I am no musicologist but some of their musical output definitely reminds me my years of heavy avant-garde jazz listening. The band has its own way of creating tension and release moments within their songs. As for each member virtuosity, I wouldn’t even engage a debate on it. Their common output is the best testimony you can have. I never looked for flashy solos when I listen to VDGG, it all blends nicely in the song. The album Alt, which I won’t recommend for starters, is documenting some nice jams and leftover ideas, PH playing guitar. PH guitar playing technique is not conventional as was Derek Bailey technique… Same can be said about his vocals and compositions skills. A truely original artist who inspired a lot more. Probably one of his most spaceout project. Get the 3 discs box.
If you do not own this It might interest you, it is a 8 CDs box set recordings of a tour he made in Europe in 2017 or 2018. You can buy the flac files on 7digital, for the physical release the pressing left a bit to be desired, I had trouble with EAC ripping some of the CDs. Edit: it is 2018, Peter Hammill voice is still intact.
Might have been post earlier on this thread, if so forgive me. Van Der Graaf Generator Announce The Charisma Years Box Set
When I caught them live in recent years it is Guy Evans who is first among equals in respect of mastery of his instrument and just such a unique and exciting player. Then of course, there is the pure manic energy of Hanmill, stalking the stage like a caged animal.....quite an experience.
Try Guy is certainly one of those drummers with an instantly recognisable, distinctive style. I seem to recall Graham Smith was first violinist for an orchestra at one time, so might officially qualify as a virtuoso.
I don't really know the business ethics of amazon.fr, but they have a track record of giving ridiculously low offers of boxes and then canceling the orders. They did it with Yes Union Live 30 - box lately. So, if your order will be canceled, don't be surprised. What do they gain with this, I don't know
Argh, I should have waited! I ordered from Burning Shed for €144 including shipping. Not that much of a difference but I probably have to pay 21% vat on top of that when the box arrives thanks to Brexit.
I order from Amazon.fr regularly, Tone Poets and Acoustic Sounds series, but also the UFO Strangers CD-box. Hope I don’t jinx it, but that never happened to me. And €120 is nice, but not so ridiculously low that it’s an obvious mistake. I’ll keep my fingers crossed!
If such a box is damaged you get a new one from Amazon. I never had any problems with the German Amazon.
My love of all things HAMMILL/VDGG has been a long one....I was lucky to see PETER at the bottom line back circa 1985-86....about 10 year's ago I was lucky to find all of the original charisma VDGG c.d.'s at my my local store(since out of business)....during a month of visiting that store I found every VDGG C.D....And about 12-18 PETER HAMMILL c.d.'s on the various labels....FIE....CHARISMA...I understand the sound isn't "great" on these editions though I wouldn't part with them at any price.this box looks amazing....I've pre-ordered it early using BURNING SHED....A Great source!
I apologise if this question has been covered somewhere, but as I just recently exchanged my 1st gen. CD's with the 2005 re-masters (personally I enjoy them) I feel sheepish about this box set, but I just have to get it. It looks absolutely wonderful, but I am curious as to the sound quality of two tracks found in the list. The extra tracks on the 2005 CD's that were recorded in Bangor, Wales have an extremely low quality so much that the track is riddled with digital noise. It really grinds the ears and it sounds awful. Has this been rectified for the box set? Furthermore, the Rimini concert songs suffer the same fate, but I see here that the Rimini concert has been extended to cover an entire disc by itself. Without giving too much away, can anybody tell me if the sound has been improved here? I'd only guess that it is, as this set looks wonderful and a lot of thought obviously has gone into it.