Information for the people who use streaming services: I have noticed this morning that "Live at maison de la mutualité" is now available, both as a separate album and as part of the "boxset". Also the "deluxe" version of Still Life which was missing as a separate album (but available in the boxset) is now available as well.
There is also something magical in Peter's voice when he starts softly singing Still Life: "Citadel reverberates..."
Yes, that Paris concert is a real find. I go back to it, especially the second disc, repeatedly. Much of VDGG's official live stuff has come from BBC recordings and I have always found these tracks a bit too rigid and too close to the originals to be of real interest. Maybe this is because they have to watch the studio clock while recording these pieces and so keep them as tight as possible. But in the Paris and Rimini concerts in the boxset they really cut loose and seem to feed off each other far more. In one track, I forget which, they each seem to take turns in holding the riff while the three others go off at tangents, and then, as one, they all pick up the theme. Awesome stuff.
They totally stuff up The Sleepwalkers. They all come in wrong on the second half and they never get back in the same groove. The rest of it's totally amazing.
The BBC sessions from 1975/76 are indeed close to the album versions, cause the 3 albums from these years are already close to the live sound from the band. But all the other BBC stuff is comparatively different form the studio versions. The BBC sessions are actually not really live, they are studio versions, but have mostly a semi-live feeling, are interesting for the differences, are closer to the live versions than to the album versions. And for that very interesting. Excellent stuff. The only real live tracks from the BBC are on the In Concert from 23.9.71, and here we have a very different Killer. Also the GiantSquid/Octopus tack represents very much the live version. Too bad VdGG did not record a complete album of it, after the 2nd album of Pawn Hearts was cancelled, by just using the recorded 3 tracks and adding songs like Aquarian and Afterwards. The 2nd half of Sleepwalkers from Paris also features some technical difficulties, as Hammill's voice is in parts barely audible.
That may be more to do with the recording equipment than anything else. I have an audience recording of this show and PH’s vox are heard fine throughout. The Paris ‘76 concert is a highlight for me (maybe *the* highlight) but I’ve been enjoying SWT’s new mixes as well (absolutely stunning with a decent set of headphones). There’s so much to enjoy with this box. Glad that it sold out and even *gasp* made the charts in various countries.
Of course, that's included in the term "technical difficulties". Yes, the Paris concert is an absolute highlight. I loved the 2 tracks (from the broadcast) we had before in good quality (with some hiss though), and I was electrified when I read that the complete thing would come. and it contains a few unique things, at least compared to other recordings I have from that year. The Paris audience boot ain't one of the better recordings of 76. But there are some more which are a good addition.
They all seem to come in in the wrong place in the second half of Sleepwalkers, then Hammill's piano is feeding back like crazy and his voice is all but inaudible. Pity because the whole sequence from Mergleys 3 into Gog and Sleepwalkers is otherwise amazing.
Pawn Hearts is in my top albums of all time list, and I have a copy of the CD which Peter Hammill signed for me back in '97 when he did an intimate solo gig here in Melbourne Australia-nice guy. I think it was for a record label exec's birthday. Always look forward to more VDGG material coming through.
I was there. He said he'd never seen so many copies of Killers, Angels, Refugees in one place before. I got my 7"s signed but was too scared to hand him a bootleg but some guy did and he gladly signed it. I was prepared for him to break it over his knee. It was Roger Grierson (ex Thought Criminals) birthday and Phonogram records threw him a party for dragging the label into the 20th Century.
Thinking about getting the CD/DVD of Still Life and Pawn Hearts. Any opinion on the mastering/transfer quality of the original stereo mixes in Hi-Res on the DVD of these two will be appreciated. Also curious, how they compare with the original mixes on the Redbooks.
The original mixes' masterings are the same on the CDs and DVDs. They sound much, much better than the horrible 2005 remasters. Classy masterings of great transfers with minimal compression and tasteful EQ.
Dear forum members, sorry for my stupid question. Only four albums VdGG was released as DVD-Audio remixed? Thanks for your reply.
Nothing stupid about your question. Yes, only 4 of them were remixed on CD/DVD combos. They are not DVD-Audio with lossless surround, though, but standard DVD-Video.
My package finally turned up... thanks AusPost for not dropping it off the back of a forklift from a great height. I also ordered the Faust box in the same package so that's my outre-prog listening sorted for the rest of the year. Only downside to this handsome package is the CD foldout. Could they have used a thicker cardstock for the folders? Ol' Meatfingers here is liable to tear it during general use (as I did to the Tangerine Dream Hades box, which has a similar design).
I suggest that you take the discs out only once, and then store them in regular jewel cases. In that way you can place them safely on the shelf with their sisters and brothers
Thanks. I have the box but I was wondering then what resolution the albums in stereo play from the cd/dvd combos?
Van Der Graaf Generator: The Charisma Years 1970-1978 Blu-ray (Blu-ray Audio) (France) The link above has this info for the Blu-ray audio if that helps at all: Audio Music: LPCM 2.0 (96kHz, 24-bit) Music: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (96kHz, 24-bit) Music: CD 2.0
Might do. I generally rip them for my server but sometimes you just want to put a physical disc in the player. The book a good read, too.
Just got the four cd/dvd sets, so far I listened to the surround H to He and Pawn Hearts discs. Very well done transfers, I wish they were a bit more aggressive but still excellent. The 24/96 Stereo mix is excellent better than all the original and reissue CD’s. Wish they could have done The Least We Can Do…, for me the sad note is that a local friend was a major Van Der Graaf fan and sadly died before hearing these, so here’s to you Werner.
