A friend fled a Peter Hammill performance, horrified at “the least musical music” he’d ever heard, but Van Der Graaf Generator were progressive rock’s Tractarian renegades, lacing the movement’s musical orthodoxies with liturgical ceremonialism, rather than the usual elfin splatterings.
On their new album, the pellucid and beautiful Your Time Starts Now rubs up against the dictatorial annunciations, fractal guitar and churning rhythms of Highly Strung; Splink scuffs straightforward blues licks with bent barroom piano and percussive clatter; Embarrassing Kid jabs rabbit punch riffs.
Forty-four years after forming, VDGG remain obstinately obtuse, A Grounding In Numbers ranking amongst their best recordings.
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Stuart, Chortle
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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World Without End, Twitter
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Bosco239, youtube
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Brighton Argus
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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John Robins, Comedian
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Idrie, Youtube
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube