VDGG box!

[jkelman]

I am shocked and stunned to be the first to post about the upcoming Van Der Graaf Generator box set, coming in September.

The Charisma Years not only rights the 2005 remastering bads by remastering VDGG's entire Charisma catalogue from 1970-1978, it also includes new stereo and surround mixes of H to He, Pawn Hearts, Godbluff and Still Life, with high res versions on Blu Ray and the new stereo mixes on cd (along with original mixes). All the BBC recordings they could find, so,e new live material previously unreleased, a Blu Ray with all kinds of video content and more.

Here's the description:

A deluxe 20 disc (17 CD / 3 Blu Ray) box set covering Van der Graaf Generator’s entire recorded work for Charisma Records.

Between the years 1970-1978, VdGG released 8 unique and uncompromising albums for the legendaryCharisma label.

This set features all of the band's Charisma albums remastered from the first generation master tapes plus much more.

The albums H to He Who Am the Only One, Pawn Hearts, Godbluff and Still Life have been remixed from the original multi-track tapes in both stereo and 5.1 surround sound by Stephen W Tayler. These feature on 4 additional CDs and two Blu ray discs. Also featured are two CDs of a recently discovered and previously unreleased entire concert recorded in Paris in December 1976 by French radio and all of the surviving BBC sessions recorded by the band.

In addition, there is a Blu ray disc featuring all of the surviving VdGG television footage and promotional films, including the band's appearance on German TV’s “Beat Club” in 1970, a filmed appearance at The Bataclan in Paris in 1972 for the French TV show “Pop Deux”, the 1972 appearance on “Pop Shop” for RTBF Belgium, a live performance shot by Belgian TV in Chaleroi in September 1975, the promotional films of “Wondering” and “Cat’s Eye”, and a 20 minute documentary with live footage shot by Austrian television at The Kohfidisch Open Air Festival, Austria in June 1978.

Packaged with a 68 page book and rare photos, The Charisma Years is a definitive account of an essential career.

Here's the complete track listing:

CD One:
“The Least We Can Do is Wave to Each Other”
Released as Charisma CAS 1007 in February 1970
Darkness (11/11)
Refugees
White Hammer
Whatever Would Robert Have Said?
Out of My Book
After the Flood

Bonus tracks

Refugees (single version)
Boat of Millions of Years

A & B-sides of single – Released as Charisma CB 122 in April 1970

Darkness
After the Flood

BBC Radio One “Top Gear” session – 20th January 1970

CD Two:
“H to He Who Am the Only One”
Released as Charisma CAS 1027 in December 1970

Killer
House with No Door
The Emperor in His War Room
Lost
Pioneers Over C

Bonus tracks

Killer (first version) – Previously unreleased
The Emperor in His War Room (first version)

Recorded at Trident Studios in July 1970

Lost
Killer

BBC Radio One “Top Gear” session – 12th October 1970
Previously unreleased

CD Three:
“Pawn Hearts”
Released as Charisma CAS 1051 in October 1971

Lemmings (including Cog)
Man Erg
A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers
Eyewitness
Pictures / Lighthouse
Eyewitness
SHM
Presence of the Night
Kosmos Tours
(Custard’s) Last Stand
The Clot Thickens
Land’s End (Sineline)
We Go Now

Bonus tracks

Man Erg
Theme One
Vision
Darkness

BBC Radio One “Sounds of the Seventies” session – 10th June 1971

CD Four:

Theme One
W

A & B-sides of single – Released as Charisma CB 175 in February 1972

The Pawn Hearts sessions

Squid / Octopus
Angle of Incidents
Ponker’s Theme
Dimunitions
W (first version)
Theme One (original mix)

Man Erg
W
Killer

BBC Radio One John Peel Concert – 23rd September 1971

Refugees

BBC Radio One John Peel session – 14th December 1971

CD Five:
“Godbluff”
Released as Charisma CAS 1109 in October 1975

The Undercover Man
Scorched Earth
Arrow
The Sleepwalkers

Bonus tracks

Scorched Earth
The Sleepwalkers

BBC Radio One John Peel session – 3rd July 1975

CD Six:
“Live in Rimini 9th August 1975”

A Louse is Not a Home
(In the) Black Room / The Tower
Forsaken Gardens
Lemmings
Scorched Earth
Man-Erg

CD Seven:
“Still Life”
Released as Charisma CAS 1116 in April 1976

Pilgrims
Still Life
La Rossa
My Room (Waiting for Wonderland)
Childlike Faith in Childhood’s End

Bonus tracks

Gog (live)

Recorded at the Theatr Gwynedd, Bangor, Wales 10th May 1975

Still Life
La Rossa

BBC Radio One John Peel session – 1st April 1976

CD Eight:
“World Record”
Released as Charisma CAS 1120 in October 1976

When She Comes
A Place to Survive
Masks
Meurglys III (The Songwriters Guild)
Wondering

Bonus tracks

When She Comes
Masks

BBC Radio One John Peel session – 11th November 1976

Part One (Approx. 35% of) Meurglys III (The Songwriters Guild)

B-side of single – Released as Charisma CB 297 in October 1976
Previously unreleased on CD

CD Nine:
Live at Maison de la Mutualité, Paris
6th December 1976
Previously unreleased

Arrow
When She Comes
Masks
Still Life
Lemmings
Childlike Faith in Childhood’s End

CD Ten:
Live at Maison de la Mutualité, Paris
6th December 1976
Previously unreleased

Meurglys III (The Songwriter’s Guild)
Gog
Sleepwalkers
Killer
Man-Erg

CD Eleven:
“The Quiet Zone / The Pleasure Dome”
Released as Charisma CAS 1131 in September 1977

Lizard Play
The Habit of the Broken Heart
The Siren Song
Last Frame
The Wave
Cat’s Eye / Yellow Fever (Running)
The Sphinx in the Face
Chemical World
The Sphinx Returns

Bonus tracks

Door
Ship of Fools (B-side of single released in France as Charisma 6837 441 in September 1977)
The Wave (demo version)

Cat’s Eye / Yellow Fever
The Sphinx in the Face
(Fragments of) A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers / Sleepwalker’s End

BBC Radio One John Peel session – 24th October 1977

CD Twelve:
“Vital”
Released as Charisma CVLD 101 in July 1978

Ship of Fools
Still Life
Last Frame
Mirror Images
Medley: A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers / Sleepwalkers

CD Thirteen:
“Vital”
Released as Charisma CVLD 101 in July 1978

Pioneers Over C
Sci-Finance
Door
Urban / Killer / Urban
Nadir’s Big Chance

Disc Fourteen
“H to He Who Am the Only One”
Released as Charisma CAS 1027 in December 1970
THE NEW STEREO MIX

Killer
House with No Door
The Emperor in His War Room
Lost
Pioneers Over C

Disc Fifteen
“Pawn Hearts”
Released as Charisma CAS 1051 in October 1971
THE NEW STEREO MIX

Lemmings (including Cog)
Man Erg
A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers
Eyewitness
Pictures / Lighthouse
Eyewitness
SHM
Presence of the Night
Kosmos Tours
(Custard’s) Last Stand
The Clot Thickens
Land’s End (Sineline)
We Go Now


Bonus tracks

Theme One (new stereo mix)
W (new stereo mix)

Disc Sixteen
“Godbluff”
Released as Charisma CAS 1109 in October 1975
THE NEW STEREO MIX

The Undercover Man
Scorched Earth
Arrow
The Sleepwalkers

Disc Seventeen
“Still Life”
Released as Charisma CAS 1116 in April 1976
THE NEW STEREO MIX

Pilgrims
Still Life
La Rossa
My Room (Waiting for Wonderland)
Childlike Faith in Childhood’s End

Disc Eighteen – Blu-ray Disc:
“H to He Who Am the Only One”
High resolution 5.1 Surround Sound Mix / New Stereo Mix / Original stereo mix

Killer
House with No Door
The Emperor in His War Room
Lost
Pioneers Over C

“Pawn Hearts”
High resolution 5.1 Surround Sound Mix / New Stereo Mix / Original stereo mix

Lemmings (including Cog)
Man Erg
A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers
Eyewitness
Pictures / Lighthouse
Eyewitness
SHM
Presence of the Night
Kosmos Tours
(Custard’s) Last Stand
The Clot Thickens
Land’s End (Sineline)
We Go Now


Bonus Tracks

Boat Of Millions Of Years
Theme One
W


Disc Nineteen – Blu-ray Disc
“Godbluff”
High resolution 5.1 Surround Sound Mix / New Stereo Mix / Original stereo mix

The Undercover Man
Scorched Earth
Arrow
The Sleepwalkers

“Still Life”
High resolution 5.1 Surround Sound Mix / New Stereo Mix / Original stereo mix

Pilgrims
La Rossa
My Room (Waiting for Wonderland)
Childlike Faith in Childhood’s End

Disc Twenty – Blu-ray Disc
The video vaults:

Darkness
Whatever Would Robert Have Said

“Beat Club” – German TV 23rd June 1970
Previously unreleased

Lost
Killer
Octopus

“Pop Deux”
Filmed at The Bataclan Theatre, Paris 18th March 1972
Broadcast 27th May 1972 on French TV
Previously unreleased

Theme One
A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers

“Pop Shop”
Recorded 23rd March 1972
Broadcast RTBF TV, Belgium 21st September 1972
FIRST OFFICIAL RELEASE

The Undercover Man
Arrow
Scorched Earth
Sleepwalkers

“Live in Charleroi Palais des Expos – 27th September 1975”
Broadcast RTBF TV Belgium 17th April 1976
FIRST OFFICIAL RELEASE

Wondering
Charisma promotional film 1976
Previously unreleased

Cat’s Eye
Charisma promotional film
Previously unreleased

Van der Graaf in Concert
The Kohfidisch Open Air Festival, Austria 17th June 1978
Broadcast by ORF TV, Austria 1st July 1978
Previously unreleased

All I can say? I am already IN!

The link to Burning Shed: https://burningshed.com/van-der-graa...%20der%20graaf

[moecurlythanu]

Be not dismayed, my good man! It's gotten some run in the Peter Hammill (Cover Of Prog) thread.

[peterpyser]

Very old news

[Mister Triscuits]

It's gotten some run in the Peter Hammill (Cover Of Prog) thread.

As well as the VdGG: cover of The Wire thread.

[Hobo Chang Ba]

Hmm...really the only thing I don't have from this box is the live material (and whatever BBC are previously unreleased). Probably going to have to consider myself out.

Out of curiosity, if any one has heard them, how are the performances of both Live in Rimini 9th August 1975 and Live at Maison de la Mutualité, Paris? I'm not really terribly in love with alot of live VDGG.

[Hobo Chang Ba]

As well as the VdGG: cover of The Wire thread.

I certainly think it deserves it own thread though.

[jkelman]

Be not dismayed, my good man! It's gotten some run in the Peter Hammill (Cover Of Prog) thread.

Ah, I missed that.... d'oh!

[jkelman]

Very old news

Not for me. I just got Burning Shed"s weekly blast and had no idea before. Sorry if I'm not as connected as you....

[jkelman]

Hmm...really the only thing I don't have from this box is the live material (and whatever BBC are previously unreleased). Probably going to have to consider myself out.

Out of curiosity, if any one has heard them, how are the performances of both Live in Rimini 9th August 1975 and Live at Maison de la Mutualité, Paris? I'm not really terribly in love with alot of live VDGG.

I'm attracted by the live performances but also two other things: (a) remasters that will hopefully improve on the ones Hammill supervised in 2005 or so; and (b) high res new stereo mixes of my four fave '70s VDGG albums.

So those combined factors make this box a must-have for me. I Have every VDGG album, but I foolishly got rid of my earlier CDs when I bought the 2005 remasters, figuring they'd be good. Sadly, I was mistaken!

[Hobo Chang Ba]

I'm one of the few that likes the 2005 remasters so that's not really a selling point for me.

[The Czar]

I'm one of the few that likes the 2005 remasters so that's not really a selling point for me.

I like them too, but also have the original cds of vital, still life, godbluff and world record (would like the rest too) and will be keeping them all, even after my box set arrives.

5.1, live, remasters, remixes, video, 68 page book...what isn't a selling point?

I have been waiting for this since I heard about it a few months ago!

[per anporth]

Just going to put this out there - I'm more shocked by the fact that, to my knowledge, only two comments have been posted about Hammill's new album hereabouts. So many posts about (reissues of) old music, so little discussion of the remarkable new music being made by one of the few "first wave" proggers who's still pushing the progressive boundaries of music.

If anyone cares, Hammill's new record is extraordinary - both utterly different from anything he's ever done before, yet also utterly typical of Hammill! I think it's a minor masterpiece.

(actually, even more shocking still - VdGG are the Sunday headliners at a small crusty "festival" called Beautiful Days, in August, which is less than 15 miles from me...& which my kids have gone to for years even whilst deeming it to be a bit infradig... & it's sold out )

[chalkpie]

I wonder if they will issue these separately on vinyl if they are taken from the masters?

[Rick L.]

I wonder if they will issue these separately on vinyl if they are taken from the masters?

Taken from the Masters is a good album title.

[polmico]

Just going to put this out there - I'm more shocked by the fact that, to my knowledge, only two comments have been posted about Hammill's new album hereabouts. So many posts about (reissues of) old music, so little discussion of the remarkable new music being made by one of the few "first wave" proggers who's still pushing the progressive boundaries of music.

If anyone cares, Hammill's new record is extraordinary - both utterly different from anything he's ever done before, yet also utterly typical of Hammill! I think it's a minor masterpiece.

I’ve been waiting for some US distribution. Hopefully soon.

[lovecraft]

Shocked?

Dismayed I think, but definitely not a shock!

[Steve F.]

I’ve been waiting for some US distribution. Hopefully soon.

it will be - US street date is either end of this month or July; I can't remember - we've already ordered some.

[The Czar]

Just going to put this out there - I'm more shocked by the fact that, to my knowledge, only two comments have been posted about Hammill's new album hereabouts. So many posts about (reissues of) old music, so little discussion of the remarkable new music being made by one of the few "first wave" proggers who's still pushing the progressive boundaries of music.

If anyone cares, Hammill's new record is extraordinary - both utterly different from anything he's ever done before, yet also utterly typical of Hammill! I think it's a minor masterpiece.

(actually, even more shocking still - VdGG are the Sunday headliners at a small crusty "festival" called Beautiful Days, in August, which is less than 15 miles from me...& which my kids have gone to for years even whilst deeming it to be a bit infradig... & it's sold out )

I think that is because in the US, it doesn't get released until June 16th?
And there are no songs I could find to hear online.
Hard to comment on something you have not heard

[JJ88]

Lost
Killer

BBC Radio One “Top Gear” session – 12th October 1970
Previously unreleased

I understand the transcription disc versions of these were edited considerably. There's an AM off-air which was linked here a while back that was OK, but maybe not release-quality. Will be interested to know what has been used.

[polmico]

it will be - US street date is either end of this month or July; I can't remember - we've already ordered some.

Rad.

[Bytor]

All I can say? I am already IN!

I'm in...for your review

[Crystal Plumage]

I tried and tried and tried. And the only tracks I like is Man Erg and Plague of Lighthouse Keepers.
Dunno what it is (or isn't ) but I'm not particularly fond of David Jaxon's saxens.

Hammill is otherworldly though.
Maybe I will have to keep trying a bit harder?

[jkelman]

I'm in...for your review

I'm afraid that won't be forthcoming (but thanks!). I'm nearing completion of the first draft of the Crimson book, and while I've committed to the Caravan box in mid-August, I didn't feel comfy over-committing with the VDGG box (or, for that matter, the All Things Must Pass box) as there will, no doubt, be more work to do and I don't know what the pace will be like. And the VDGG box is onlŷ a couple weeks after the Caravan, which I expect will be considerable work as usual.

So sorry, but I'm afraid that one won't likely be happening. But thanks again!

[Bill_in_Cle]

So it looks like the multitrack tapes for 3 studio albums are missing.

(And for "Vital"; or the band felt the live album not worth remixing for 5.1; and there were no unused performances worth adding as bonus tracks.)

The box set track info states that the Bluray discs include the high resolution Original stereo mix of the 4 albums that were remixed, but no mention is made of high resolution files for the stereo mixes of the other 4 albums.

If this holds true, it is very disappointing. The box set would have been the appropriate place to have released such files and thus fans could have had hi-res files for all the original stereo mixes of the Charisma era. There will not likely be 2CD/DVD reissues of these 4 albums, since there are no remixes possible to fill-out such sets.

[peterpyser]

Lost
Killer

BBC Radio One “Top Gear” session – 12th October 1970
Previously unreleased

I understand the transcription disc versions of these were edited considerably. There's an AM off-air which was linked here a while back that was OK, but maybe not release-quality. Will be interested to know what has been used.

Last year a very good sounding tape recording of the whole John Peel 24 October 1970 'Top Gear' session was unearthed.
Both tracks are included with spoken intro and Killer is unedited. Lost has never been issued on a transcription disc, to my knowledge.
My guess is that tape is the source used for the forthcoming box.