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.
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Bosco239, youtube
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Idrie, Youtube
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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World Without End, Twitter
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Stuart, Chortle
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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John Robins, Comedian
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Funday’schild, youtube.
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com