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