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