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