The signature Van der Graaf Generator sound in the 1970s was a combination of Peter Hammill's distinctive and dynamic voice and David Jackson's electronically-treated saxophones, generally playing over thick chordal keyboard parts (such as Hammond organ and/or clavinet). Van der Graaf Generator albums tended to be darker in atmosphere than many of their prog-rock peers (a trait they shared with King Crimson, whose guitarist Robert Fripp guested on two of their albums), and guitar solos were the exception rather than the rule.
Hammill is the primary songwriter for the band, and the line between music written for his solo career and for the band is often blurred.
The band first formed in 1967 while its members were studying at Manchester University. The three-piece was comprised of Peter Hammill (guitar and vocals), Nick Pearne (organ) and Chris Judge Smith (drums and wind instruments). The group was named after a piece of electric equipment designed to produce static electricity, the Van de Graaff generator. The name was suggested by early member, Chris Judge Smith (the misspellings are accidental). On the basis of a demo, this blues- and jazz-influenced first incarnation were offered a recording contract with Mercury Records.
In 1968, Pearne was replaced by Hugh Banton. The band were able to secure Tony Stratton-Smith as a full-time manager. Through him, the band acquired a bass guitar player, Keith Ian Ellis. Drummer Guy Evans joined not too long afterward. This line-up recorded a series of demos for Mercury, before releasing a single ("People You Were Going To" b/w "Firebrand") on Polydor Records. The single was withdrawn under pressure from Mercury, since it violated the contract band members Hammill and Smith signed the previous year. Judge Smith left the band, amicably, shortly after the recording of the single.
Although the band performed on BBC Radio 1's Top Gear radio show in November, and was touring successfully, it broke up in June 1969. Pressures leading to this included financial difficulties, the theft of the band's gear and transport in London, combined with Mercury's refusal to let the band record and Stratton-Smith's refusal to let the other members of the band sign to Mercury too (only Hammill remained now of the original three who had signed with Mercury).
In July 1969, Hammill went to record his first solo album at Trident Studios. Banton, Evans, and Ellis joined him as session musicians. Through a deal worked out by their manager, Hammill's intended solo album, The Aerosol Grey Machine, was released by Mercury under the band's name in return for releasing the band from their contract. The album was initially only released in the United States with hardly any promotion at all, so sales were minimal.
Ellis left (eventually joining Juicy Lucy and a very brief incarnation of Iron Butterfly among others) and was replaced by Nic Potter, and David Jackson (saxophones and flutes) was added to the line-up. Tony Stratton-Smith formed Charisma Records and signed the band as his first act. Before recording their second album, The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other.
A new sound was established, leaving behind the psychedelic influence of The Aerosol Grey Machine in favour of darker textures influenced by jazz and classical music. The Least We Can Do Is Wave to Each Other was well received, and was swiftly followed by H to He, Who Am the Only One. Potter left mid-way through that recording, and the band decided to carry on without a bass guitarist, with Banton on hand and feet bass pedals. Robert Fripp of King Crimson contributed guitar on the song, "The Emperor in His War-Room".
The Hammill/Banton/Jackson/Evans quartet that resulted from H to He, Who Am the Only One is now considered the 'classic' line-up, and went on to record Pawn Hearts. The album contains just three tracks, "Lemmings", "Man-Erg" and the twenty-three-minute concept piece "A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers". Fripp again provided a cameo appearance on guitar. The album proved highly successful in Italy, topping the chart there for twelve weeks. The single "Theme One" was a success in Italy too, an instrumental piece, originally written by the Beatles producer George Martin as a fanfare for the BBC radio station Radio 1, later to appear on U.S. pressings of Pawn Hearts. They toured Italy for a while, but the shows were plagued by different extremist organizations from Red Brigade to neo-fascists. The band toured extensively from 1970 to 1972, but a lack of support from the record company and also financial difficulties caused the band to implode, and Hammill left to pursue a solo career.
The three remaining members recorded an instrumental album with Nic Potter, Ced Curtis, and Piero Messina, under the name The Long Hello. Their self-titled album (The Long Hello) was released in 1974.
Hammill's split with the group was amicable, and Banton, Jackson and Evans, among others, all contributed to his solo work at various times. By 1975, the members of the band were ready to work with each other again, and they recorded three new albums in just twelve months. The sessions were produced by the band themselves (all previous Van der Graaf Generator albums had been produced by John Anthony at Trident Studios), and displayed a somewhat tauter, more streamlined sound. Godbluff in particular saw Hammill making significant use of the Hohner clavinet keyboard. Still Life followed within the same year.
At the end of 1976, following World Record, first Banton and then Jackson departed in 1977. Nic Potter returned to replace Banton, and in a typically eccentric move Jackson was replaced by a violinist, Graham Smith (formerly of Charisma folk-rock band String Driven Thing). This line-up produced the album The Quiet Zone / The Pleasure Dome. The band also shortened its name to Van der Graaf. Charles Dickie then joined the band on cello, documented on the live double-album Vital. By the time Vital was released, in the summer of 1978, the band had already split, because of lack of record company support in the United States and financial difficulties.
In 1982 a collection of out-takes and rehearsal recordings from the period 1972-1975 was released (initially on cassette only), called Time Vaults. These are not studio-quality recordings.
Banton, Jackson and Evans all made occasional appearances on Hammill's solo albums following the 1978 split, and the classic line-up also played occasionally together. In 1996, the quartet appeared on stage during a concert by Hammill and Evans at the Union Chapel in London to perform "Lemmings" (the whole recording was released as The Union Chapel Concert in March 1997). In 2003, Banton, Jackson, and Evans joined with Hammill to perform the song "Still Life" at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London. Both of these appearances were unannounced to the audience in advance.
Following the Queen Elizabeth Hall performance, discussions between the band members led to writing and rehearsal of new material in mid-2004. A double CD, Present, containing this material was released in April 2005. A reunion concert took place at the Royal Festival Hall, London, on the 6th May 2005, followed by several European dates in the summer and autumn of 2005. The concert in Leverkusen, Germany on the 5th November 2005 was filmed for a TV show ("Rockpalast") and was broadcast on the 15th January 2006. A DVD from that concert had been announced on Hammill's website in 2006. However, so far only one track thereof, "Wondering", has been officially released (on a DVD that came with the Rockpalast anniversary edition of the German magazine Eclipsed in June 2007).
Hammill stated in a December 2005 newsletter that there were no plans for further recordings or performances by the classic Van der Graaf Generator line-up. In September 2006, Hammill announced that the band would be continuing as a trio, for live and studio work, without Jackson.
A live album, Real Time, was released on the 5th March 2007 on Hammill's label, Fie! Records. It contains the entirety of the band's 2005 concert at the Royal Festival Hall.
In April and July 2007 the band played as a trio in different places in Europe. A concert on the14th April 2007 in the Melkweg in Amsterdam was recorded and streamed on the FabChannel website.
The first trio recording, Trisector, was released on the 17th March 2008. Live concerts were played in Europe in March and April, and in Japan in June, among them, one at the Gouveia Art Rock Festival. There were further concerts in January 2009 in Europe, and it was announced that the band would play several concerts in Canada and the United States in 2009, among them one at NEARfest in 2009. It was the first time Van der Graaf Generator had visited the United States since 1976.
Necromancer
Van der Graaf Generator Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Speak my name.
If there is evil in your heart and you will come near to me you will
Lose your sane.
My form is mystic, but my heart is pure,
You'd better believe what I say:
I am the Necromancer.
I cast deep spells and potent: I am a Seer
Of the Real.
My forces work against evil, for I love
All I feel.
I know the secrets long forgotten,
You'd better believe in me:
I am the Necromancer.
Look into my eyes!
I tell you, occults power lies in love.
I fight against darkness, the power
Of the Black.
Every day the power is greater, and soon the world will
Come to rights.
Through the magic, through the power, shaman shall die
On the seventh night.
And now remember magic is here;
You'd better believe in the White.
I am the Necromancer,
And I come to carry your heart away to good.
The song "Necromancer" by Van der Graaf Generator is a mystical composition that portrays the character of a necromancer, who resides in the black woods and is feared by all. The singer claims to be the Necromancer, who practices the magic of the real and fights against evil with his powers. He practices powerful spells and is a seer of the real. He warns that if anyone with evil in their heart comes near him, they would lose their sanity. However, the Necromancer also claims that his heart is pure, and he only loves all he feels.
The singer specifies that his form may be mystic, but he speaks the truth. He is on the side of the white and not the black. He challenges the darkness that is prevalent in their world and preaches that occult power lies in love. The song ends with him claiming that he comes to carry everyone's heart away to good. The Necromancer's character, with a light-leaning nature, adds a positive spin to the otherwise dreaded image of a necromancer.
Line by Line Meaning
Yes I live in the black woods, where you dare not even Speak my name.
I dwell in the dreary forests where my name dares not be uttered.
If there is evil in your heart and you will come near to me you will Lose your sane.
If malice resides in your heart and you approach me, your sanity shall vanish.
My form is mystic, but my heart is pure, You'd better believe what I say: I am the Necromancer.
Though my appearance be enigmatic, my intentions remain virtuous. Know this: I am the Necromancer.
I cast deep spells and potent: I am a Seer Of the Real. My forces work against evil, for I love All I feel.
I cast profound and powerful spells, for I am a prophet of truth. My powers combat malevolence, for I cherish every emotion.
I know the secrets long forgotten, You'd better believe in me: I am the Necromancer.
I possess knowledge of the antique mysteries. Have faith in me: I am the Necromancer.
Look into my eyes! I tell you, occults power lies in love. I fight against darkness, the power Of the Black.
Gaze into my eyes! Hear me when I say black magic's strength rests in love. I battle the forces of gloom, the might of darkness.
Every day the power is greater, and soon the world will Come to rights. Through the magic, through the power, shaman shall die On the seventh night.
With each passing day, my might amplifies, and the world shall be set right ere long. Via the sorcery, via the strength, the shaman shall meet their demise on the seventh night.
And now remember magic is here; You'd better believe in the White.
Bear in mind that magic is present; trust in the forces of good.
I am the Necromancer, And I come to carry your heart away to good.
I am he who controls deathly power, and I shall lift your heart to its rightful place of goodness.
Lyrics © TUNECORE INC, TuneCore Inc.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@JeniferLohan
Yes I live in the black woods, where you dare not even
speak my name.
If there is evil in your heart and you will come near to me you will
lose your sane.
My form is mystic, but my heart is pure,
you'd better believe what I say:
I am the Necromancer.
I cast deep spells and potent: I am a Seer
of the Real.
My forces work against evil, for I love
all I feel.
I know the secrets long forgotten,
you'd better believe in me:
I am the Necromancer.
Look into my eyes!
I tell you, occults power lies in love.
I fight against darkness, the power
of the Black.
Every day the power is greater, and soon the world will
come to rights.
Through the magic, through the power, shaman shall die
on the seventh night.
And now remember magic is here;
you'd better believe in the White.
I am the Necromancer,
and I come to carry your heart away to good.
@valerioangeleri8528
Yes I live in the black woods, where you dare not even
Speak my name.
If there is evil in your heart and you will come near to me you will
Lose your sane.
My form is mystic, but my heart is pure,
You'd better believe what I say:
I am the Necromancer.
I cast deep spells and potent: I am a Seer
Of the Real.
My forces work against evil, for I love
All I feel.
I know the secrets long forgotten,
You'd better believe in me:
I am the Necromancer.
Look into my eyes!
I tell you, occults power lies in love.
I fight against darkness, the power
Of the Black.
Every day the power is greater, and soon the world will
Come to rights.
Through the magic, through the power, shaman shall die
On the seventh night.
And now remember magic is here;
You'd better believe in the White.
I am the Necromancer,
And I come to carry your heart away to good.
@HamptonGuitars
My older brother RIP had this album, the aerosol grey machine. As a 13 year old, the mystical & trippy lyrics seemed really cool, and 50+ years later I can still sing along with some of it!! But can't remember what I had for lunch.
@moraineasdai8623
This song is a prelude for the future masterworks. VDGG are a legend
@nikolaosmosxakis3395
very very good.................................................................................
@MirkoReaper
in my town a great fan of old date of this band opened a pub called "Van der Graaf" :)
@gabrielquezada3520
Where is it?
@tunguskalumberjack9987
“Van Der Graaf Intoxicator” would have been a great name for it-
@soarel325
@@gabrielquezada3520 From a quick google, likely Savona, Italy
@vandergraaf3681
VDGG is one of the best bands of all time.
@giuliaregan
so after many many years i am listening to refugees again,cannot put into words the meaning of this track for me...I was 15this became one of those seminal songs which carries not just memories but love friendship beauty ,life itself.Its pretty difficult to listen to, lots of tears and goosebumps
@stetrak1967
Wonderful song