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 The single was withdrawn under pressure from Mercury, since it violated the contract band members Hammill and Smith signed the previous year.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.
Wondering
Van der Graaf Generator Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I will arise:
In the depths, I will open my eyes;
As my breath almost fails me, survive.
Wait - there's something unclear,
There's something I fear now drawing close.
Is it now time to make a choice?
Ah - that irrational pain!
This ridiculous brain now bursts with joy.
Could it be me? Could it be now?
Should I begin to take my vows?
I will return:
As I live, as I breathe, as I burn
I swear I will come through,
With my hands stretching out in the dark,
With my eye pressed up tight to the glass,
Wondering if it's all been true.
Wondering, wondering, wondering...
Wondering if it's all ... wondering if it's all been true...
The lyrics of “Wondering” by Van der Graaf Generator explore themes of hope, fear, uncertainty, and the search for truth. The opening verse expresses the singer's determination to overcome the challenges he's facing and continue living despite the difficulties. The second verse introduces a sense of unease and apprehension, as the singer becomes aware of an unknown presence that's drawing closer. The chorus reflects the singer's doubts and uncertainty, as he questions the reality of his experiences and searches for truth.
The lyrics are filled with vivid imagery that highlights the singer's emotional state. The phrase "in the depths" suggests a sense of being trapped or buried, while "my breath almost fails me" creates a feeling of suffocation or desperation. The lines "As my breath almost fails me, survive" can be interpreted as a metaphor for the singer's struggles to live and overcome his challenges.
The second verse introduces a sense of mystery and tension, with the singer questioning the identity of the voice he hears. The phrase "should I begin to take my vows?" suggests a possible religious or spiritual context, as the singer contemplates making a commitment or taking a sacred oath.
The chorus brings together all the themes of the lyrics, with the singer expressing his doubts and questioning whether his experiences are true or imagined. The repetition of the word "wondering" reinforces the sense of uncertainty and confusion, and suggests that the search for truth is ongoing and never-ending.
Line by Line Meaning
I will arise:
I will rise up from the depths and open my eyes, even if it becomes difficult to breathe and survive.
In the depths, I will open my eyes;
I will awaken from the depths of my thoughts and awaken my senses with a new perspective.
As my breath almost fails me, survive.
Even when my breath is almost taken away, I will keep myself alive and push forward.
Wait - there's something unclear,
I sense an ambiguity in the situation.
There's something I fear now drawing close.
I am feeling nervous and something is starting to worry me.
Could it be you? Whose is that voice?
Is that voice I'm hearing yours, and what effect will it have?
Is it now time to make a choice?
I must make a decision and choose a path to follow.
Ah - that irrational pain!
I feel an emotional pain that doesn't quite make sense but still manages to bring me joy.
This ridiculous brain now bursts with joy.
My mind feels like it's about to explode with happiness despite not really understanding why.
Could it be me? Could it be now?
Is it my turn to take action and make an impact in the moment?
Should I begin to take my vows?
Do I need to commit myself to something that could be life-altering?
I will return:
I will come back with a renewed purpose and dedication.
As I live, as I breathe, as I burn
I will actively live and breathe, and remain passionate and driven.
I swear I will come through,
I truly promise that I will succeed and overcome whatever challenge lies ahead.
With my hands stretching out in the dark,
I am reaching out blindly, trying to grasp something meaningful and significant.
With my eye pressed up tight to the glass,
I am analyzing and scrutinizing every detail, trying to gain insight and clarity.
Wondering if it's all been true.
Despite my dedication, I still question whether my efforts have been worthwhile.
Wondering, wondering, wondering...
I am filled with curiosity and a desire to discover the answer to my questions.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOE WERNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@pascalsolal
Sublime. Hammill is The most under-estimated genius of last century.
@neilparnell5712
Love when Peter once introduced this as ''another one of our hymns'' with Hugh on organ, he was not wrong.
@neilparnell5712
Peter Hamill surely was the first Shakespearian frontman both in his wonderful poetry and his inimitable delivery on stage.
@koubejinn
I'm Japanese. About 45years ago, I saw this promo video on TV with very big impression. Still I like very much. Great!
@evaristomoreno8603
This band made some absolutely beautiful songs...
@bernhardkaiser9567
Absolutely! And also a good number of terrifying ones :)
@DanielDeur
@@bernhardkaiser9567 Absolutely! And also a bad number of spooky ones 👻
@neilparnell967
And some beautifully terrifying songs, or is it terrifyingly beautiful songs ? Probably both.
@patrickthomas7780
Whats sound since the beginning !
@lucasgarcia-lm4pr
Son de otro planeta