Van Der Graaf Generator -Plague of Lighthouse Keepers Part 1

[Godscarmachine]

Van Der Graaf Generator. What a band.

Wish David Jackson still played with them, his Sax playing was ace

[pinkfloyd1979]

arifin mençıstıra attığı golü arıyordum nereye geldim ya...

[peoniesfleur]

Van Der Graaf is my favorite band of all time. Out of all of these prog bands, they are the best. I love them. I just learned of them resently and realize that they are beyond the best of them in different ways.

[lelobm]

the saxofonist = weird al yankovic

[Holocaust666Fetal]

Hugh Banton is amazing here! He is patching both organs through Schaller Rotosounds and a WEM Copicat tape echo... really basic setup but he gets a full wealth of tones, textures and timbres out of this setup. Amazing performance!

[tdichiara2008]

I've listened to thousands of hours of every kind of music over the course of 30 years and I think I can finally conclude that two bands stand out above all others: 70s-era King Crimson (see: Starless) and Van Der Graaf Generator.

The sparklers were hilarious.

[h4wklord]

@tdichiara2008 i concur

[thegreatdeceiver21]

:D

[peppinodeleo]

an.. great wem copicat on the organ !!!

[peppinodeleo]

super!

[Tengent]

I hate Peter Hammill's voice, a lot... but man this is good music.

[Innerspace100]

I've come back to this one so many times... They didn't play this one too often, did they? Shame, really... It's one of their best, and this rendition is very good indeed, I think.

[normy1960]

I'm hook to Van der Graaf Generator since 1977 and I had the chance to see them a couple of time in Montreal(Canada) back then !!

[hammillmaniac]

how often I heard this song again and again (and my neighbours too) --- 

[eblonk10]

What makes Van Der Graaf Generator great is that they dropped the number 1 rule of prog rock: sound clean. Even the bands that left the original classic-meets-jazz roots of prog rock behind tend to sound clean. VDGG sounds incredibly aggressive and dirty when they decide to. I would say that even where they seem to sound clean, there is a razor-edge to them. A growl.

[VantiveMan]

My era!  As much as Radiohead are brilliant, Muse superb, always VDGG I come back to...man they WERE the days King Crimson, Floyd, GGiant, SDThing, PG Genesis...PHIL Collins you wrecked Genesis

[ibolomania]

Sensational !

[jicnacio]

fantastic, extraordinary and unique

[stone8man]

this will be thought of as the pinnacle from the era of prog rock! (+ perhaps Genesis Suppers ready)

[tomdcour]

This is great, didn't know such a good video from this time existed of Van Der Graff.

Love the Hohner Pianet- a very underrated little keyboard

[mexicotaco0913]

woah, this video is much more clearer than the one that I have :o

[simonalamona345]

@MrMeddled :) Love those guys

[pozzi0]

that's pretty amazing

[MrBassmanbongo]

Every band should have a display of candles and sparklers ; )

[DannyDesperate]

VDGG certainly DID play PoLK live - although not in full I accept. And Pink Floyd certainly did struggle with Echoes live - painful it was. My memory is not failing me - would that were with some of the awful gigs I attended. It seems Prog fans are even more serious now than in the early 70s (no mean task); & my comments were tongue in cheek but nice to be informed sax + piano = 'jazzy' (durrr)! Luckily George Formby, Liberace, Luigi Russolo and Sun Ra lifted me out of proggy misery.

[iainhawkzinekhan]

In don't think there is a similarity between echoes and +plague of the lighthouse . as you would know echoes was originally some years older it was called +return of the son of nothing* before they changed the name to *echoes*and the music of Pink floyd is more with keyboards but VdGG is more with piano and saxophone so it gives VdGG a more jazzy character, while floyd been more psychedelic and melodical.pfloyd were more friended with soft machine as with VdGG., iain publisher hawkworldzine

[DannyDesperate]

The similarities between this and 'Echoes' by Floyd has always semed a curious coincidence. Both a whole 'side' long, both released in October 1971, both about about sea related matters and both slow ballad verse stuctures with obligatory episodic proggy weird bits. Did they share the same rehearsal space or was it prog-espionage?

PS: Saw both played live at the time, with both bands stuggling at times to keep them together (whereas this vid is edited)... mmm, a side too far methinks?

[MrHistorian123]

Hamill's voice utterly ruins Van der Graaf's music.

This band never did it for me.

[simonalamona345]

@MrHistorian123 Well, it's one of the strong points for me.

[ShishiSonson]

@MrHistorian123 Sorry, not true.

[thenimbleone]

Guys Evans, Hugh Banton and David Jackson gave Peter a special sound.

[pillutimati]

Van Der Graaf is so underrated... this is real music

[diomidis69]

van der graaf generator are one of the best bands ever heard...

[J0000OOOO]

Peter Hammill is my favourite person on earth. I honestly don't regard anyone to be half the singer or songwriter as him.

[MrLizardisle]

@J0000OOOO rare songwriter and powerful singer no doubt. I saw him playing live in Athens a couple of weeks ago ...he has played in Greece several times since 1981 and i haven't missed him once ! He still sounds just as great !

[drwugong]

I mean, seriously. Amazing.

[teakata]

otra joya del youtube...

[GardenOfStone77]

BEAUTIFUL SONG

[chenierzmarcgmail]

锣鼓听声，说话听音。

小题大做，庸人自扰。

[palteonato]

Best of the best Prog Ecletic Rock SOngs!

[FlyingJunk]

I shudder to think how many bands like this were NOT discovered by Tony Stratton-Smith and never got a recoding contract.

[FARFALLONEBICCHIERE]

I loove Van Der Fraaf...

[RINLEW]

I read elsewhere that at 3:50 the saxophones tend to reproduce the warning horns of two ships in a colision course in front of the lighthouse. At 4:38 the drums emulate the crash. This effect is better felt in the studio version on Pawn Hearts.

[umpsumps]

listen to echoes! PF

[wigmeistergeneral]

i strongly recommend you to google Wilf Turnbull.. He writes unintentionally funny letters to pop stars and wrote to Hammill about this song AND HE REPLIED. It's hysterical

[TheNakedSun]

every time i see this (which is really often) i am wondering where to get the whole video... anyone ideas? id be greatfull if you'd message me...

[styx49]

You can find it on a DVD called "The Live Broadcast".

[HawkRock50]

@ the Naked Sun,I just returned the DVD to Netfilx the other night.

[TrevRockOne]

It's on the Godbluff Live DVD.

[bigbadberlin]

Unable to express where I was when I listened to this about 15 years ago. Great psychedelic sound, very colorful. Does anyone know the inside-picture of the Pawn Hearts-Album, where this song is on? Really weird...! Thanx for posting this video.

[EyMeng]

I wish they recorded things analog with this gear. Listen to that snare sound.  Of course most credit goes to the members of VDGG

[davidsanful]

Reminder: Watch the 4 parts of this GEM for the perfect whole!

They form one of the greatest/best musical pyrotechnics ever made!!!

This is the best Christmas present I can give you.

Five fire ball stars******. Amazing!!!

[mauricemorning]

Could there be a greater music video? One of my top ten favorite songs. This live performance lacks nothing. Thanks for the vid.

[tatactic]

This voice coming from the deepest place of the Human been!, sounds like an echo of a light!

Robert, you're one of my favorites.

[TheGm66]

brilliant band experimenting with sound very pyschedelic and sinister

[jstock2317]

awe inspiring

[mamlasu]

Interesting music and good singer. How old is this video? (looks really old)

[vivafra87]

early 70s I think

[erwinblonk]

And while other bands in the genre made a serious dent in their budget for a lightshow, Van Der Graaf Generator has one I could pay from the change in my wallet. They had but their music.

@Alex. I love Genesis with Gabriel, bought several albums. VDGG however, stands out in (or even outside) prog rock. Surely you hear the vast difference in style between Pink Floyd, Genesis etc and VDGG. If you have Gabriel solo, check the album notes, you might find a P. Hammill noted as a background singer.

[mobyboy]

brilliant and professional

[bruckner66]

Alex, yes we have all heard Genesis with Peter Gabriel and he is great.

[Disestabulistic]

Hugh Banton's hand at 5:10 is a pale sightless sea creature crawling slowly through the depths.

[oxfordbiker]

Cool.

[JUMBAGO]

They're so cool and creepy! Thanks so much for uploading this performance. It sucks me in and pushes me away at the same time, I'm so unsettled by it. Incredible.

[ranXerox09]

fucking amazing

[AlexTheGood1]

i am also fan of genesis and agry whit you.these groups staps our generation,as they make us,to discovery our soul.i always be gracefull to them

[SephynnXx]

I just bought the album this song was released from and the album is killer. I loved every track. They are the darkest and strangest prog band ever....

[767fife]

King Crimson can also be pretty dark, buts that is why i love both these bands. the more serious aspect of prog rock

[obiwanceleri]

WOW this video version is just ... sublime ...

Although I'm not sure about that police uniform :)

[Snitsie]

Does anyone know if this performance appears on some live album/bootleg from VDGG and what one?

[LiteracyLabyrinth]

Best prog song ever!

[Ziraffo]

anyone know what keyboard peter hamill is playing on in the video?

[myworms]

I believe that it is a Wurlitzer electric piano, but I'm no expert.

[barnbarnbarnett]

Its a Hohner Pianet N. Its a crude electric piano experiment from before the clavinets.

[miQaeLryshah]

damn it... shit... hate this song...lagu bodoh betol

[diegokobe]

dont forget syd barrett

[ppihan]

you've made a great selection!

[TheMitzjob]

Peter Hammil has been called by NME as one of the premiere songwriters of the late 20th century...why argue...

[spikerooney011]

nothing to argue about, it was a hallowed list which included Paddy McAloon, Kirsty MacColl (RIP), Paul McCartney, and Declan McManus. But the king or queen of the 21st Century has to be Rufus McWainwright.

[peteONspeed]

wow i guess this is the best band in the history of music

[scapista]

huge boner. hugggggee!

[krome50]

Still amazing to see what those guys could make with basic analog technology.

[questforbooze]

just seen them at the opera house in toronto.......they kicked ass!!

[BeerIdol]

what is this song about?

[MisterSfigatedMusico]

The whole Pawn Hearts album is about schizophrenia

[henkcroes]

I walk this earth and this music is part of my past and present. Pawn Hearts, influenced a lot of my friends, however they did'nt understand it at first...later on they become hugh fans!

[panklucznik]

a masterpiece

[MandrakeMoorglade]

These guys kept it real, never sold out. Peter Hamill can still reach the notes in concert too. Genesis may have made it big in the 80s with their hit singles, but they lost a lot of their prog cred. VDGG is still putting out prog albums and touring.

[PippoBlues93]

Genesis where born before the 80s!!!!

In the 80s they weren't big at all, they didn't have Peter Gabriel!!!

[AlexTheGood1]

you have not hear genesis with peter gabriel

[Pectiniculus]

oh, this is gorgeous

[ste7ind]

when I first heard Supper´s Ready by Genesis a few years ago, i thought I would never find anything just as interesting as that song. But now I realise this song may be as good or even better!

[kingcrimson234]

i dunno about better.. different. hard to compare.

[ste7ind]

agreed!

[cosmojairzinho14]

agree it s different maybe vdgg music goes deeper in the free jazz baroque and experimental area that gives you this fabulous feeling of " chaos through the universe" "picture lighthouse", the last section of "lemmings"

"boat of millions years" are good examples

[clarkyt1956]

This makes me want to be transported back in time to a place where discovering new music was so good and I was a handsome young man, Not the old man I see in the mirror now!

[MrBassmanbongo]

@clarkyt1956 Oh come on, dont feel so sorry for yourself, youve still got a pulse !

[clarkyt1956]

@MrBassmanbongo Thanx for the comment, yes I do have a pulse and I do enjoy life and a lot of modern music too, but today`s music doesn`t have the same magic that the prog rock of the late sixties / early seventies had. I think I have a point cos my 2 sons, both in their 20`s, love a lot of the old stuff too Both say they would like to have been around then! All the best, and good listening.

[simonalamona345]

@clarkyt1956 Godspeed

[ZurDruid]

@clarkyt1956 past its remembered in present !!! its a construction

[thesubstitutes01]

@clarkyt1956 At least you were there at this time. I was born in '92 and i only wish i was there when the albums Pawn Hearts, Close to the edge, In the court of the crimson king... came out

[blaumausfrau]

@thesubstitutes01 hey now you have Lady Gaga and Justin Beeber. Don't you think things have improved? blgareged mombo posteereieus molecular moggogooooo..dlsere

[jeanlucchapelon]

@thesubstitutes01

the most important is to appreciate those super bands(ELP YES GENESIS VAN DERGRAAF KING CRIMSON GENTLE GIANT RENAISSANCE CARAVAN ETC...)

[TheTwilightalehouse]

@clarkyt1956 At least you had chance to hear quality,,,,,,,,,,and recognise it

[jamalam17z7]

Is hammil reading a page from the pawn hearts album with the lyrics?

[AFX09]

Calling VDGG pretentious is a little like saying Shakespeare was illiterate, don't let the troll get to you ... Great performance ^^

[nickdryad]

@AFX09 VDGG and PH are geniuses. as the saying goes, Talent does what it can, genius does what it must.

Amazing to see this video. You are right

[davidsanful]

That's not necessary man! hahahaha, music is the best drug!!! It makes you reach other dimensions in itself hahaha!!!

Five fire ball stars******. Amazing!!!

[JackBlair2]

@davidsanful Lame

[LMA0NAISE]

@JackBlair2 Because your comment was so much better.

[RaulGordonG]

@davidsanful so many "hahaha"... are you stupid?

[SephynnXx]

This band makes me want to take drugs...

That is what good music does to you, it makes you want to reach into other areas of the human mind. A nice bowl of green and a great prog rock album helps you relax and reflect on creativity, your past, your future, and life all around....

[Robusto103]

And what about Mike Giles?

[MikeAdupont]

lol 40 you say? thats great! sounds very interesting btw, would love to hear it somehow. ;)

[MikeAdupont]

absolutely my favorite. I just cannot believe how well this sits with my ears!

[Slntpsych]

The sad thing is that i really can't tell if you're joking.

[davidsanful]

PLEASE!!! Watch the 4 parts of this GEM for the perfect whole! They form one of the greatest/best musical pyrotechnics ever made!!!!!!!

Five fire ball stars******. Amazing!!!

[56aviatordude]

i love that drummer

[Kelt1c71]

This brilliant piece ( VDGG's finest track ) inspired Genesis to compose Supper's Ready.

love it !

[MikeAdupont]

it would inspire me too! I think this may be my favorit prog. song, which is a very bold thing to say. I also really like Godbluff.

[Gazella7]

Love the song,thanks for sharing video.Peace and unconditional love..

[VDGG94ki]

At 5:07 Banton slows down his tape echo slightly to get this amazing chorus effect. I fucking love that moment.

[ste8ind]

People who even mention Spinal Tap on this thread, do not deserve to experience the genius of this clip. It is just insulting!(hope it was meant to be a joke :S)

[HD41117]

Oh look, a troll.

[Tommygun1028]

This is not going to be popular here but they sure sound like Spinal Tap, especially during the Stonehenge sequence

[VDGG94ki]

Rubbish. Get back to what you do best. Defrauding. Flogging Genesis material you don't have the rights to for disproportionately large ammounts of money. There is a reason you lost your first youtube account sucker, because it is a thinly veiled ruse for flogging illegal Genesis material.

[Tommygun1028]

actually no, it was because of a 3rd time uploading a video that a 3rd party claimed infringement. It was "Whiter Shade of Pale" by Procol Harum. The other 2 were a Black Sabbath video and Genesis Midnight Special -which they don't own. As for your other claim, don't get yourself in a tizzy - I practically introduced the world to 70s Genesis on youtube back in 2005 - a free advertising of that era if you will. They are doing very well in that dept. thank you.

[alden21]

What a fucking wanker egomaniac this tommygun1028 joker is. You introduced Genesis to youtube? My ass! Next you're going to claim nobody knew Genesis in North America before you introduced them. Fucking geek, get a life loser.

[VDGG94ki]

They don't make a penny, same with your Sabbath video. I've dealt with you before regarding the Sabbath video, and you were full of your own self importance because you got your thumb out your ass and remaster a betamax tape you made of the Sabbath broadcast. You don't own the master tapes for either show, you merely flog stuff you don't own the full rights to.

[peterhamilrules]

are you kidding me these guys are pure genius. spinal tap is a joke.

-peace

[thirdbardo67]

still years ahead of their time!

[KingCrimson12]

Fantastic quality! Rare to see such a complicated song being performed perfectly.

[FlavioPremoli]

fantastico! ma dove li trovi questi video rarissimi? the plague c'era già ma il video era di una qualità scarsissima, niente in confronto a questo

[maxpippobianca]

bel video, davvero. ma tu sei davvero flavio premoli?

[carolufc]

Oh, God. This is so fuck great. One of the best sings of this band. For now is just I can say.