Van Der Graaf Generator - Theme one

[coaxarind]

Why has this band done so well in Italy?

[theSavageHippie]

@coaxarind in Italy they loved prog. That's why I guess.

[nervouscoffe]

THEY SUCKS SORRY GUYS

[Shadegat3]

Age 10 when i heard these and by 15 i had all their albums. That was when all my peers was listening to duran duran and other 80s pop :) Yes, i was a spaced out kid.

[zeppelinzen1]

eccezionali!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!!!

[theSavageHippie]

Guy Evans is awesome.. these drums reminds me of how Bill Ward plays. Shit, I love Van Der Graaf Generator.

[MrsThistimearound]

B R I L L I A N T

[IronEd636]

Don't let someone tell you what to listen this is good music !!!

[dpasoxaka]

aguante el guichi

[Wanderlustus]

Thanks for this wonderful post.

[vandergraaf78]

Guy Evans sounds like a thunder!

[homeworldmusic]

didn't pick up on what a kick-ass drummer he was off the early LPs, this vid really shows him off

[sinaiisisrael]

@luigibaselice c'ero anch'io! In anni successivi Peter Hammil tenne anche alcuni concerti "solo" al Teatro Bracco.

[sinaiisisrael]

I'm almost 55 and I too saw them in the early 70' in concert..unforgettable! Still now their sound is powerful and up of date

[potatoepeter1]

who is this drummer?? he he he

[Yeahnoa]

@potatoepeter1 The drummer is Guy Evans. Fantastic drummer...for a fantastic band !

[LaserStorm1000]

Its like on all there Cd's they don't put crappy bonus tracks but they do a good job on that, it like they want the whole Cd to be great :D

[TheOissin]

I was going to post "Hugh Banton is God", but then remembered the rest of the band...HOW CAN THEY ALL BE GOD?

[Nielsx1]

kanker

[vivagab]

@luigibaselice io ho suonato con lui! cerca orchestra scuola media alberto pio

[FlameChains]

I'm seeing them live next wednesday :D

[WouterVoogsgeerd]

@FlameChains

TIVOLLIIIII?

[FlameChains]

@WouterVoogsgeerd Jazeker ;)

[BigNoseMusic]

@FlameChains

fijne avond vandaag!

[alicisca]

il sax è da brividi, van der graaf mitici.

[baltefan]

It remainds me one Camel melody!

[afigest]

so many memories... at the ripe of age of (1)48, it brings tears ti the eyes...

[bndrpz]

nice !

[lukyluc64]

Mitica, pezzo veramente intramontabile. Purtroppo non ci sono più i gruppi rock di questo livello.

[dequadix]

E' una constatazione... è che oggi si vuole avere tutto e subito... si sperimenta poco e soprattutto si studia poco e male: pochi hanno i calli sulle dita come questi ragazzi di 40 anni fa. Oggi ci sono altri "ideali" e altri frutti. Ce lo meritiamo? Mah...

[LinuxManUK]

'Friday Rock Show ' with Tommy Vance. happy Daze as a kid. LOL

[ozzymandi]

@LinuxManUK

Happy Daze indeed.

I am also old enough to remember Alan Freemans Saturday Show.

This radio show introduced me to the delights of progressive rock and other delights outside commercial pop music.

If you would like to listen to some interesting music try searching" Prog rock radio" in Google.

[gabrielepugliesi]

i saw David Jackson playing several times during these last years in italy, he plays with an italian important prog band of the '70, the Osanna, and he (really they all) play with the same energy and soul of this video...on the stage he has also the same hat!! great and powerful.

[oponent87]

i want see him to at concert fattwat1, but this is not pasible, awesome, peace!!

[Yeahnoa]

One of the best band ever, in my top 10 ! Maybe top 5 !....top 3 !!!

[bobsmith652]

Ah, the FRS theme!

[ZeroFiftyFour]

Ooneek Stayl!

[Videodeathtyl]

Crazy Bastards. Very good music.

[cavefaxis]

@Videodeathtyl Genial...das ist Musik jawoll...danke für´s zukommen lassen Clive :-)

[MrMLD72MLD]

@Videodeathtyl ♥

[geinikan1kan]

A fine piece of music, with a tip of the hat to Zappa's Hot Rats.

[rjinblack1970]

Holy Good F*ck!!!

[himtroy]

Just throwing it out there, people keep saying "is this similar to......". For those who don't know, it's a remake of the BBC America Theme. "Theme One"

[profbarkingmad]

The only ones that truly gave themselves to the acid meditation...

[HazugmondoBorasz]

is it me, or it sort of sounds like the Tetris theme?

is it supposed to be a cover of that?

[palteonato]

BEautiful

[Arnechk]

Stoned to hell and back, win. :D

[jannnnizz]

lady gaga me fai na pippa

[taxman1146]

DAVID JACKSON!

[xonix2002]

Who agrees from about 2:30 onwards, for a bit it sounds like the Team Rocket hideout music off Pokemon?

[worldbuddy]

That backbeat gives me a heartattack

[ksjoyjespeace]

@WetCementTM GUY,HERE!, IS THE INSPIRATION FOR"ANIMAL" MUPPETS DRUMMER-MADCAT!!!?

[markowe]

Reminds me mostly of the Friday Rock Show, bah, those were the days. Different version, mind.

[Feroce]

This song is so damn familiar....

[eurekabach]

Only for those who know what i'm talking about:

-Isn't this theme similar to ELP's Aquatarkus?

-For some reason, I it reminds me of some Chrono Trigger (for the NES) songs

[EelChupacabra]

@eurekabach As soon as I've heard this song for the first time, I've got that strange feeling, that it feminds me of something. I didn't know what exacly until I've read your comment about Chrono Trigger! And I must agree with you. This song shares really similiar atmosphere with some Chrono Trigger melodies. ;))

[CnuDeireoil]

Powerful version - Guy's drumming just drives this song! I can listen to these drum fills all day, just amazing!!! :D

[RabidBearpig]

I wish they balanced the volume of the guitar and the sax a little bit better. Regardless, one of my favorite songs of all time.

[zeliggilez]

E' molto bello perche' e 'rigorosamente dell'epoca in cui e' stato concepito.

[niceluc]

guy evans is the best drummer ever,and i'm not a drummer!

[MrLuciferSam]

look at the state of those hippies! LOL

[cheekymonkey1979]

I LOVE this band. There's not many bands that can be loved like VDGG. Thumbs up to all fans: you are all very genial people!

[bikkieburp]

kissssssssssssssss

[MEPG75]

es la primera cancion instrumental que escucho de esta banda, por cierto muy buena

[fattwat1]

i saw them twice in very early 70s

in very small halls in newport south wales

had a drink with them in a pup just accross the road from the venue

they were great people and a great band live you lot dont know what you missed

i am now 55 years old and still love this kind of music

[Zandico1314]

puta que sonido neta la mera onda yeah uyuyuyuyu

[chikerialost]

Fantastic, powerful version!!! Despite of not having guitar arranges, this piece is louder than many metal songs!! Really intense!!!

Steve Jackson os the sax player. Unfortunely, Van Der Graaf was forgot during golden years of prog rock. Sad, cos' they are fantastic!! Peter Hamill is a ginius!!! Guy Evans is incredible and Hugh Banton is a virtuoso!!!

[ksjoyjespeace]

@chikerialost DAVE

[chikerialost]

@chikerialost I´m sorry for my mistake. DAVE JACKSON!

[carmine6786]

@chikerialost Steve jackson??? who is ???? u are meaning david jackson i hope

[paolippe]

Quel verme di Albano ha copiato questo brano per la sua canzone del festival di Sanremo: Amanda. Provare x Credere

[nicdafis]

@chikerialost David Jackson, not Steve Jackson.

[evolgar]

@chikerialost david jackson, please

[gtristdan]

Yeah!..... that was excelent

[1963Pure]

Great underated band, the sax player was awsome.

[gtr1359]

GUY EVANS! JAXON! HUGH! Is Peter havin a fag here? This song is available on the 2005 remaster of the cd along with other goodies. How many bands are as amazing and interesting as this?

[bongmail]

after watching this for the 1st time all I can say is... HOLY FUCK.

THAT.

WAS.

FAMAZING.

[MeinErsterFilm]

it becames a real masterpeace at 2:20

[MeinErsterFilm]

what a unique performance!

[gtr1359]

right on

[shashi2005]

This was written by Beatles producer George Martin

[pope00]

Kurt cobain is playing the durms! HAHAHA

[NJCHipHop]

the main guy resembles Weird Al, kinda freaky heh

[Tioriky]

this song is not included in pawn hearts

[BassLudeman]

its is included on some versions of the album

[indigoblue555]

@Tioriky- I owned a solo on 45 .

I never listened to it on LP if memory serves...

[seb2112]

Anyone know where I could download this song in MP3 my version of PAWN HEARTS does not include it

[seb2112]

is this song on any album?

[Jam2morrow]

Ignore the video, close you eyes and this is as fresh and musically innovative today as if it had been crafted this year. Truly timeless.....like Gong.

[DrHeckill]

♥

[Abc78mj]

great !!!!

[BertrandMariette]

Wow!

[EMILIANOHHHH]

expectacular!

[damiatron]

.atirovaf adnab im sojel ,onamreh ajar al se aew atsE

[worldbuddy]

1:43 he looks like he's riding the legendary battlesax

[SRXcar]

jebote kako prze... :)

[hwkwnd99]

yes is does look like clive barker, but he never got a long solo. i sorta like the fact that there is no guitar, though robert is a god.

oh NEVER update your windows player, it just makes listening to things i already own unplayable. i bought the album, i bought the cd, and now i need your permission to play or listen to this song

[stopglobalswarming]

re: never update windows player

Microsoft has more bugs than Hells Kitchen

[hwkwnd99]

look this is afrench studio "live" take of VDGG, and is full of nuggets of descent. there are like 5 in the series, and a couple of times you can see hugh banton take over hammill's keyboard work because he is not with it, and gets pissed. takes a time off ;"i am okay now, but dave jackson has to end the show. watch him wave his hand before the end. someone has to be in charge when the boss is out there on alcohol and pills

[nomoreflanders]

nothing special..

is a very noise :S

[vertjaars]

*Checks windows media player*

6 play counts? That's all?

[felixgangi]

Remember: studio version, Robert Fripp plays guitar!

[MeinErsterFilm]

absolute WOW at 2:20

[Massecc]

Really good times!!!

[CajovaKonvica]

to s Vama porád miluje.. to je konec....

[nitrous22ss]

George Martin, the Beatles' producer (and VDGG's at this time), is the composer of "Theme One."

[nitrous22ss]

Bravo! VDGG lives on!

[TheMancida]

Immensi

Grazie

[juanOG213]

bullshit

[J3yeJ3ye]

Who's bullshitting?

[smrdljivecorapice]

what a drummer!nice work guy!

[NixonMcvicar]

Oh FUCK this rocks! Nice one !

[ariacurva]

Mitici!

[CajovaKonvica]

furt dokola...

LISKAT šeckých muzikantú.. prekocit.. zneužit!

[stonebeam1]

Blinding vid, full respect to 'hagai666' for it, odd PH wasn't there to add some affected guitar. Memories of the Friday Rock Show BBC R1 (275 and 285) come flooding back. Will always be a fan

[spikerooney011]

Mel Collins, meet your equal. Great stuff.

[Marcusvdgg71]

VDGG will play at nearfest 2009 in PA.....I'LL BE THERE..!!!!!

[claudioxl95]

O.O wow!!!

[colrockandroll]

q grandiosa banda es esta no la habia escuchado pero esta cancion me gusta mucho

[MeinErsterFilm]

just before the sax begins to piss you off, at 2:20 the song becomes a real breath taker.

[jaroussky1]

Now that is a truly complicated and polyphonical music!!! This is a true prog band, all others are bluffs.

[goingfortheone1]

Oh come on. Take a listen to ELP or Gentle Giant and tell me they are bluff...

[kotep777]

drummer is mind blowin

[loekie64]

The famous song without PH... Bass is somewhat missing. HB did most of the stuff on bass pedals here, but you have to have the skills of a profi church-organ player to do it. On "Godbluff" and "World Record" HB played a significant part on bass-guitar in the studio.

[BassLudeman]

where's the bassist???

[SAHBfan]

Nic Potter played bass live, but was only in the group during 1970 and again in 1977 and 78. The rest of the time they had no bass player :-o

I believe Hugh Banton did most of the bass work with his feet on organ pedals.

On the albums Banton would sometimes play bass and various other musicians guested on guitar, bass and other instruments including Nic Potter and Robert Fripp from King Crimson.

I think they are great, real originals, shame this vid is not such good quality :-(

[BassLudeman]

its a shame they had not full-time bassist most of the time. It would have done them good to get one. oh well. Davis Jackson's awesomeness makes up for it!

[uglatto138]

Away the drummer from Voivod was a big fan of this band thats how i got turned on to them ,i think they influenced their sound allot from what i have heard so far they are have a pretty unique sound anyone recommend an awesome song by them???

[SavimbiUNITA]

VDGG were a brilliant, brilliant band. Deep, thought provoking lyrics combined with a maniacal style of playing. The guitar was not the major instrument of the band, in fact Hammill's voice was an instrument itself. I own all their albums, cds, dvds. They were so much better than the rest.

[cree8vision]

The sound is horrible even for youtube. I have a best of CD with this song on it.

[billdasmacks]

You should check out the cover by Cozy Powell

[Awwa1]

Very nice! Reminds me a little of King Crimson, in the jazziness of it. The drummer is mad crazy good, looking all Kurt Cobainish! What is apparent to anyone familiar with the era of this session, is that most everything is analog, and, or actually being played! That is, as opposed to a lot of the digital sampling that goes on today. I miss that analog sound in a lot of today's music! And it really speaks volumes to their musicianship! Good stuff! Thanks for posting it!

\A/

[aragorn224]

1:21 is so King Crimsoned.

[quorthon1940]

erent level!!!!

[quorthon1940]

u cannot compare deep purple with these musical genious minds....so simple....they were in a diff

[birria5]

reminds me of deep purple

with a little more spunk!

and a hint of the mash theme also

and some psychadelia

maybe some Doors

[ppihan]

Is this song based on some previous melody, some classic stuff? 'coz the melody at 1:34 seems to be familiar to me but i just "cant" remember...or maybe iam completely wrong!

[progrock92]

It does remind me of something too, but i'm not quite sure.. But anyways ,, great song!!

[frank127m]

The original version by George Martin used to be the theme music for Radio One.

[OriTheEep]

National Health's Collapso bears more than a passing resemblance but that was from much later.

[ksjoyjespeace]

@OriTheEep YOU NOTICED THAT TOO,EH?!!!I THOUGHT I WAS FREAKING OUT!! OBV. GEORGE MARTIN'S CAME 1ST!!

[BassLudeman]

playing to saxes at once...insane.

[Bustio82]

great piece of music...thanks from italy!

[MoparMuscle440]

Yes, Pawn Hearts. Theme One is on the U.S. copy of Pawn Hearts. It is a different version than what we're seeing here....

[trovador134]

¡que pedazo de banda!

pero... esta es una versión diferente a la que tengo yo... la de estudio es mucho mejor

¡Viva el rock progresivo!

[danielayalamusica]

excelente! yo los conoci por este tema.

Musicos del carajo...

[basetunmay123]

great band

[stevefwhite]

I remember seeing them do this in the 60s. Just took me 40 years to find it again. What a blast!!

[ppihan]

and im 22 and just discovered them, and yes, what a blast!

[perdedores21]

first speed metal!

[tubzeeee]

Has anyone got the George Martin version of this? I certainly would like to hear it again, I've not heard it since before radio2 went 24 hours, where they used it just before the news at 0500hrs.

[ELACELERADOR22]

ESTA SERA LA CANCION DE LA BANDA DEL CLUB FERRO CARRIL OESTE (ARGENTINA) I love VDGG...

[mujozen]

Great music! Where can I find this song (album title)? Thanks

[kalz55]

bravissimi

[sparksrule]

Does anyone know how to play the main theme of this on the sax please?

[sparksrule]

Am I right in thinking there's an 18 minute version of this around? Or is that a myth?

[hancollin]

haha, the end is along the lines of schizoid man

[MoparMuscle440]

Very close...good call!

[MoparMuscle440]

I need to roughly quote a post I saw complementing this video which said something along the lines of "I never knew such creativity existed....these guys had spine". Indeed.

[wigginsdesign]

sometimes I can't believe that this was the music I listened to at 14 (1970 along with Zappa Yes, Funkadelic, Miles Davis, Gentle Giant, Zep etc...No wonder myy mom thought I was nuts. What a agreat time to be a creative thinking impressionable teen. Jeez music in those days was incredible. A magical time in deed

[malctay]

"Theme One" was used as the theme to John Peel's "Sounds of the Seventies" at 10PM on BBC Radio One in 1971/2/3, a programme that shaped my fledgling musical tastes. On the B Side of the single (7" 45rpm) version was a track called "W". The single cover had the band in almost Hitler-salute poses, under a purple tint - most strange. But WHAT a great band!

[auldgrey]

Aahh, whatever happened to ingenuity. That's like a breath of fresh air, even after all thes eyears.

[pininfrna]

Very nice. In many ways this is different from the bulk of VDGG's material but it definitely showcases their ablities as a band. I prefer Hammill's songs, because after all that's what VDGG is. What a brilliant rock band this is, that will doubtless be all but lost as a footnote in music's history.

[indigoblue555]

Owned it on 45 - much better rendition=

[joesharland]

they do have two authorised dvds out.check out sofa sound.its peter hammills web site.

[VantiveMan]

VDGG are to the late 60s/70s what Radiohead are post-millenium, inventive, out there, brilliant musicians, always different superb performers VDGG were/are my fave Prog-rock band, when was 17/18 hardly anyone had heard of them, a real shame. At least thru this great medium, more people can now witness true greatness..always more popular in italy than UK must be that Opera loving stuff...do I see threatning clouds approaching?

[moonmum]

I've been looking for visual of this incredible band for years. . . amazing, awesome Bambi

[crammud]

"Theme One" was composed by none other than George Martin, the Beatles' producer. Guy Evans is an awesome drummer.

[PeppinoTheBrave]

Bravo!!!

[brophildotNET]

Yes, they do rock..,not to mention this my favorite. Any group that names themselves after a multimillion volt "rub your tennisshoes on the carpet" machine must be heard!!!

[vinylstellen]

Whilst this is great, you really should try and hear the original George Martin's (yes, the producer) version. It surpasses this easily. The original is one extraordinary piece of music.

[jkoalj]

At last! I have been searching for this band before here on youtube without finding anything. The drummer reminds me of Barlow in Jethro Tull.

[slyfoxxktown]

whatever would Robert have said???

the least we can do is wave to eachother...

[rmbazley]

Fantastic. First band I ever saw and probably the loudest!