2003 Updates - Memories of Van der Graaf Generator and Peter Hammill

Site History

1998 & 1999 Updates 2000 & 2001 Updates 2002 Updates 2004 Updates 2005 Updates 2006 Updates 2007 Updates
28/12/03	Thanks to Sean Tassé for scans of his Long Hello LP and cassette, added to the Long Hello page.
23/12/03	Thanks to Ian for an advert for Nadir's Big Chance - "Your only chance to hear a little punk rock from The Master".
20/12/03	Jaxon has a new CD out. More details on the Where They Are Now page. Also added an interview with Peter Hammill that took place in Derby early in November 1975 which appeared in Liquorice in early 1976, entitled Verbal Chess with Dr. Hammill. It's not entirely factually correct but interesting as it seems Dr. Hammill wasn't in a co-operative mood (Pilgrims archive material).
14/12/03	It was 32 years ago today that VdGG, with Chris Judge Smith, recorded "An Epidemic of Father Christmases" at the BBC. On this anniversary I am pleased to be able to show you the lyrics, hand-written by Judge himself. These are also added to the Live List (thanks to Ian for the scan).
12/12/03	Peter Hammill has said in his latest newsletter (at www.sofasound.com) that he suffered a heart attack on the 6th December 2003 whilst in Henley. He is now out of hospital and we wish him a speedy recovery. As most of you will know by now, David Jackson has collaborated on an album called "The Music That Died Alone". Appropriate links can be found on the Where They Are Now page.
07/12/03	Thanks to Jim Christopulos for this piece that appeared in Sounds, week ending 19th December 1970, entitled The Mechanics of Van der Graaf.
06/12/03	Thanks to Herman P for scans of his tape version of Repeat Performance. The tape contained an extra track and appears to be quite rare. Also thanks to Sean Tassé for a Bournemouth Winter Gardens ticket (13 Feb 71), added to the Live List.
03/12/03	02 FEB 73 England, Coventry, Lanchester Polytechnic - added an advert for this one to the Live List. Forthcoming VdGG book mentioned in December's Record Collector.
30/11/03	Since I posted the letter mentioning "Over My Shoulder", Ian has sent me a scan of an Over label with the title "Over My Shoulder"! This was a French release and he says that the album title (on the cover) is "Over". So I wonder what happened there... You can see the scan on the Over page. Ian has also advised me of a few additions to the Live List: 02 FEB 73 England, Coventry, Lanchester Polytechnic ?? 1973 England, Wilmslow Grammar School 06 NOV 73 France, Lille 06 APR 74 England, Kingston ?? 1974 England, Oundle School 03 JUN 74, Switzerland, Berne (Any further info on these gigs or others would be more than welcome)
28/11/03	Thanks to Tim Locke for a letter from Charisma (on very snazzy notepaper) that indicates a different name for the album, Over.
25/11/03	Thanks to Ian L for a listing in the MM of the PH gig in Leeds on 22nd June 1973, added to the Live List.
24/11/03	Thanks to Diego Zanti for some pictures of the band playing in Suno (Novara), Italy, on May 31st 1972, added to the Live List.
22/11/03	Added the piece about the Lost Demo Tape that appeared in Record Collector (September 2003) to the Where are they now? page.
18/11/03	Thanks to Jean-Marie Saunier for some pictures of Peter Hammill at the Reading Festival, in August 1976, also accessible from the Live List.
16/11/03	Thanks to Sean Tassé for some pictures of VdGG playing in Montreal, Canada, on Oct 9th 1976, also added to the Live List. Thanks also to Claude who took the pictures with his father's camera, at the age of 16.
19/10/03	Thanks to Ilan Segal for further artefacts related to the May 1970 Plumpton Fest, added to the Live List.
17/10/03	On December 6th 1976 VdGG played at the Mutualité in Paris and earlier that day they were interviewed for Atem magazine. I've put together a page which includes the interview (in French) and some pictures from the interview and the show. Thanks to Jean-Marie Saunier and Adrian Haegele for the material. The page is also accessible from the Live List.
15/10/03	Added some pictures of VdGG playing in Arles, France on August 6th 1976 to the Live List, courtesy of Jean-Marie Saunier... ...and some pictures of VdGG playing in Bracknell on 20th September 1975 to the Live List, courtesy of Adrian Haegele.
12/10/03	Added a couple of pictures of VdGG playing in Birmingham on May 6th 1976 to the Live List, courtesy of Nick Flynn.
09/10/03	Added a few pictures of Judge Smith and the Young Offenders playing at the Vortex in London to the Where are they now? page.
28/9/03	Thanks to Francis Tamarit for a couple of pictures of VdG playing in Geneva on the 26th November 1977, added to the Live List. Also to Sean Tassé for scans of his H to He Japanese promo, a photo of the Beacon Theatre, circa 18th October 1976, and scans of his Vision test pressing.
26/9/03	For those likely to be near Turin, Italy next month, check out Paul Whitehead's retrospective exhibition. More info on the Where are they now? page.
21/9/03	Thanks to Alan Terrill for allowing me to reproduce his great review of the Union Chapel Concert.
17/9/03	Thanks once again to Sean Tassé for a scan of his Scheesel ticket from September 1977, added to the Live List, and a scan of his An Introduction - From The Least To The Quite Room CD.
12/9/03	Thanks again to Sean Tassé for scans of two items from the Japanese magazine Music Life, to be found on the 1975 and 1976 Pictures page (at the bottom). Also for scans of the Buddah Records release of Pawn Hearts and the Cat's Eye single.
10/9/03	Thanks to Sean Tassé for scans of his Dutch Vertigo Aerosol Grey Machine.

06/9/03	Thanks again to Jean-Marie Saunier for two further pictures of Peter Hammill playing with VdGG at the Bataclan Theatre in Paris, 18th March 1972, added to the Live List.
05/9/03	Thanks to Willi Rupp for some pictures of Peter Hammill taken in St Gallen on 16th November 1973, added to the Live List. Also a provisional setlist. Thanks also to Jean-Marie Saunier for this fantastic picture of the band playing at the Bataclan Theatre in Paris, 18th March 1972, added to the Live List.
04/9/03	Added a picture taken at Peter Gabriel's wedding featuring Tony Stratton-Smith and Gail Colson.
23/8/03	Thanks to Herman Permentier for a scan of his Afterwards/Necromancer single, to be found on the Aerosol Grey Machine page. I'm glad to have these scans because I was beginning to wonder if this single really was released. It's very rare. Now all we need is the release date for it, and for The Aerosol Grey Machine itself (USA Mercury release). Any ideas to Phil@VanderGraafGenerator.co.uk. Herman also provided better scans of the Afterwards/Necromancer promo and the AGM Mercury promo, along with a scan of his Firebrand single which has the normal hole in the centre. I also added two Italian adverts to the Live List, one for VdGG in Viareggio on the 4th August 1972 and the other for PH in Rome on the 19th January 1973, both sent in by Sean Tassé. The second concert was part of a Charisma Festival and this is the first evidence that I have seen that PH was actually there! (other adverts don't include him).
19/8/03	Thanks to Herman Permentier for a scan of his Afterwards acetate promo, to be found on the Aerosol Grey Machine page.
17/8/03	Added a scan of the Charlie and the Wide Boys EP to the Guy Evans page. (Thanks to Adrian Haegele for the scan). Thanks also to Allan Terrill for allowing me to reproduce his review of I Prophesy Disaster that originally appeared in Audion in 1994.
16/8/03	Added an interview from Feb '75 with Peter Hammill about Nadir's Big Chance by Geoff Barton in Sounds, where PH lists his alta ego's; Rodney Sofa and more... (Pilgrims Archive material).
15/8/03	Those two British institutions, Peter Hammill and Johnny Rotten together! Johnny Rotten appeared on a Capital Radio show in 1977 and listed Peter Hammill amongst his favourite artists. Read all about it here (Pilgrims Archive material).
11/8/03	Added four 1975 promo pictures from a booklet to the 1975/76 Pictures Page (Pilgrims Archive material).
10/8/03	I hadn't realised that Strat's house in Crowborough (many Charisma bands rehearsed there) where the famous Pawn Hearts picture was taken is called Luxford House. Peter Ostrowski found it recently and took some pictures which appear on his website (also linked from the Pawn Hearts page).
09/8/03	Thanks to Alan Terrill for allowing me to reproduce his review of the Aerosol Grey Machine CD issues that appeared in Audion #39 in December 1997. I also added a letter from an irate French fan following the cancellation of the Montpellier, France gig in May 1975 (Pilgrims archive material). There's also an English translation (I don't know who the translator was) and both appear on the 1975 European Tour page.
08/8/03	Added another artefact to the Caleb Bradley and The Lost Demo Tape page; an early song list (Thanks to Caleb for the image).
04/8/03	Added a review of In Camera (including interview with PH) that appeared in Melody Maker to the In Camera page. (Pilgrims Archive material).
02/8/03	Thanks to Adrian Haegele for this Charisma Promo Picture of Peter Hammill, circa 1973, added to the Peter Hammill page. Thanks also to Adrian, and Ilan Segal for more Theme One scans.
01/8/03	Hugh Banton and his wife recently visited the Trevi fountain in Rome, the setting for a picture in Ciao 2001 magazine in 1972. More details here.
29/7/03	Sean Tassé, based in Canada, has started a new Peter Hammill archive site that has lots of potential and being post '78 we won't clash! In it's infancy but check out Couch Noise.
26/7/03	Installed a Google search box on the front page. The site has become rather big (319 pages on Google) so this should make it easier for you to find stuff. Added an article about Peter Hammill that appeared in Ciao 2001 Magazine in December 1972, and an interview with PH and Hugh Banton that appeared in Music Scene in May 1973 (Thanks to Adrian Haegele for the material). So! They did play at both Plumpton's in 1970. I just came across this piece from What's On in Brighton from May 1970, added to the Live List. Also added a piece that appeared in 1979 in Dark Star to the (recently enhanced) Judge page. VdGG Sarzana, Italy, August 1975 - anyone know the actual date? Here's a picture of Peter Hammill performing there, also added to the Live List. The picture is credited to one Scatarzi Graziano. (Pilgrims Archive material). Daniel Thérien, who organised the PH solo Canadian gigs in June 1978, sent me this advert, also added to the Live List. He also sent me an article that appeared in the Ottawa Express, which I've added to the Canada/USA 1999 tour page. Thanks also to Charles Underwood who lent me this Zig Zag magazine some time ago, added to the 1975 Re-formation page. David Jackson has released a DVD of a show in Guastalla, Italy, that took place in November 2002.
21/7/03 to 26/7/03	Website down whilst moving ISP.
16/6/03	Added another early picture to the Caleb Bradley and The Lost Demo Tape page (Thanks to Caleb for the picture). Also added two further artefacts relating to the Notts County Football ground gig in May 1969 to the Live List (Thanks to Ilan Segal for the material).
15/6/03	Added an early picture to the Caleb Bradley and The Lost Demo Tape page (Thanks to Caleb for the picture). I also added a picture of Guy Evans playing in London recently to the Where are they now? page (Thanks to Sean Kelly for the picture and info).
9/6/03	Caleb Bradley and The Lost Demo Tape.
6/6/03	As you have probably already read on the front page I have digital copies of the two tracks, Firebrand and Sunshine, that the original band (Hammill, Judge, Pearne) produced as demo's in 1968. You can listen to clips on the MP3 page. There's more to this story and I'll be putting a page together shortly...
25/5/03	In February 2003 Jim Christopulos interviewed Judge Smith about the early days of VdGG. Read it here! The page also contains some rare early pictures of the band. Classic Rock Productions have also announced the release of a second VdGG DVD. See the Masters from the Vaults DVD page for a link to the website.
11/5/03	Thanks to Ian for the Marquee May 1970 and Reading 71 programmes, added to the Live List. Also updated the Pawn Hearts page with extra ads and info about the proposed double album. Also added a page for the recently released Masters from the Vaults DVD.
10/5/03	Added the Brand X 1978 Tour Programme to the The Future Now page and the Live List. Scans from the Pilgrims Archive. Thanks also to Ian for the Newcastle 31st Jan 71 and Lyceum 9th April 71 adverts, added to the Live List.
9/5/03	Added the Is This Man A Punk? article that appeared in Sounds in October 1977 to the Van der Graaf page.
5/5/03	Added the Chaos Man article that appeared in Sounds in March 1977 to the Van der Graaf page. Thanks to The Pilgrims Archive for the material.
4/5/03	Thanks to Ian Russell for another bunch of early adverts from 1969 and 1970, all added to the Live List. These are for The Lyceum (28th March 69 and 19th October 1969), The Temple (16th Jan 1970), Thomas Bennett School, Crawley (3rd April 1969 - better copy), Chez Club (6th March 1970) and Friars (24th Nov 1969 - different advert to the one we had already). Also thanks to Willi Rupp for this picture of the band in Liechtenstein, in 1976, added to the Live List. Thanks also to Steve Emery for a good picture of PH in Worcester earlier this year which I have added to the PH 2003 Tour page.
2/5/03	Thanks to Alexander Meinlschmidt for a ticket to the Arles musical extravaganza from August 1976, added to the Live List.
1/5/03	Added an Eye Witness page, with additional material from the Pilgrim's Archive. Added a VdG promo picture to the 1977-1978 Pictures page, and the NME review to The Future Now page, also a picture of Guy Evans playing in St Gallen on the 6th June 1972, to the Live List, a review by Richard Williams, a piece entitled "Fourth Generation", and one from the NME called "Sound of the Seventies" to The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other page and a couple more articles to the 1978 Split page. There are also some additional Weeley items on the VdGG live in 1971 page. (All Pilgrims material) Pilgrims also supplied me with an article about Guy Evans that appeared in the Daily Express in 1976, so I have tarted up the Guy Evans page. Thanks to Herman Permentier for allowing me to use this picture of HB and PH in Brussels on the 31st May 1975, added to the 1975 European Tour page. Thanks also to Scatarzi Graziano for use of his picture of Peter Hammill at the Space Electronic, Florence, 14th Feb 1972. I also added this picture and the poster to the Live List.
30/4/03	I've added a page about the recent Peter Hammill UK tour. Re-vamped the Nic Potter page which includes a new VdGG picture from the Pilgrims Archive, probably from one of the German festivals in 1970. Thanks to the Pilgrims Archive for several scans which have been added to the Live List; Andover, Boy's School, 20th Sep 73 Wigmore Hall, 27th Oct 73, Review Chameleon Tour advert, September 1973 Pawn Hearts Tour advert, early 1972 Silent Corner Tour advert, Feb/Mar 1974 (The links take you to that year on the Live List) Also, for a copy of a Dunhill promo label and advert for H to He.
20/2/03	No new material today but we are trying to track down the "groupies" that appeared in Ciao 2001 magazine, an Italian publication, in February 1972. You can go directly to the picture here. Email me on Phil@VanderGraafGenerator.co.uk if you have any information.
17/2/03	Added a review of the Oldenburg, Germany gig of 18th May 1971 to the Live List. Thanks to Adrian Haegele for the translation.
16/2/03	Added a scanned copy of a poster advertising the St Gallen, Switzerland gig of 26th May 1975 to the European Tour page. Chris Judge Smith on drums! Apparently Guy Evans brought this poster back from the gig and gave it to Judge. Thanks to the Pilgrims archive for the material.
14/2/03	Thanks to Ian Russell for several advert scans which have been added to the Live List; Whetstone, Black Bull, 16th Dec 68 Kings College, 17th Jan 69 Van Dike, 21st Feb 69 Nottingham Festival, 10th May 69 Eel Pie Island, 24th Jan 70 Klooks Kleek, 27th Jan 70 Lyceum, 1st Feb 70 Twickenham, 20th Jun 70 Aachen Festival, 12th Jul 70 (The links take you to that year on the Live List)
13/2/03	Thanks to Fred Tomsett for allowing me to scan some of the Pilgrims archive material which will be appearing on the site over the coming weeks. For starters I've added the advert that Hugh put in the International Times in 1968, a copy of the BBC transcription service sheets (second page) for the In Concert show recorded in September 1971, an advert for the French Pop2 recording of March 1972, and four adverts to the Live List; Friars, Aylesbury, 24th Nov 69, Exeter, 6th June 1970, Friars, 10th July 1971 and Brunel University, 25th March 1977.
8/2/03	Added an interview that appeared in Uncut magazine in January 2003 to the Where They Are Now page.
2/2/03	Added a piece by Geoff Barton that appeared in Sounds in October 1975 entitled "The Machine that Cried".
1/2/03	Added an English translation to the Canadian "Mainmise" magazine article L'Odyssee du Van der Graaf Generator that appeared in October 1976 in French. The author follows the band on their tour which took place earlier that month. It's an interesting read. Thanks to Nick for the translation. See the Canada Tours page for more related material.
30/1/03	Added three more pieces of evidence to the Live List, 17th May 1971 - Hamburg, Germany - ticket scan, 18th May 1971 - Oldenburg, Germany - poster and 20th May 1971 - Frankfurt, Germany - ticket scan. Thanks to Sean Tassé and Bernd Poch for the material. Any further information about the "New London Pop" German tour would be welcome.
29/1/03	Thanks to Tom Ripley for supplying me with and allowing me to use his interview with Peter Hammill from 2000, which originally appeared on the Virgin website as part of The Box promotion.
26/1/03	Added three pieces of evidence to the Live List, 27th April 1970 - Friars, Aylesbury, 28th Jan 1971 - St. Georges Hall, Bradford and 5th Feb 1971 - Leeds Poly. Thanks again Ian.
25/1/03	Added 41 new dates from the 1968 to 1972 period to the Live List following the mysterious appearance of a new gig list. This apparently came from one Ian Russell, a frequent contributor to Brain Damage magazine, and co-writer of a book about Pink Floyd. Thanks to various Koens and Francis for the material.
21/1/03	Added a ticket for the Kant Kino concert of 20th March 1977 to the Live List. Thanks to Alexander Meinlschmidt for the scan. This was part of a tour that the band did with Hawkwind. Also added some valuations from the Record Collector book for The Singles (up to 1978).
15/1/03	Added two Marquee adverts from 27th November 1968 (the earliest advert on the site) and 30th April 1969, and another Plumpton picture to the Live List. Thanks Ian.
14/1/03	Added a ticket from the Bangor gig of 16th May 1978, one of the bands last, to the Live List, and a picture, I believe taken in France in May 1975, to the 1975-76 pictures page. Thanks to Ian and Jamie for the material.
10/1/03	Added the Peter Hammill Classic Rock interview to the Where Are They Now? page. Thanks to Kate for the scan.
9/1/03	Thanks to Wilfried Fox for a scan of a ticket for a Van der Graaf Generator gig in Essen on 17th March 1977 and to Adrian Ogle for a couple of 1970 Romford dates, all added to the Live List. I have also added a picture of the famous "flying squirrel" guitar to the Peter Hammill's Guitars page - thanks Ian.
8/1/03	I have added a few more Canadian related artefacts, accessible via the links on the Canada Tours page, including two articles (with pictures); one that appeared in Mainmise (1976) and the other in Quebec Rock (1978). Thanks to Daniel Thérien again for the scans. I also added some backstage pictures from the Pawn Hearts Archive. - Also from Daniel came this picture of Peter Hammill playing at the RTL studio in Paris, on November 20th 1973. Note the lack of shoes. This picture has been added to the Live List. - Added quite a few new tickets and posters to the Live List, mostly courtesy of Adrian Haegele. - I have attempted to sort out the May 1975 Tour of France dates, with moderate success after it was pointed out by Daniel Thérien that they were incorrect. There is much conflicting evidence but by reference to adverts, interviews and other lists I have managed to get close. The only real doubts are whether the concerts on the 14th and 18th took place at all. - Also added a picture of the Godbluff T shirt to the Godbluff page. - I have also reproduced in its entirety, Alan Terrill's Record Collector article from July 1986. This contains record valuations from 1986 on the last page. - A bit late, but I've been away - some pictures of Judge in Lewes last November. Thanks to Sean Kelly for the pictures.