Pawn Hearts [LP] by Van der Graaf Generator (Vinyl, Nov-2011, 4 Men with Beards)

$

22

Album Notes:

Pawn Hearts is the fourth album by English progressive rock band Van der Graaf Generator, released in October 1971. The album reached number 1 on Italian album charts.

Pawn Hearts was originally conceived as a double album somewhat along the lines of Pink Floyd’s album Ummagumma. The first half of this concept was the album as it came to be released, but the second half was to be divided between personal projects and live-in-studio versions of older Van der Graaf Generator songs like “Killer” and “Octopus”.

H to He, Who Am the Only One is the third album by the British progressive rock band Van der Graaf Generator. It was released in 1970.

During the recording of the album, Nic Potter quit the band. Organist Hugh Banton offered to play bass guitar on the two tracks that had not yet been finished. In concert, Banton would play bass pedals to substitute for the lack of a bassist. H to He, Who Am the Only One also featured Robert Fripp of King Crimson playing lead guitar on one track.

The album contains several references to modern physics: "H to He" in the title refers to "the fusion of hydrogen nuclei to form helium nuclei"; c in 'Pioneers over c.' refers to the speed of light.

Van der Graaf Generator are an English progressive rock band, formed in 1967 in Manchester. They were the first act signed to Charisma Records. The band achieved considerable success in Italy during the 1970s. In 2005 they embarked on a reunion, which continues to the present day.

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), and Guy Evans’ rolling, jazz-rock-like drumming. The band explored the complete range of phonaesthetics from euphony to cacophony, often within the same song. 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 sometimes blurred. In interviews, Hammill stated that even though he wrote the majority of VdGG music, its arrangements were always collective, while in the case of his solo recordings, he wrote and arranged all the compositions.

Personnel:

Hugh Banton: Hammond and Farfisa organs, piano, mellotron, ARP synthesizer, bass pedals, bass guitar, vocals

Guy Evans: drums, tympani, percussion, piano

Peter Hammill: Lead vocals, acoustic and slide guitar, electric piano, piano

David Jackson: Alto, tenor, and soprano saxophones, flute, and vocals

Guest

Robert Fripp: Electric guitar

He plays on “Man-Erg” [5:55-7:10] and “A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers” [8:10-10:20 and near the end of the song]

Track List:

All songs written by Peter Hammill, except where indicated.

Side one:

1.         Lemmings (Including Cog)   [11:37]

2.         Theme One (George Martin)   [2:55]

(Only the original US and Canadian releases contained Theme One)

3.         Man-Erg – 10:20

Side two:

4.         A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers   [23:04] including:

• Eyewitness   [2:25]
• Pictures/Lighthouse (Hugh Banton, David Jackson)   [3:10]
• Eyewitness   [0:54]
• S.H.M.   [1:57]
• Presence of the Night   [3:51]
• Kosmos Tours (Guy Evans)   [1:17]
• (Custard’s) Last Stand   [2:48]
• The Clot Thickens (Hammill, Banton, Evans , Jackson)   [2:51]
• Land’s End (Sineline)   [2:01]
• We Go Now (Jackson, Banton)   [1:51]

The Pawn Hearts LP (180 Gram Vinyl) by Van der Graaf Generator is factory-sealed new. It has never been played and has always been kept in its original packaging. The LP is not a promo or cutout. There are no marks or punches of any kind. All our CDs and vinyl are new! If you have any questions or want to see additional photos, just email us.

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