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Infinite Ceiling
Thursday November 18th, 2021 with Sean
Van der Graaf Generator Charisma Years 1/2

Some live highlights from the newly released Charisma Years box set by Van der Graaf Generator.
Van der Graaf Generator is the latest group to get the excessive box set treatment, with a 17 CD + 3 Blu-Ray box called "The Charisma Years 1970-1978". It includes all the albums from "The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other" to "Vital" in new and non-brickwalled remasters. Each album (except "Vital") gets bonus material taken from concerts, BBC Radio One appearances, alternate versions, B-sides, and so on. There are two concerts included, one from Rimini in 1975 when the band was just getting back together (interesting material including plenty of solo Hammill, bad sound quality) and one from Paris in 1976 from which only two tracks had recently been known; the closest to a VdGG holy grail live concert we'll ever get, most likely. There are also new stereo remixes of four of the albums, and the blu-rays include surround sound versions of those albums and some "video vaults" containing a Pawn Hearts-era Belgium TV appearance, and a complete Godbluff appearance.

This week we'll tour through the live material chronologically, making it as far as "Still Life". Mostly this set draws on the BBC appearances. Many of these have previously been released, but the session with Lost (and Killer) is new, and the session with W (and other Pawn Hearts material) is from newly discovered master tapes. There are also two cuts from the Paris concert for Godbluff and Still Life material.

In two weeks I'll be playing some remixed material and some more live stuff.
Infinite Ceiling Theme
David Murphy - Canadian
Darkness (11/11) (BBC Radio One "Top Gear" Session)
Van der Graaf Generator - The Charisma Years 1970-1978 - Charisma
Lost (BBC Radio One "Top Gear" Session)
Van der Graaf Generator - The Charisma Years 1970-1978 - Charisma
Man Erg (BBC Radio One "Sounds of the 70s" Session)
Van der Graaf Generator - The Charisma Years 1970-1978 - Charisma
W (BBC Radio One John Peel Concert)
Van der Graaf Generator - The Charisma Years 1970-1978 - Charisma
Scorched Earth (BBC Radio One John Peel Concert)
Van der Graaf Generator - The Charisma Years 1970-1978 - Charisma
Arrow (Live At Maison De La Mutualité Paris 6th December 1976)
Van der Graaf Generator - The Charisma Years 1970-1978 - Charisma
La Rossa (BBC Radio One John Peel Session)
Van der Graaf Generator - The Charisma Years 1970-1978 - Charisma
Childlike Faith in Childhood's End (Live At Maison De La Mutualité Paris 6th December 1976)
Van der Graaf Generator - The Charisma Years 1970-1978 - Charisma
Interactive CKCU
mk
Aaarroowww.. Nice!

9:38 PM, November 18th, 2021