Van Der Graaf Generator – Godbluff
Tracklist
| A1 | The Undercover Man | 7:24 | |
| A2 | Scorched Earth | 9:45 | |
| B1 | Arrow | 9:45 | |
| B2 | The Sleepwalkers | 10:29 |
Companies, etc.
- Mastered At – Masterdisk
- Pressed By – Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Terre Haute
Credits
- Drums, Percussion – Guy Evans
- Engineer – Pat Moran
- Mastered By – Gilbert Kong
- Organ, Bass – Hugh Banton
- Producer – Van Der Graaf Generator
- Saxophone, Flute – David Jackson
- Vocals, Voice, Piano, Guitar – Peter Hammill
Notes
Recorded and mixed at Rockfield Studios, Monmouthshire, between 9th and 29th June 1975.
Skyscraper label version with perimeter text on top from 10:30 to 1:30: Manufactured by Phonogram, Inc. a Polygram Company. Distributed by Phonodisc, Inc.
Comes with one-sided paper lyric insert, printed white on black. Tracklist and credits printed on back sleeve above & below the photos.
Runout information is partially stamped and partially hand etched, noteworthily number 9 in the middle of the catalog number stamp is hand etched. Also are hand etched -CTI and -CTZ, I, T, and G.K.
Skyscraper label version with perimeter text on top from 10:30 to 1:30: Manufactured by Phonogram, Inc. a Polygram Company. Distributed by Phonodisc, Inc.
Comes with one-sided paper lyric insert, printed white on black. Tracklist and credits printed on back sleeve above & below the photos.
Runout information is partially stamped and partially hand etched, noteworthily number 9 in the middle of the catalog number stamp is hand etched. Also are hand etched -CTI and -CTZ, I, T, and G.K.
Barcode and Other Identifiers
- Matrix / Runout (Label side A): SRM-1-1069-A
- Matrix / Runout (Label side B): SRM-1-1069-B
- Matrix / Runout (Runout side A, variant 1): SRM-1-1069-A-CTI T MASTERDISK G.K.
- Matrix / Runout (Runout side B, variant 1): SRM-1-1069-B-CTI T MASTERDISK G.K.
- Matrix / Runout (Runout side A, variant 2): SRM-1-1069-A-CTZ I T MASTERDISK G.K. B
- Matrix / Runout (Runout side B, variant 2): O SRM-1-1069-B-CTI I T MASTERDISK G.K. A
Other Versions (5 of 65)
View All| Title (Format) | Label | Cat# | Country | Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Godbluff (LP, Album) | Charisma | CAS 1109 | UK | 1975 | |||
Recently Edited | Godbluff (LP, Album, Stereo) | Charisma | 9103 105 | France | 1975 | ||
New Submission | Godbluff (LP, Album) | Charisma | 6369 965 | Australia | 1975 | ||
| Godbluff (LP, Album) | Charisma | 6369 965 | Netherlands | 1975 | |||
| Godbluff (LP, Album) | Charisma | 6369 965 A | Italy | 1975 |
Recommendations
Reviews
It seems that I have a promo copy of this album, it's stamped on the back cover's top left corner DEMONSTRATION Not For Sale
Anyone else have one?- In an effort to hop onboard the punk and new wave jugernaut, the mid-1970s found record companies signing virtually any band with at least one band member sporting a mohawk or a safety pin poking though a cheek. Against that marketing environment it was funny that Van Der Graaf Generator decided to reform in 1975. You also had to wonder what Mercury Records was thinking about (the leather jackets may have confused management into thinking these guys were punks in disguise), when they decided to release the group's comeback album - 1975's "Godbluff" in the States.
Self-produced, the comeback album showcased a series of four extended Peter Hammill penned tracks - the shortest number clocking in at almost seven and a half minutes. Hammill's always been an acquired taste to my ears, his eclectic lyrics and occasionally braying voice not the easiest thing to get accustomed to. That said, VDGG fans rate this one pretty high in the catalog and it certainly had some moments. To my ears it sure sounded like a concept piece, but given Hammill's highly personal lyrics I've never been able to figure out what that narrative was about, leading me to the conclusion there simply wasn't a unifying theme. Dark, driven, and still complex, their sound remained firmly planted in the progressive camp, though in contrast to some of the earlier albums, musically this one was relatively commercial (remember we're talking about VDGG here so I'm using the term loosely). Tracks like 'The Undercover Man' and 'The Sleepwalkers' actually showcased recognizable melodies that you could have hummed if you'd put your mind to it (be sure to check out the weird little cha-cha segment midway in 'Sleepwalkers'). Mind you this wasn't an ELO album. Showcasing Hugh Banton's stabbing keyboards, Guy Evans jazz-influenced percussion, and David Jackson's aggressive sax and flute, 'Scorched Earth' and 'Arrow' showcased a much sharper edge. 'Arrow' may have been the album highlight. Starting out like a bunch of bee bop jazz musicians who stumbled into a rock groove by complete accident, the song then mutated into a soft acoustic piece before a pissed off sounding Hammill started shrieking about what sounded like the reflections of a recent survivor of a battle.
"Godbluff" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) The Undercover Man (Peter Hammill) - 7:25
2.) Scorched Earth (Peter Hammill) - 9:48
(side 2)
1.) Arrow (Peter Hammill) - 9:45
2,) The Sleepwalkers (Peter Hammill) - 10:31
