Van Der Graaf Lost Live Tapes

A lavish deluxe 20 disc boxed set comprising 17 CDs and 3 Blu Ray discs covering Van der Graaf Generator’s entire recorded work for Charisma Records. Between the years 1970 – 1978 the band released 8 albums (two under the name Van der Graaf) for the legendary Charisma label. Each record was ground breaking and the influence of the band’s unique music would be felt in the ensuing decades by artists of many different musical genres. This boxed set features all of their Charisma albums newly re-mastered from the first generation master tapes and much more.

A lavish deluxe 20 disc boxed set comprising 17 CDs and 3 Blu Ray discs covering Van der Graaf Generator’s entire recorded work for Charisma Records. Between the years 1970 – 1978 the band released 8 albums (two under the name Van der Graaf) for the legendary Charisma label. Each record was ground breaking and the influence of the band’s unique music would be felt in the ensuing decades by artists of many different musical genres. This boxed set features all of their Charisma albums newly re-mastered from the first generation master tapes and much more.

The sad fact about box sets is that there's always a fan out there who thinks they could have compiled a better one. An even sadder fact is that they're often correct, and the very notion of anthologizing Van Der Graaf Generator was a fraught one for that very reason. More, perhaps, than any other band of the early-'70s prog era, VDGG polarized their fans as much as the band's blatantly inhospitable sound outraged outsiders. They cut just eight studio albums, and all eight possess a wholly different character, all the more so since the band actually broke up midway through the sequence…

Housed in a limited edition, vintage promo sleeve. Never before released studio tracks and live recordings!
Sahara is a mid-70's act that produced two albums, but prior to that they'd worked and released another as Subject ESQ. The music is rather typical early 70s proto-prog with elements of Jethro Tull (for the flute-guitar interplay), early Yes, and the occasional saxophone riffs remind of early Van der Graaf Generator. There are some spacier and/or symphonic parts that recall Nektar, Genesis (around "Trespass"), and maybe early Eloy. With the arrival of ex-Out Of Focus Hennes Henring on keyboards, the band continued under the new name Sahara after this album. Sunrise has been a minor classic , especially for its sidelong epic title track. Their second album, "For All The Clowns", is straighter with an overdose of progressive influences, notably Focus / Yes and Caravan and a potpourri styles.

A new 6CD boxed set anthology celebrating the music of Rare Bird recorded between 1969 and 1975. Featuring 59 tracks on 6 CDs including the albums Rare Bird, As Your Mind Flies By, Epic Forest, Somebody’s Watching & Born Again along with a previously unreleased disc recorded Live At The Theatre Royal, drury lane in 1974 and a further 12 bonus tracks drawn from rare singles, an ep and a studio out-take. All newly remastered. Includes an illustrated book with extensive essay & interviews with Steve Gould & Mark Ashton & poster.