This article is about the band. For the machine used to accumulate electrical charge on a metal globe, see Van de Graaff generator.
Van der Graaf Generator were a seminal 1970s English progressive rock band.
The band first formed in 1967 while its members were studying at Manchester University. The three-piece was comprised of Peter Hammill (guitar and vocals), Nick Pearne (organ) and Chris Judge Smith (drums and wind instruments). They secured a record deal, but only one single ('The People You Were Going To') was released before they split up in mid- 1969. Along the way, Pearne was replaced by Hugh Banton.
Later in 1969, a new Van der Graaf Generator – Peter Hammill (guitar, piano and vocals), Keith Ellis ( bass guitar), Hugh Banton (keyboards) and Guy Evans (drums) – formed during the recording of an album that was originally intended to be a solo effort by Hammill. This album, The Aerosol Grey Machine, was initially only released in the United States.
Further changes in personnel preceded their second album ( The Least We Can Do is Wave to Each Other). Ellis left and was replaced by David Jackson ( saxophone and flute), while Nic Potter (bass guitar) was added to the line-up. A new sound was established, leaving behind the psychedelic influence of The Aerosol Grey Machine in favour of darker textures influenced by jazz and classical music. The album was well received, and was swiftly followed by H to He, Who Am the Only One. Potter left mid-way through the recording, and the band decided to carry on without a bass guitarist, with Banton substituting with the organ's bass pedals. Robert Fripp of King Crimson contributed guitar to "The Emperor in His War-Room".
The Hammill/Banton/Jackson/Evans quartet that resulted from H to He is now considered the 'classic' line-up, and went on to record Pawn Hearts, which is considered by many to be their finest work. It contains just a few tracks, "Lemmings", "Man-Erg", the 20 minute concept piece "A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers" – very much in keeping with the times. Fripp again provided a cameo appearance on guitar. The album proved highly successful in Italy, topping the chart there for 12 weeks. They toured Italy for a while, but the shows were plagued by different extremist organisations from Red Brigade to neo-facists. The band toured extensively from 1970 to 1972, but a lack of support from the record company and possibly also financial difficulties caused the band to implode and Hammill left to pursue a solo career.
