FLAC, Lossless | Progressive Rock, Experimental Rock, Art Rock, Jazz Fusion,Psychedelic Rock, Hard Rock | 13 GbThe band formed at the University of Manchester, but settled in London where they signed with Charisma.

They went through a number of incarnations in their early years, including a brief split in 1969.

When they reformed, they found minor commercial success with The Least We Can Do Is Wave to Each Other (released in early 1970 and their only album to chart in the UK), and after the follow-up album, H to He, Who Am the Only One (December 1970), stabilised around a line-up of Hammill, Banton, Evans and saxophonist David Jackson.

The quartet subsequently achieved significant success in Italy with the release of Pawn Hearts in 1971.

After several exhausting tours of Italy, the band split in 1972.

They reformed in 1975, releasing Godbluff and frequently touring Italy again, before a major line-up change and a slight rename to Van der Graaf.

The band split in 1978.

After many years apart, the band finally united at a gig at the Royal Festival Hall and a short tour in 2005.

Since then, the band has continued as a trio of Hammill, Banton, and Evans, who record and tour regularly in between Hammill’s concurrent solo career.

The group’s albums have tended to be both lyrically and musically darker in atmosphere than many of their progressive 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, preferring to use Banton’s classically influenced organ, and, until his departure, Jackson’s multiple saxophones.

While Hammill is the primary songwriter for the band, and members have contributed to his solo albums, the band arranges all its material collectively.

Hammill’s lyrics covered themes of mortality, due to his love of science fiction writers such as Robert A.

Heinlein and Philip K.

Dick, along with his self-confessed warped and obsessive nature.

His voice has been a distinctive component of the band throughout its career, described as “a male Nico”.

Though the group have generally been commercially unsuccessful, they have inspired several musicians across various genres.

1969 – The Aerosol Grey Machine (1997, Germany, Repertoire Records – REP 4647-WY)1970 – H to He Who, am the Only One (2000, Holland, Virgin – CASCD 1027; 0777 7 87548 2 4)1970 – The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other (2000, Holland, Charisma – CASCD 1007, Virgin – 0777 7 87552 2 7)1971 – Pawn Hearts (1987, UK, Charisma / Virgin – CASCD 1051)1975 – Godbluff (1988, Holland, Charisma – CASCD 1109)1976 – Still Life (1992, US, Caroline Blue Plate – CAROL 1641-2)1976 – World Record (1988, Holland, Charisma – CASCD 1120, Virgin – 0777 7 87555 2 4)1977 – The Quiet Zone – The Pleasure Dome (1989, Holland, Virgin – CASCD 1131, Virgin – 0777 7 87554 2 5)1978 – Vital (2005, UK, Virgin – 0946 3 32981 2 5, Charisma – CVLCDR 101) 2xCD1981 – Time Vaults (2008, UK, Plastic Head Records – PHRL014CD)1987 – Now And Then (UK, Virgin – CDVM 9026) Compilation1993 – I Prophesy Disaster (UK, Virgin – CDVM 9026, Virgin – 7243 8 39048 2 2) Compilation1994 – Maida Vale (UK, Band Of Joy – BOJCD008)2000 – The Box (UK, Virgin – VDGGBOX1, Virgin – 7243 8 49900 2 2) 4xCD Box Set, Book:CD1 – Bless The Baby Born TodayCD2 – The Tower ReelsCD3 – One More Heaven GainedCD4 – Like Something Out Of Edgar Allen Poe2005 – Present (UK, Virgin – 7243 8 73679 2 0) 2xCD2007 – Real Time (Japan, Strange Days Records – POCE-1163/5) 3xCD, Limited Edition2008 – Trisector (UK, Virgin – 50999 5 21030 0 1, Virgin – CDV 3046)2011 – A Grounding In Numbers (UK, Esoteric Recordings – EVDGCD1001)2012 – ALT (EU, Esoteric Antenna – EVDGCD1003)2015 – Merlin Atmos (UK, Esoteric Antenna – EANTCD21045) 2xCD, Album, Limited Edition:CD1 – Merlin AtmosCD2 – Bonus Atmos2016 – Do Not Disturb (UK, Esoteric Antenna – EANTCD 1062)2019 – The Aerosol Grey Machine – 1969 (2CD + LP + 7” Single Box Set)