Van der Graaf Generator announce tour dates for February and March

UK prog pioneers Van der Graaf Generator have announced a short run of English and Scottish tour dates for February and March 2022.

At the same time the band have announced they will release four special vinyl reissues, including a 50th anniversary edition of Pawn Hearts, in April (full details on releases to be announced soon). Two vinyl singles will also be released.

And there are now four three-disc remastered CD/DVD sets of H To He Wo Am The Ony One, Pawn Hearts, Godbluff and Still Life which are available now. These all follow on the back of the band's celebrated The Charisma Years box set which was released earlier this year and saw the band back in the charts.

"It is gratifying – as well as a little bit strange – for the box set to receive such a great reception on its release and, to be honest, very impressive that it managed to enter the charts," says Peter Hammill. "The Hit Parade has always been quite a long way from our natural territory. We think everyone involved has done a capital job in pulling together a presentation and celebration of our work together in the Charisma years. Now, on with the next bit!"

"Revisiting the recordings we made in the 70s proved to be a fascinating experience," adds Hugh Banton. "Nowadays musicians have the dubious luxury of near infinite tracks, countless takes and endless choice, but back then, recording onto multi-track tape, you often just had that one shot at getting it right... if indeed there is ever a 'right'. I believe the jeopardy and tension lent a unique flavour to so much recorded music created during that time. And we knew a thing or two about tension."

Van der Graaf Generator will play:
Feb 21: Birmingham Town Hall
Feb 22: Manchester Bridgewater Town Hall
Feb 24: London The Palladium
Feb 26: Edinburgh Queen's Hall
Mar 1: Bath The Forum

Artists

Writer and broadcaster Jerry Ewing is the Editor of Prog Magazine which he founded for Future Publishing in 2009. He grew up in Sydney and began his writing career in London for Metal Forces magazine in 1989. He has since written for Metal Hammer, Maxim, Vox, Stuff and Bizarre magazines, among others. He created and edited Classic Rock Magazine for Dennis Publishing in 1998 and is the author of a variety of books on both music and sport, including Wonderous Stories; A Journey Through The Landscape Of Progressive Rock.