Van Der Graaf Generator - 5.1 mixes coming in 2021. It's happening!!

[SHB]

Enjoying H to He, loving the 5.1 mix. I like the 4 panel cd wallet with slipcase cover. Nicely done!

 

[Godman]

Received my 4 dvd 5.1 s yesterday. Great first impressions. The track Still Life stands out in surround on that same titled album. Hope to listen to them all this weekend. Couldnt handle Peter Hamills vocals back in the seventies but I really like them now!! Old Genesis fans will like VDGG!!

 

[stereoptic]

I saw Van der Graaf Generator in concert way back in 1976, Beacon Theater NY.
https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/van-der-graaf-generator/1976/beacon-theatre-new-york-ny-5bdf7fbc.html
Touring World Record. I had all of the LPs back then, as well as Peter Hammill's solo efforts and the Hammill-less spinoff The Long Hello.
I had read so many bad reviews of the CD masterings, I never bought any of the CDs and I no longer have my LPs for reference.
Like others here, I am running out of space for these box sets. I rip and store, and just keep a few key ones out for my limited display area.
I ordered 2 of the CD/DVD sets (Still Life and Pawn Hearts) from import CDs for $26 each. But who am I kidding, I'll probably order the other 2 eventually if the price stays that way.

 

[Infomas]

Loving the mixing and all round quality so far. The sax solo in Killer is... killer! Man Erg just explodes through my speakers. Someone mentioned reverb only on House with no Door, but there wasn't much you could really do with that song. It is pretty much just Peter singing and keyboards. To me, it feels like the discreteness of each song is thought through separately and mixed based on what is best for that song. There is no, "Let's always put the organ in the rears" decision making going on.
I'm not even half way through the 4 DVD version and have already gotten my money's worth. At some point I'll check out the extras as well. For those who didn't notice there are a few live songs included in stereo on the double CDs that come with each DVD.

 

[Stephen W Tayler]

Loving the mixing and all round quality so far. The sax solo in Killer is... killer! Man Erg just explodes through my speakers. Someone mentioned reverb only on House with no Door, but there wasn't much you could really do with that song. It is pretty much just Peter singing and keyboards. To me, it feels like the discreteness of each song is thought through separately and mixed based on what is best for that song. There is no, "Let's always put the organ in the rears" decision making going on.
I'm not even half way through the 4 DVD version and have already gotten my money's worth. At some point I'll check out the extras as well. For those who didn't notice there are a few live songs included in stereo on the double CDs that come with each DVD.

Thank you - It is all about what is doing the right thing for each song. Never about the cold radical discrete interpretation. I am all about just making an emotional mix, not a presentation of the component parts for forensic examination.

Unless you have missed it, the whole idea of 'House With No Door' is how simple and stereo it is until the middle woodwind section explodes into surround.

Things move around, inspired by some of the radical stereo use in the original amazing mixes, which are so wonderful. Occasionally stereo sounds are assigned to the side channels Left front and Left surround, Right front and Right surround... it's all on the move. It's never meant to be analysed, just experienced!!

Still I hope you enjoy what is going on.

SWTx

 

[Bill B]

I can't believe that the 4 cd/dvd I ordered from Burning Shed last Friday have already been delivered from the UK. The way the US postal service has been lately, I am lucky to get regular mail in a week from when it was sent. Now I just have to find time to listen to them (and Mr Big and Marillion). So much music, so little time. In reading the reviews above I think one of these VDGG albums is going to the top of the pile. Probably "Pawn Hearts" just because I like the album cover the most.

 

[davidjpoole]

If you mean which album has more going on in the rears and not just ambience/reverb - then fear not, this is not the case in any of the albums. There's something (dry) mixed to the rears in addition to ambience from the fronts most of the time (keyboards are in the rear).

Otherwise, and this is very initial as I only started listening yesterday, I would (gladly) say that Pawn Hearts sounds best, mix-wise. I did spot several new things in the mix of A Plague (as you can tell from my nick name, I do know the music by heart so the comparison is instantaneous).
Full disclosure though - I haven't even listened to Godbluff through, only to Undercover Man.

Again, it's not a Wilson-style mix. I think SW tends to keep the reverb of the fronts in the fronts, and rears in the rears. While in this case the projections are all over. But claiming the surround mix is ambience only is grossly misleading.
Having listened to lots of surround albums, I find it hard to refer you to a comparison, though. This is something unique and I'm giving it time to grow on me.

Once again, much thanks for the response.
Pawn Hearts seems like a good starting point if I'm trying out one of the four albums in this format.
I've a copy of Aerosol Grey Machine on vinyl, so this'll be a first listen to another VDG album.

 

[Infomas]

Thank you - It is all about what is doing the right thing for each song. Never about the cold radical discrete interpretation. I am all about just making an emotional mix, not a presentation of the component parts for forensic examination.

Unless you have missed it, the whole idea of 'House With No Door' is how simple and stereo it is until the middle woodwind section explodes into surround.

Things move around, inspired by some of the radical stereo use in the original amazing mixes, which are so wonderful. Occasionally stereo sounds are assigned to the side channels Left front and Left surround, Right front and Right surround... it's all on the move. It's never meant to be analysed, just experienced!!

Still I hope you enjoy what is going on.

SWTx

No... Thank you! And you're right, "House" really does explode in the middle section. It may not have been meant to be analyzed, but it is hard to talk about it without some analysis. Normally, I just let the mix run over me and hope I enjoy it. Loved your work on BBD as well. The mixes are fun and exciting but stay true to the original design.

 

[marpow]

My four copys arrived today, how am I going to watch football and listen to all this music this weekend. I certainly don't want to sit on my ass all weekend.
NFL has priority, plus I need to exercise, so probably not much music listening?
OR I just get drunk and stoned all weekend, then I don't mind sitting so much.

 

[Infomas]

My four copys arrived today, how am I going to watch football and listen to all this music this weekend. I certainly don't want to sit on my ass all weekend.
NFL has priority, plus I need to exercise, so probably not much music listening?
OR I just get drunk and stoned all weekend, then I don't mind sitting so much.

The latter seems like the right choice to me.

 

[GOS]

My four copys arrived today, how am I going to watch football and listen to all this music this weekend. I certainly don't want to sit on my ass all weekend.
NFL has priority, plus I need to exercise, so probably not much music listening?
OR I just get drunk and stoned all weekend, then I don't mind sitting so much.

I love being drunk and stoned. Really, I do. I mean, who cares when you're 58? I don't. Fuk em and feed em fish heads if they don't like it.

 

[Infomas]

My four copys arrived today, how am I going to watch football and listen to all this music this weekend. I certainly don't want to sit on my ass all weekend.
NFL has priority, plus I need to exercise, so probably not much music listening?
OR I just get drunk and stoned all weekend, then I don't mind sitting so much.

You know, sleep is overrated. That’s what coffee is for.

 

[SHB]

My four copys arrived today, how am I going to watch football and listen to all this music this weekend. I certainly don't want to sit on my ass all weekend.
NFL has priority, plus I need to exercise, so probably not much music listening?
OR I just get drunk and stoned all weekend, then I don't mind sitting so much.

Get corned up and crank up the tunes. You might get some cardio from air drumming to the tunes, so that could fulfill your need for some exercise.

 

[GOS]

I love being drunk and stoned. Really, I do. I mean, who cares when you're 58? I don't. Fuk em and feed em fish heads if they don't like it.

Sure Gos, sure. OK, so I have had a long week. lmao

 

[GOS]

Lots of good comments on this stuff. Though, buying from Burning Shed with no tracking does tend to make me anxious.

 

[Bill B]

Lots of good comments on this stuff. Though, buying from Burning Shed with no tracking does tend to make me anxious.

I ordered mine on the same day and got email confirmation at the same time as you, I bet yours show up today.

 

[SHB]

Lots of good comments on this stuff. Though, buying from Burning Shed with no tracking does tend to make me anxious.

I was amazed I received my order from burning shed in 9 days. It was like precovid days. Personally I found that when I got tracked shipping from Burning Shed it took longer to get here. Wasn't Burning Shed's fault, but it never failed it took longer.

 

[user 1679]

I'm getting really annoyed with FedEx and the status of my box set. They've had it for 9 days now and STILL can't give me a date for delivery. Pathetic service. The Stephen Tayler set the was shipped from the Shed by regular airmail 1 day before they shipped the box set "express" arrived days ago.

 

[Matt Wilson]

Got my box as well, and I'm very happy with it. Listened to H to He, and Pawn Hearts in 5.1 so far and love what I heard! Looking forward to some reviews.

 

[marpow]

It's never meant to be analysed, just experienced!!

Thanks for this, I have been trying to say this for years, but could never think of the right words.