ORGAN THING: A new Van Der Graaf Generator single, all the box set and re-issue news and notes, well a new mix and a rather beautiful one, Refugees…

Well a new single, a new mix and a rather beauitiful one, there it is down there, here’s the news just in from van Der Graaf’s people….

“Hi Organ. Hope you’re well.

Wonderful news for you on the stunning Van Der Graaf Generator: The Charisma Years Box…

“This forthcoming box set contains new stereo and surround sound mixes, plus all the quality footage on a blu-ray, unreleased tracks, and much more.

From the liner notes: “Musical pioneers, boundary-pushers, visionaries. Savage, beautiful, experimental, enduring. Although born in the creative maelstrom of late 1960s Britain, the music of Van Der Graaf Generator has inspired a host of musicians of varying style and taste, from John Lydon to Marc Almond, from Mark E Smith to Bruce Dickinson… seemingly laid to rest as a band in 1978, they have since been reborn and revitalised for the 21st century.”

Check out newly-released single Refugees, just out digitally. Killer and more will follow. The Charisma Years Box is due 3rd September 2021 on Virgin. For information on more linked VDGG releases please click below or visit the link above.

And VDGG is very much an active band. We can announce a co-headlining UK festival appearance at Beautiful Days this year on 22nd August 2021, their first UK festival date since 1976.

Further tour dates in the UK and all across Europe are now rescheduled to next year.

This is music beyond genre. This is a band apart, with their influence widespread across many artists and genres and across time. The timing couldn’t be better. Fifty years since Pawn Hearts, and the great band returns just as a fresh crop of new bands is being compared or could be compared to them — including Black Midi; Black Country, New Road; and Squid.

The Charisma Years are all here and present, with new twists, new aspects, new mysteries, new sound, new vision. All is to behold, together, complete for the first time.

At last.

* Please let us know your thoughts / feedback…”

And that’s what the e.mail said just now, and I was just off out, hang on, let’s see what else there is here, hang on, let’s cut to the chase, here’s the new single, yes it is actually a new single, not sure you can go down to Woolworths with yout 50p and buy the seven inch but it is, so we’re told, a new single, excellent version, maybe beautified a little too much, but then as a first taste for those who don’t know…!