Search - Van Der Graaf Generator :: Inside Van der Graaf Generator: An Independent Critical Review

Complete waste of time & money

Robert J. Salo | Anaheim Hills , Ca United States | 11/04/2005

(1 out of 5 stars)

"I have bought several of these "Inside" DVD's and they all suck - Peter Hammill even warns against this one on his web site - these "inside" DVD's are produced without authorization and are narrated by junior journalists who think they are acclaimed rock "critics" - the only ones who might be entertained by these DVD's are the so-called critics who STAR in them - A MUST AVOID"

Independent-yes / Critical - no

John G. Arkenberg | NY NY | 11/24/2006

(1 out of 5 stars)

"I have been avoiding this DVD since its release as the company that produced it has been criticized for its productions that are of dubious quality and released without proper authorization or approval. However, I chanced upon a copy on sale and gave it a view.



For a start, this "critical review" is hastily thrown together and poorly researched. Those of us who are VdGG fans will be disappointed by the quality of information which ranges from overtly simplistic to completely inaccurate. While granted, the amount of footage and photographs of VdGG are not plentiful, this company made no effort to find anything beyond the footage they have released on another DVD as b-roll. As a result, cheesy computer graphics and effects are used to make it interesting.



The greatest fault of this product comes in the fact that they fail to interview all of the key members of VdGG. This is so ridiculously shortsighted that I cannot believe that anyone at Classic Rock Productions felt that it was worth releasing. Moreover, it discusses only the albums up to 1975 neglecting everything from Still Life to Vital. How can this be considered a Critical Review if it is not even going to invest the time or effort to review the entire catalogue?



I write this because as a VdGG fan I enjoy seeking out rare recordings and footage as many other fans do. However, I can safely say that this product is too shallow to be of any interest to a fan. It's so poorly done and the interviews so unconvincing I can't even recommend it as a good introduction to the band for a first-timer.



Best leave it alone. Classic Rock is basically a hack company trying to capitalize on fans. I spent a pittance on buying it used and even then I feel cheated. Oh well, "we sail on fireships...""