Vital Live

Description

The album was the last release of the 1970s by Van der Graaf Generator, which in 1977 had shortened its name to Van der Graaf and featured a line-up of Peter Hammill (vocals, piano, guitars), Guy Evans (drums), Nicolas Potter (bass) and Graham Smith (violin) who added Charles Dickie (cello) to the group in the middle of the year. After a long year of touring and recording the album "The Quiet Zone / The Pleasure Dome," the band welcomed 1978 with two concerts at the Marquee Club in London on January 15 and 16 that were recorded. The concerts included an appearance by former member David Jackson on saxophone and flute.
"Vital" was a brutal sonic assault and showcased Van der Graaf at its most powerful and passionate. The record turned out to be their swan song of the 1970s, as by the time of the album's release in July 1978, the band had disbanded due to financial difficulties.