VdGG Profile: The Long Hello

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VdGG Profile

The Long Hello [August 1973]
Personnel
Name Ced Curtis: gtr, bass Piero Messina: gtr, piano Nic Potter: bass Guy Evans: drums David Jackson: sax, flute, piano Hugh Banton: kbds, bass, drums	from Rare Bird III Rare Bird III / PH II VdGG V VdGG V VdGG VIa	to [production work] Van der Graaf I VdGG VIb VdGG VIb VdGG VIb

Discography
1975	The Long Hello	Italian United Artists	lp

History

They made one album dominated by Jaxon's mellow instrumentals. It was recorded in what became Dave Anderson's Foel Studio in Wales free from the angst of record company involvement and the dreaded necessity to maintain a permanent band. The valve desk which Guy bought had been used by Polydor throughout the 60s, for the recording of the first Jimi Hendrix album amongst others.

Hugh was, at his insistence, recruited as a technical advisor and engineer during the recordings and not as a musician. He banned everyone from the studio in order to re-align the tape machine and ended up recording all the instruments on Brain Seizure! Large numbers of Italians came and went; a piano arrived by sheep trailer; David persuaded the local bird population to perform...

Most of the above is taken from Guy's liner notes to the CD-version of the album. It was originally released in Italy and then by themselves (no label 1976) in a limited edition of 5000 numbered copies, which was Nic's idea. The very first of its kind? There were no gigs.

Voiceprint's rerelease on CD of Guy's album The Long Hello Vol. 4 includes Jaxon's Looking At You which is the earliest known Long Hello recording made during rehearsals, with Hugh on organ. The quality of the recording could have been better, but it's ceirtainly worth checking out anyhow!