Whatever Would Robert Have Said? ('69)



Recordings:

1969 Trident Studios London December 11-14, 1969
1970 BBC In Concert August 2, 1970
1970 Bremen Beat Club Recorded April 5, 1970; Broadcast: June 27, 1970

Written by Peter Hammill in London '69 (Killers, Angels, Refugees lists 1970)

Releases:

1970 "The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other" lp by VdGG in February
1972 Van der Graaf Generator '68-71 (Compilation)
1975 Van der Graaf Generator 'Reflection' (Compilation)
2000 Van der Graaf Generator 'The Box; compilation ( 2005 "The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other" Remastered cd

In Concert:

1970 BBC In Concert Program (w/Killer/Squid 1/Squid 2/Octopus) August 2. 1970.

Television:

1970 Played live on the German Beat Club Show recorded April 5, 1970, (broadcast June 27, 1970) video

"I don't have a clear recollection of writing or recording it."
Peter Hammill KNAC radio Interview in 1978.

"Robert is R J Van der Graaf of M.I.T., although the relevance of this to the song escapes me, as do the circumstances of writing it, which is extremely unusual. It is as though it arrived one day without any instigation on my part, and no memory of my having worked on it. I know that this sounds both unlikely and nigh-mystical, but perhaps it is more than appropriate when related to the nature of the song."

Peter Hammill from his "Killers, Angels Refugees" book ('74)





Robert Jemison Van de Graaff (December 20, 1901 – January 16, 1967)

The world's largest Van de Graaff Generator, Boston Museum of Science video