Pawn Hearts is the fourth album by English progressive rock band Van der Graaf Generator, released on 12 November 1971 on Charisma Records. The original album features just three tracks, including the side-long suite "A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers". The album was not commercially successful in the UK, but reached number one in Italy. It has since seen retrospective critical praise and was reissued on CD in 2005 with extra material.
Pawn Hearts
Van der Graaf Generator are an English progressive rock band, formed in 1967 in Manchester by singer-songwriters Peter Hammill and Chris Judge Smith and the first act signed by Charisma Records. They did not experience much commercial success in the UK, but became popular in Italy during the 1970s. In 2005 the band reformed, and are still musically active with a line-up of Hammill, organist Hugh Banton and drummer Guy Evans.
Van der Graaf Generator on stage in 2009
The band was originally formed by students at the University of Manchester.
Nic Potter (pictured in 2007) joined the band in 1969 and played bass with them until August 1970, then again from 1977 to 1978
Hugh Banton used a Hammond E-112 organ, modified with electronics, as a key ingredient of the band's early sound
