This video was compiled by Jim Christopulos from Super 8 Ciné footage shot
by Michael Boyce synchronized with an existing audio recording.
The 12.5 minute film "Van der Graaf Generator - Toronto '76" made its public debut on Saturday April 12th 2025 to much appreciation from the VdGG fan base. Here, Jim talks to Michael Boyce about his love of VdGG and how he came to film the band at Massey Hall as an 18 year old in 1976.

JC: Michael, how did you get into VdGG, how big a fan were you?

MB: I can't remember exactly, but my 16-year-old friends and I were really into all the music coming out of England in the 70s - Roxy Music, Family, Genesis, Yes, Jethro Tull, Gentle Giant, Soft Machine, Henry Cow, King Crimson, and Van der Graaf Generator / Peter Hammill. Robert Fripp was a major obsession, and he might have been the doorway into Van der Graaf - seeing as he played on a few of their records. As soon as I heard Hammill's Fool's Mate I was totally into it. Pawn Hearts and H to He, Who Am the Only One blew my mind, totally. I bought all their records and followed Peter's solo career devotedly. I bought his books and obsessed over his lyrics.

JC: Was there a prog fanbase in Toronto? How did you and all of your friends find out about these obscure art-rock bands from Britain?

MB: There was a bit of a prog scene - a couple of bands - notably, Nash The Slash and his band FM. There was also FM radio, and college (Ryerson CKLN and CJRT for jazz) which played Pink Floyd, Yes, Jethro Tull and Genesis. There was an independent station (CFNY - David Pritchard was a good source) that played Crimson and Kraftwerk and others as well. But that all followed our initial interest. I think it was best supported by the independent record store Records On Wheels. We would go there every week and plumb the import bins and the delete bins for the records and tapes we wanted. Then, of course, there was the British music press - Melody Maker was big in those days. Later, it was the New Musical Express, but during prog, it was Melody Maker. Rolling Stone was American, mostly. Cream had some stuff. But we really had to depend on the British music press to read about our bands. Mostly, though, we were the scene - suburban kids - and our band, whose performances were mostly limited to my parents' basement (God bless them). Montreal and Ottawa were a bit more plugged into it than Toronto was at the time.

JC: Although they'd started out in the late 60s, VdGG had never played N America until you saw them in '76. How did you find out about the Toronto gig, and what do you remember of the vibe surrounding the gig.

MB: I wanted so badly to see the band live, but they broke up before they came over to Canada. Peter opened for Genesis during the Selling England tour, which was awesome, but not quite the same. When they got back together with Godbluff in '75, I was really excited - that one and Still Life blew my mind and I was amazed that Peter and the band could be so consistently innovative and great. So, when World Record came out and the tour was announced, I could hardly believe it. I had recently bought a Super-8 camera and was having fun experimenting with it, entertaining the idea that I could become a filmmaker. At the time, I was also playing drums in a band that was like a blend of Crimson, Soft Machine and Jimi Hendrix music. We started off playing covers by Genesis and Crimson but ended up just improvising in the style of Crimson (like Asbury Park on the live USA album). I loved the drumming style of Guy Evans and the playing by Jackson and Banton (I had read that he designed an organ with notes so low, it could knock down walls!) and I was enthralled by Peter's singing and lyrics. When I found out about the show, I knew I had to bring my camera with me. So, I bought a bunch of cartridges, and I could barely contain myself with anticipation.

JC: How was the gig? Was the band as good as you hoped?

MB: The show was amazing. The band was amazing, and Peter's performance was transcendental. I couldn't believe it. Of course, I was wishing they would do certain songs they didn't do (Scorched Earth, Lighthouse, Lemmings), but I could not believe my ears when they started playing Gog. I was obsessed with that song - with all of In Camera, actually.

JC: What possessed you to sneak a Super 8 camera into the gig? That's pretty gutsy, weren't you afraid of having it confiscated or being caught? Thank heaven you went through with it, of course!

MB: I didn't even think about it being an issue. Lots of people took photos in those days. There was no problem. No one said anything.

JC: How surreal is it to have had that silent footage for almost fifty years, and finally have the corresponding audio married up to it?

MB: It is really something else again. Thrilling, to say the least. I've always loved watching the silent film, but with the sound in place, it makes it all the more amazing. Oddly, not only does it evoke more vividly the experience of the band, but also of myself as an 18-year-old listening to the band and trying to capture what I thought was vital and important in the performance. One unexpected thing about that is it revealed not only visual attention, but also the attention of my ears - where my hearing attention was going in the music. And there are lots of places to go to - the band was just incredible.

JC: What did you first think when I approached you almost five years ago about making the footage available for fans?

MB: I thought, yes, that would be good - I wonder if I can actually get it transferred, and when can I actually get around to doing it. First, I had to recover the film because it was in storage in another city. Then I had to find a place that would be able to do the transfer. The exigencies of life and all that. When it finally happened though, I was very happy to see it again.

JC: Any final thoughts on the completed vid?

MB: I'm still processing it, actually - but overall it's wonderful as a document and experience. I'm very grateful for the effort you put into it - both to make it happen and your dedication to making it a piece with sound. Miraculous, really.