Peter Hammill had begun his solo career with Fool’s Mate (released in July 1971), a collection of shorter songs that had been released before Van Der Graaf Generator’s Pawn Hearts album in 1971. So began what was to become a tradition of the remaining members of Van Der Graaf Generator playing on Hammill’s solo albums, sometimes even on songs that had been intended for the group. In addition musical heavyweights Robert Fripp, and Lindesfarne members Rod Clements and Ray Jackson also guest on the album. Extra tracks on the remastered Fool's Mate are newly discovered early demo versions of the songs "Re-awakening", "Summer Song In The Autumn", "The Birds", "Sunshine" and "Happy."

Internal differences within the band led to a split in August 1972. Nearly three years later Van Der Graaf Generator reformed and in October of that year released their brilliant comeback album Godbluff. The format was large-scale – four tracks in 40 minutes. These powerful, beautifully sculpted songs formed arguably the group's best album. Extra tracks on the remastered Godbluff are rare live versions of "Forsaken Gardens” and "A Louse is not a Home.”

Still Life, released in April 1976, was just as artistically successful, being described by the music newspaper, Sounds as "infinitely captivating." On the hymnal title track, Hammill, damned to eternal life, numbly couples with the withered body of his centuries-old wife. It’s as far as anyone has ever gone from standard issue, cock-rock sexuality, sharing more common ground with the decadent literature of Joris-Karl Huysmans and H.P. Lovecraft’s gothic horror tales.