Conversely, the soundboard shows the other side: a silky, sophisticated Van backed by Georgie Fame and a horn section. A 12-minute “In the Garden” that modulates from spoken-word meditation to full gospel fervor. This bootleg has been passed around as a “conversion tool”—the tape you give a skeptic to prove Van is a genius.
Even more coveted: the . Van was experimenting with Celtic mysticism and synthesized textures. The boots from this era are wildly uneven—one night a disastrous synth bleed, the next night a hypnotic “Cleaning Windows” that lasts ten minutes. Collectors argue over which night in Edinburgh has the definitive “Vanlose Stairway.” No two copies sound the same.