The album was released 6 May 2005, the same day Van der Graaf Generator (a band co-founded by Judge Smith) did a reunion concert in the Royal Festival Hall in London.
Ludwig van Beethoven | Vincent van Gogh | Van Morrison | Van Halen | Der Spiegel | Der Rosenkavalier | Gus Van Sant | Der Ring des Nibelungen | Anthony van Dyck | Rotenburg an der Fulda | Ellen van Dijk | Van Diemen's Land | Van | Martin Van Buren | Eddie Van Halen | Spittal an der Drau | Melvin Van Peebles | Limburg an der Lahn | Jean-Claude Van Damme | Jan van Eyck | Armin van Buuren | Weiden in der Oberpfalz | Van Cliburn | Townes Van Zandt | Van, Turkey | Dillingen an der Donau | Dave Van Ronk | Van Dyke Parks | Van der Graaf Generator | The Dick Van Dyke Show |
The band was formed in 1981 by guitarist John Weinzerl and bassist Dave Anderson in Wales, both of whom had been members of Amon Düül II, and featured drummer Guy Evans from the British progressive rock band Van der Graaf Generator, with Julie Waring on vocals.
The line-up included Roine Stolt, Jonas Reingold and Zoltan Csorsz from The Flower Kings, David Jackson from Van der Graaf Generator and Guy Manning.
The title comes from "Aquarian" and "Necromancer", two songs from Van der Graaf Generator's The Aerosol Grey Machine.
This list includes Peter Hammill (of Van der Graaf Generator), Nick Cash (of Fad Gadget & Unmen), Michael Ray (of Kool & The Gang and Sun Ra Arkestra), Dave Davis (of Sun Ra Arkestra), Mike Barnes, Jozefa Rogocki, Sophie Fishwick, Karen Boswall, Richard Bealing, Bettina Schmid, Patou Soult, Mat Fraser, David Jackson (of Van der Graaf Generator), Chris Silvey and Alan Wilkinson.
At the beginning they were influenced by bands like Can, Gato Barbieri and Van der Graaf Generator but they started early on to look for their own sound.
While living in Bath, singer/songwriter Peter Hammill (also with Van der Graaf Generator) had the idea for a song, later released on his album Thin Air (2009), called "Your Face on the Street" inspired by the disappearance of Melanie Hall.
Their next production was Prog Family, under the name of Osanna/Jackson, featuring notable figures of progressive rock history, such as Van der Graaf Generator's saxophonist David Jackson (as per name), King Crimson's David Cross, Balletto di Bronzo's Gianni Leone and others.
The song relates to him losing touch with student housemates Mike and actress Susan Penhaligon (who were also namechecked in the Van der Graaf Generator song "Refugees").
The cover was designed by Paul Whitehead, who also was the artist for Fool's Mate as well as sleeves for Van der Graaf Generator (The Least We Can Do is Wave to Each Other and Pawn Hearts) and Charisma labelmates Genesis (Trespass, Nursery Cryme, and Foxtrot).
The 2005 reissue added live performances by Van der Graaf Generator of two songs from Peter Hammill's album The Silent Corner and the Empty Stage (1974), recorded at a concert at L'Altro Mondo, Rimini, Italy.
He then trained as a television engineer at the BBC before joining Van der Graaf Generator in May 1968 when the group (then consisting of just Peter Hammill and Chris Judge Smith) moved from Manchester to London.
The album saw Hammill's first use of the Hohner clavinet D6 keyboard, which would go on to feature prominently on the next few Van der Graaf Generator albums (particularly Godbluff).
In 1977, after Hugh Banton and David Jackson had left Van der Graaf Generator, Potter was asked to re-join.