Formed at the dawn of the progressive rock era, Gentle Giant seemed poised for a time in the mid-'70s to break out of their cult-band status, but they somehow never made the jump. Somewhat closer in spirit to Yes and King Crimson than to Emerson, Lake & Palmer or the Nice, their unique sound melded hard rock and classical music, with an almost medieval approach to singing. Gentle Giant is
known as the paradigmatic progressive rock band. With an uncomparable musicianship, they went as far as no one ever did into unexplored grounds in the progressive music, navigating over dissonant 20th-century classical chamber music, medieval vocal music, jazz and rock. The multi-instrumentation capabilities of the musicians gave such dynamic to their music, which set parameters to a whole coming generation up to these very days. They explored Moogs, Mellotrons and Fender Rhodes usage with such majesty! Not to mention other instruments like oboes, violins, cellos and horns among others.
Gentle Giant were born out of the ruins of Simon Dupree & the Big Sound, an R&B-based outfit led by brothers Derek, Ray, and Phil Shulman. After switching to psychedelia in 1967 and scoring their only major hit that year with "Kites," as Gentle Giant the group abandoned both the R&B and psychedelic orientations of the previous band. Derek sang and played guitar and bass, Ray sang and
played bass and violin, and Phil handled the saxophone, augmented by Kerry Minnear on keyboards and Gary Green on guitar. Their original lineup also featured Martin Smith on drums, but they went through several percussionists in the first three years of their existence. The 27th release on the recently-founded Vertigo label, their 1970 debut album, Gentle Giant, was very much a product of its time. Designed as a complete stage show, the album was produced by Tony Visconti with the cover’s giant designed by George Underwood. “Gentle Giant was a transitional album,” Derek contends, “from what I was and what my brothers were before we changed over from being this pop band.”
The band was able to come across the 70's maintaining an outstanding level on their music, altering their style over the years and keeping the quality as only a few bands were able to do. Among their
magnificent discography, all the albums from "Acquiring the Taste" through "Playing the Fool" are essential progressive rock releases (with the possible exception of "Interview"). This portion of the band's career would see a fittingly grand conclusion on the live "Playing the Fool" album. What more is there to say about these masters of progressive music? Textually inspired by philosophy, personal events and the works of François Rabelais, the group's early compositional purpose was to "expand the frontiers of contemporary popular music at the risk of becoming very unpopular."
Many years after they split, Gentle Giant are still one of progressive popular music’s best-kept secrets. Those that know their work are ardently in love with them, to the point where their most dedicated fans hold an annual convention, GORGG (Global On Reflection Giant Gathering). For those
who don’t, they remain an impenetrable enigma, especially as they enjoyed no hit single or widely-known track to latch onto. In 1980, they went their separate ways, having created one of the most discrete – and highly collectable – catalogues in British progressive music. Hailing from Portsmouth, Gentle Giant sprang from the ashes of beat-boom, Parlophone-signed Simon Dupree & The Big Sound. By 1969, the Big Sound’s days were numbered. Sensing the change in the air, and with the belief – and financial backing – of initial manager Gerry Bron, the Shulmans assembled a new crew to take their leap into the 70s.
Gentle Giant's music was considered complex even by progressive rock standards. The band also had a taste for broad lyrical themes, drawing inspiration not only from personal experiences but also from
philosophy and the works of both François Rabelais and R. D. Laing. Gentle Giant called it quits in 1980. Ray Shulman later became a producer and had considerable success in England working with bands like the Sundays and the Sugarcubes, while Derek Shulman became a New York-based record company executive. Ray Shulman died in London, England on April 1, 2023 after a long illness at the age of 73. The last word is with Derek Shulman: “We didn’t want to be like anyone else,” he says, “and we didn’t want to sound like anyone else. We wanted to be who we were. We were Gentle Giant.”
GENTLE GIANT PART 1: 1970 - 1974
02. Acquiring the Taste (1971)
03. Three Friends (1972)
04. Octopus (1972)
05. In a Glass House (1973)
06. The Power and the Glory (1974)
GENTLE GIANT PART 2: 1975 - 1980
07. Free Hand (1975)
08. Interview (1976)
09. The Missing Piece (1977)
10. Giant for a Day! (1978)
11. Civilian (1980)
12. Playing The Fool (1980)
01. GENTLE GIANT - GENTLE GIANT 1970
Astonishingly daring debut album still crashing down barriers and steamrolling expectations. The mix of
medieval harmonies and electric rock got stronger on subsequent albums, but the music here is still pretty jarring. Kerry Minnear was probably the only prog rock keyboard player of the era who allowed his synthesizers to sound like themselves and not mimic orchestras; Gary Green's guitars are alternately loud and brittle or soft and lyrical, and always surprising; and the presence of saxes and trumpets (courtesy of Phil Shulman) was unusual in any rock band of the era -- all of which explains how Gentle Giant managed to attract a cult following but hadn't a prayer of moving up from that level of recognition.
Gentle Giant – 1970 - Gentle Giant
Label: Line Records – LICD 9.00722 O, Line Records – 838 129-2
Series: Outline Series
Format: CD, Album, Reissue 1989
Country: Germany
Released: 1970
Genre: Rock
Style: Prog Rock
TRACKS
01. Giant 6:25
02. Funny Ways 4:20
03. Alucard 6:02
04. Isn't It Quiet And Cold? 3:41
05. Nothing At All 9:08
06. Why Not? 5:29
07. The Queen 1:37
LINE - UP
Gary Green – lead guitar, 12 string guitar (2, 4 & 5), backing vocals
Kerry Minnear – Hammond organ (1–3 & 5–7), Minimoog (3, 5 & 7), Mellotron (1, 3, 6 & 7), electric (5), acoustic (2 & 5) and honky-tonk (4) piano, tympani (tracks 1 & 3), xylophone (4), cello (2), bass guitar (2), backing and lead (3 & 6) vocals
Derek Shulman – lead (1–3, 5 & 6) and backing vocals, bass (4)
Phil Shulman – trumpet (1–3 & 7), alto (3) and tenor (5 & 6) saxophones, descant (6), treble (6) and tenor (6) recorder, backing and lead (2–5) vocals
Ray Shulman – bass guitar (1–3 & 5–7), electric (5–7) and acoustic (5) guitar, violin (1), violins (2 & 4), triangle (2), backing vocals
Martin Smith – drums (tracks 1–3 & 5–7), brushed snare drum (track 4)
ADDITIONAL MUSICIANS
Paul Cosh – tenor horn (1)
Claire Deniz – cello (4)
Flac Size: 308 MB
02. GENTLE GIANT - ACQUIRING THE TASTE 1971
The band's second album is a major advance on its first, featuring superior singing, playing, and
songwriting, as well as a more unified sound, without sacrificing the element of surprise in the first record. Many of the melodies and even the riffs here (check out Gary Green's first guitar flourish on "Pantagruel's Nativity") have a pretty high haunt count, and all of the musicianship displays an elegance seldom heard even in progressive circles -- but the record also, amazingly enough, rocks really hard as well. Elements of hard rock and Gregorian chants mix freely and, amazingly enough, well throughout this album.
Gentle Giant – 1971 - Acquiring The Taste
Label: Line Records – LICD 9.00726 O
Series: Outline Series
Format: CD, Album, Reissue 1989
Country: Germany
Released: 1971
Genre: Rock
Style: Prog Rock
TRACKS
01. Pantagruel's Nativity 6:50
02. Edge Of Twilight 3:47
03. The House, The Street, The Room 6:01
04. Acquiring The Taste 1:36
05. Wreck 4:36
06. The Moon Is Down 4:45
07. Black Cat 3:51
08. Plain Truth 7:36
LINE - UP
Gary Green – 6-string electric guitar (tracks 1, 3, 5, 6, 8), 12-string electric guitar (track 1), 12 string electric wah-wah guitar (track 7), mandolin (track 3), bass guitar (track 3), donkey's jawbone (track 7), cat calls (track 7), voice on track 8
Kerry Minnear – Minimoog (tracks 1–5), piano (tracks 3, 5, 6, 8), Hammond organ (tracks 1–3), Mellotron (tracks 1, 5, 6), harpsichord (tracks 2, 5, 6), electric piano (tracks 2, 6), celeste (track 3), clavichord (track 3), xylophone (tracks 2, 3), vibraphone (tracks 1, 7), tympani (track 2), cello (tracks 2, 3, 7), maracas (track 7), tambourine (track 7), lead vocals (tracks 1, 2), vocals (tracks 3, 5, 6, 8)
Derek Shulman – alto saxophone (tracks 1, 6), clavichord (track 3), cowbell (track 3), lead vocals (tracks 3, 5, 6), vocals (tracks 1, 2, 7, 8)
Phil Shulman – clarinet (track 2), trumpet (tracks 1, 3), alto (track 6) and tenor saxophone (tracks 1, 6), piano (track 3), claves (track 7), maracas (track 8), lead vocals (track 7), vocals (tracks 1–3, 5, 6, 8)
Ray Shulman – bass (tracks 1–3, 5–8), violin (tracks 2, 3, 5, 7), viola (track 7), electric violin (track 8), Spanish guitar (tracks 2, 3), 12 string guitars (track 6), tambourine (track 5), skulls (track 7), organ bass pedals (track 6), vocals (tracks 1–3, 6)
Martin Smith – drums (tracks 1–3, 5–8), tambourine (track 1), gong (track 2), side drum (track 2)
ADDITIONAL MUSICIANS
Paul Cosh – trumpet (track 3), organ (track 3)
Tony Visconti – descant recorders (track 5), treble recorder (tracks 3, 5), tenor recorder (track 5), bass drum (track 7), triangle (track 7)
Chris Thomas – Moog programmer (tracks 1–5)
Flac Size: 377 MB
03. GENTLE GIANT - THREE FRIENDS 1972
Gentle Giant's third album (and their first self-produced effort, Tony Visconti having run the sessions on the two previous records) was another advance, this time in the direction of a harder rock sound -- everything sounds turned up here, especially the guitars, the bass, and the electronic keyboards. Three
Friends hardly sacrificed any of the group's progressive intentions, however, and there are some softer moments here, such as the playful, sprightly first half of "Schooldays"; the harmonies and arrangements still had a distinctly medieval feel, and the melodies, though a little harder to discern here (which made them even more appealing when they did become obvious), were quite engaging. This is supposed to be a concept album, about the relationship between three friends across a lifetime, and the original notes and lyrics have been reprinted, but none of that is necessary in order to enjoy the songs here.
Gentle Giant – 1972 - Three Friends
Label: Alucard – ALU-GG-034
Format: CD, Album, Remastered, Reissue, Digipack 2011
Country: US
Released: 1972
Genre: Rock
Style: Prog Rock
TRACKS
01. Prologue 6:15
02. Schooldays (Voice [Boy's Voice] – Calvin Shulman) 7:37
03. Working All Day 5:12
04. Peel The Paint 7:31
05. Mister Class And Quality 5:51
06. Three Friends 3:02
BONUS TRACKS
07. Prologue (Live) 5:53
OUT - TAKES: 6:21
08a. Peel The Paint (Studio Rehearsal)
08b. Peel The Paint (Alternative Guitar Solo)
08c. Three Friends (Soloed Vocal Chorus)
LINE - UP
Gary Green – electric guitar, mandolin (track 2), tambourine (tracks 2, 5)
Kerry Minnear – Hammond organ (tracks 1, 3–6), piano (tracks 1, 2, 5), electric piano (tracks 2, 3, 5), Mellotron (tracks 2, 6), Minimoog (tracks 1, 4, 6), Moog Modular (track 4), Clavinet (track 3), Baldwin spinet electric harpsichord (track 2, 3), vibraphone (track 2), bongos (track 2), triangle (track 2), lead vocals (2, 6)
Malcolm Mortimore – drums, concert snare (track 2), hi-hat (track 2), bass drum (track 2)
Derek Shulman – lead vocals (3–6)
Phil Shulman – tenor saxophone (tracks 1, 3, 4), alto saxophone (track 3), baritone saxophone (track 3), lead vocals (1, 2, 4, 6)
Ray Shulman – bass, fuzz bass (track 1), violins (track 4), electric violin (track 5), twelve-string guitar (track 1), vocals (track 6)
Flac Size: 311 MB
04. GENTLE GIANT - OCTOPUS 1972
Returning to Gentle Giant's fourth album after any kind of lengthy absence, it's astonishing just how little Octopus has dated. Often written off at the time as a pale reflection of the truly gargantuan steps being taken by the likes of Jethro Tull and Barclay James Harvest, the band's closest relatives in the tangled
skein of period prog, Gentle Giant often seemed more notable for its album art than its music. Octopus, however, marries the two seamlessly, with the cover speaking for itself, of course. Occasionally arrangements do get overly cluttered -- with each of the six bandmembers doubling up on at least three different instruments, there's a distinct sense of overdubs for overdubbing's sake. Follow the key instruments alone, however, and the soundscapes not only make perfect sense, but so do the flourishes and intrusions that rattle around. And the end result is an album that has withstood the test of time a lot better than anyone might have expected.
Gentle Giant – 1974 - Octopus
Label: Alucard – ALU-GG-035, EMI – 804471000077
Format: CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered Sep 27, 2011
Country: US
Released: 1974
Genre: Rock
Style: Prog Rock
TRACKS
01. The Advent Of Panurge
02. Raconteur, Troubadour
03. A Cry For Everyone
04. Knots
05. The Boys In The Band
06. Dog's Life
07. Think Of Me With Kindness
08. River
BONUS TRACK
09. 'Excerpts From Octopus'
LINE - UP
Kerry Minnear – keyboards, Moog synthesizer, vibraphone, cello, percussion, lead and backing vocals
Ray Shulman – bass, violin, guitar, percussion, vocals
Gary Green – guitars, percussion
Derek Shulman – lead vocals, alto saxophone
Phil Shulman – trumpet, saxophones, mellophone, lead and backing vocals
John Weathers – drums, xylophone, percussion
ARTWORK
The UK release by Vertigo featured art by Roger Dean. Dean's logo appears inside the lyrics booklet.
05. GENTLE GIANT - IN A GLASS HOUSE 1973
Gentle Giant was reduced to a quintet on In a Glass House with the departure of elder brother Phil Shulman, but its sound is unchanged, and the group may actually be tighter without the presence of his
saxophones. The time signatures are still really strange, and the tempo changes are sometimes jarring, as is the wide range of dynamics, but this is also one of the group's most pleasing records -- they rock out in various places, and elsewhere perform all kinds of little experiments with percussion instruments ("An Inmate's Lullaby"), or create a strange, otherworldly sort of modern medieval-style music ("Way of Life"). None of it except possibly "A Reunion" is light listening, but the challenge does yield some rewarding sounds.
Gentle Giant – 1973 - In A Glass House
Label: Alucard – alu-gg-02
Format: CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered 2000
Country: UK
Released: 1973
Genre: Rock
Style: Art Rock, Prog Rock, Experimental
TRACKS
01. The Runaway 7:15
02. An Inmates Lullaby 4:40
03. Way Of Life 7:53
04. Experience 7:50
05. A Reunion 2:11
06. In A Glass House 8:27
BONUS TRACKS
07. The Runaway / Experience (Live In Dusseldorf 23rd September 1976) 10:01
08. In A Glass House (Münster 5th April 1974) 9:49
LINE - UP
Derek Shulman – vocals, alto and soprano saxophones, recorder
Gary Green – six and twelve-string guitars, mandolin, percussion, alto recorder
Kerry Minnear – keyboards, tuned percussion, recorder, vocals
Ray Shulman – bass guitar, violin, acoustic guitar, percussion, backing vocals
John Weathers – drums, percussion
Flac Size: 350 MB
06. GENTLE GIANT - THE POWER AND THE GLORY 1974
The group's first U.S. release in two years featured ornate playing from Kerry Minnear on keyboards and Gary Green's loudest guitar work up to that time. There seems to be a unifying theme having to do with
one's place in the social order, but it's very vague in contrast to Pink Floyd's re-creations of the post-'60s drug experience, Yes' sweeping album-length suites, and ELP's sci-fi epics. The Power and the Glory vaguely resembled Genesis' early art-rock albums, but without any presence as charismatic as Peter Gabriel. "Playing the Game" and "So Sincere" were the most accessible tracks and ended up as key parts of their concert set.
Gentle Giant – 1974 - The Power And The Glory
Label: Alucard – ALUGG037
Format: CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Digipak 2014
Country: US
Released: 1974
Genre: Rock
Style: Prog Rock
TRACKS
01. Proclamation 6:56
02. So Sincere 3:52
03. Aspirations 5:21
04. Playing The Game 6:45
05. Cogs In Cogs 3:08
06. No God's A Man 4:26
07. The Face 4:13
08. Valedictory 3:26
BONUS TRACKS
09. The Power And The Glory 2:59
10. Intro '74 2:31
11. Proclamation (Live 1975) 5:14
12. Aspirations (Radio Session 1974) 4:57
10. Cogs In Cogs (Live 1975) 3:19
LINE - UP
Gary Green – electric guitar (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8), acoustic guitar (tracks 3, 4, 6), vocals (tracks 1, 6, 8)
Kerry Minnear – Hammond organ (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8), piano (tracks 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8), RMI Electra-Piano (1, 4), Fender Rhodes (1), Minimoog (tracks 2, 4, 5, 8), Clavinet (tracks 2, 4, 6, 7, 10), Wurlitzer (tracks 1, 3, 4), marimba (track 4), vibraphone (track 6), cello (track 2), lead vocals on tracks 2–4
Derek Shulman – lead vocals on tracks 1, 2 and 4–8, tenor saxophone (track 2)
Ray Shulman – bass guitar, violin (tracks 2, 4, 7), electric violin (track 7), acoustic guitar (track 6), vocals (tracks 1, 6, 8)
John Weathers – drums, tambourine (tracks 2, 5, 7), sleigh bells (track 6), cymbals (track 1), vocals (track 6)
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