The Gentle Giant Appreciation Thread

One of my favourite bands even though I don't have all of their classic albums(1970-76) yet. But the album  Free Hand (my first meeting with Gentle Giant) is convincing enough. A real masterpiece of progresive music in my book.

Few moth ago,  I got my only and hopefully no the only DVD by this outstanding band!!!

Simply the best band ever, in my opinion. I got all their original 12 albums and 4 lives, and about 7 CD's from the Glass House Records Label with more or less bad quality, "Under Construction" and the 4 CD-set "Scraping The Barrel". I have never heard another band that played so sophisticated music without coming across as cold. They are the masters of prog, it is sad that they never reunited and probably will never reunite again. 

In my opinion they are live even better than in studio, they are very powerful and really do not play their songs in the same way as they are presented on their albums. Gentle Giant will always be my favourite Prog band though there are many other excellent Prog bands like Genesis, King Crimson, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Opeth, Wobbler, The Flower Kings, Yes, Saga, Marillion, Echolyn or Anekdoten.

I was privileged enough to see both King Crimson and Gentle Giant live at the Atlanta Agora back when I was too young to get into those kind of clubs.  They didn't play together though.  King Crimson when they came by on the Discipline tour and Gentle Giant on their final tour.  That one was a specially fortunate event as it was only their second visit to Atlanta.  We were passed by on the Playing the Fool tour and many others.

pero wrote: Live concerts were never their strongpoint. They were much better in studio, because with their complex music they didn't manage to establish contact with audience. IMO their best live album is "King biscuit flower hour", followed by "Live at BBC" and "Expirience".

I beg to differ. I saw GG twice (Summer of either '74 or '75, midnight show at the Calderone Theater in Hempstead, Long Island, NY, and Fall '77 at the Palace Theater in Albany, NY), and they're amazing live. IIRC, they change instruments very frequently, as well as the 5-man drum bash, the syncopated singing, etc.

They were on US TV (nationally, I think) on an ABC late-night show called "In Concert." It was simulcast in stereo on WPLJ-FM in NYC, so you could watch the TV and listen to it in stereo on the radio (How primitive it seems today!) I still have the cassette I recorded of the FM broadcast.

Just have a big grin on me face because of this thread .

Octopus is considered to be GG's fourth album.  It was originally released after Three Friends and before In a Glass House.

I love each of their first eight studio albums, but if I had to choose a favourite it would be Acquiring the Taste -- followed by Three Friends.  I find the sound fuller.

EDIT: incidentally, personally I don't find Civilian nearly as good as any of their first eight studio albums, but that's a matter of personal preference. What's greatest for me need not be greatest for you, of course.

For me Interview is GG's last great studio album.  Playing the Fool is one of the best live albums I've heard.  I actually prefer Under Construction to GG's final three studio albums.


Edited by Logan - March 30 2007 at 19:55

Easily one of, if not the, most talented group of musicians to ever coalecse. and easily some of, if not the, best music ever written

One of the best prog bands ever without a doubt. "The Power and the Glory" and "In a Glass House" are a joy. "Octopus" seems a bit off those two, but not by much. Haven't heard enough of the others.

One of my favorite bands, if not my favorite. As for today I own 6 Studio Albums ( Three Friends, Octopus, In A Glass House, The Power and The Glory, Free Hand, and Interview) and I must say there are all stunning!
The first I got and my personal favorite is Octopus, what a masterpiece! Probably my second favorite Album after Close to th Edge.
This band is so special, they have developed an own style more than any band I know, I also read somewhere they used 54 different instruments for one Album ( I don't know if it is true, but it would be very Gentle Giant to do that).
Some clappies for the kings of Prog!