THREE FRIENDS

Gentle Giant is my favorite band, not for producing single outstanding albums (like Camel got with the trilogy 'Mirage'-'Snow Goose'- 'Moonmadness'), but for the whole highly expressive career. I know it's an illusion (maya is the Hinduism term) to take human beings as idols, so I have Kerry Minnear, the 3 Schulman brothers, Gary Green, Malcolm Mortimore and Weathers as highest gifted art musicians.

We can say so much about 'Three Friends'.it's a long life time grow on album, I listen it since 18 yo and still nowadays with 45 I get amaze from the subtle (sometimes subliminal, sometimes direct) overall conceptual mood. Maybe this is the most influential GG work for others 70´s acts, as examples : TERRENO BALDIO (**** 1976, Brazil); HANDS (****1/2, 1978 recorded but only 1996 released, USA); ET CETERA (****1/2,1976) and SLOCHE 'J'un Oeil' (***** 1975- this is a classic for sure) both from Québec wonderful prog school; BIRTH CONTROL 'backdoor possibilities' (****, 1976 Germany); NUOVA IDEA (***,1973) and CHERRY FIVE (****1/2) both from Italy.

So as you see above I gave high rates to 70 bands inspired by GG, as they got well succeeded to do the most difficult prog rock task ;-). Back around 1991 an old friend, prog and Eldo Pop fan, also professional violinist member of Rio de Janeiro Symphony Orchestra, told me that to create ala GG is not only a question of many training and rehearsals, their performing and composition inspirations are gifts. Yeah, nowadays bands: forget only extreme technical ability, artistic chemical goes beyond!

In 'Acquiring the taste' (*****,1971) album, GG warn us in liner notes they were at the risk of being very unpopular for producing such art music. If you don't like GG style, please be patient. The most memorable and life long music rewards, it grows on, while the more direct first-listening-grab, tends to flow off quicker with repeated listening. Me by myself only learned to love GG after listening 'Giant' cut (my favorite year 1970 prog composition with "Lost" by VDGG); 'Pantagruel´s Nativity' 1971 cut from 'Acquiring." and then I was blown away by 'The runaway' from 'in a glass house' (*****,1973) - my vote as the most all time incredible composition. Well I highly recommend all GG albums till 'Interview' (****,1976); but I´d like, beyond complexities, to mention I was also impressed by GG ability in 'the missing piece' (***1/2, 1977) to perform so convincing funny easier rock´roll and rock´soul like 'mountain time'.