PA's Battle to Stardom A16: Gentle Giant v. Camel
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Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Polls
Forum Description: Create polls on topics related to progressive music
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=52571
Printed Date: January 13 2025 at 07:39
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Topic: PA's Battle to Stardom A16: Gentle Giant v. Camel
Posted By: MovingPictures07
Subject: PA's Battle to Stardom A16: Gentle Giant v. Camel
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 14:49
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Wow, here we are at the last match of round 1 already! I've been looking forward to this one ever since the beginning of the tournament.  In one corner... please give your round of applause for one of the most accomplished and paradigmatic progressive rock bands, master multi-instrumentalists, and some of the most talented musicians in the larger part of the 1970s prog movement, Gentle Giant! In the other corner... a Symphonic progger's absolute dream, a lesser-known underdog who managed to absolutely awe the audience back in January by consecutively defeating Magma, ELP, and even giving Genesis quite a fight until the end... let me give you, Camel! Who will win? Give your support to decide! Please: If you are not familiar with one or both of the band's material, I urge that you use the links provided and at least listen to the samples on their respective pages (or Youtube if the particular band has no online streaming). Gentle Giant's PA page: http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=118 - http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=118 Camel's PA page: http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=50%20 - http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=50 As always, discussions are encouraged. Recap: Round 1 A1: A2: A3: Emerson, Lake and Palmer v. A4: A5: Can v. A6: A7: Van der Graaf Generator v. A8: Samla Mammas Manna v. A9: Rush v. A10: A11: Henry Cow v. A12: A13: A14: A15: A1: forum_posts.asp?TID=51423&PN=2 - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=51423&PN=2 A2: forum_posts.asp?TID=51492&PN=1 - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=51492&PN=1 A3: forum_posts.asp?TID=51567&PN=1 - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=51567&PN=1 A4: forum_posts.asp?TID=51630&PN=1 - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=51630&PN=1 A5: forum_posts.asp?TID=51711&PN=1 - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=51711&PN=1 A6: forum_posts.asp?TID=51778 - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=51778 A7: forum_posts.asp?TID=51855 - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=51855 A8: forum_posts.asp?TID=51928&PN=1 - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=51928&PN=1 A9: forum_posts.asp?TID=52011 - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=52011 A10: forum_posts.asp?TID=52091 - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=52091 A11: forum_posts.asp?TID=52158&PN=1 - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=52158&PN=1 A12: forum_posts.asp?TID=52246 - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=52246 A13: forum_posts.asp?TID=52336 - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=52336 A14: forum_posts.asp?TID=52411&PN=1 - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=52411&PN=1 A15: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=52487&PN=1 - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=52487&PN=1 ------------- 
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Replies:
Posted By: Padraic
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 14:51
| Easy one for me this time. Camel has some good records, but GG has such a string of incredible albums that I enjoy so much more. Gentle Giant! |
Posted By: Epignosis
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 15:00
By the looks of my "Green vs. Latimer" poll from a while back, Camel should pull this one out easy. But as of right now, there's three votes for Gentle Giant and none for Camel. I must confess I am perplexed. 
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Posted By: laplace
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 15:10
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ha I didn't see the UZ vs. Koenji poll but it came out fine. unless Geck0 voted for UZ in which case it came out wrong ;P
clicked on Gentle Giant because Acquiring, Three Friends and Power & Glory are all five billion star albums whereas Camel's music is dull and sedate ------------- FREEDOM OF SPEECH GO TO HELL |
Posted By: Padraic
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 15:12
you can really put a smile on my face.  |
laplace wrote:Posted By: MovingPictures07
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 15:21
That's because Latimer pretty much, for most people, is the heart and soul of Camel and has carried them throughout their entire period. Plus, that was purely based on both members only as guitarists. Green is fantastic (and I did vote for him, by the way ), but Gentle Giant doesn't nearly have as much focus on one individual. Given the fact that people now have to compare the entire band and the actual output of both bands, it should be targeting completely different aspects. Anything could happen though, I predict. -------------
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Posted By: Jozef
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 15:26
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This was hard but I'm going to go with Camel.
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Posted By: Magic Mountain
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 15:35
| I liked both bands very much. Camel has more albums that I like than GG. Thus I vote for Camel. |
Posted By: memowakeman
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 15:36
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Lovely bands, but i'm going with Camel this time! ------------- Follow me on twitter @memowakeman |
Posted By: Abstrakt
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 15:41
| Both great bands, but i prefer Camel. |
Posted By: topofsm
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 15:46
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I've found both more than a bit interesting, but Camel tends to land in the "just prog" category for me, while Gentle Giant always sounds unique, even when you compare it to most prog. But that's just my opinion.
I voted GG. ------------- 
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Posted By: Queen By-Tor
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 15:48
| Camel scratches my itch more often than not it seems. While GG certainly have some efforts that have knocked me on my ass it seems that Camel does it more often. |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 15:57
This is incredibly easy for me; I find Gentle Giant far more interesting. I was once an uberfan of the band, though my passion rather wore off. I consider the first eight studio albums excellent and the last three very poor, and Playing the Fool is a terrific live album. I like Camel considerably, particularly The Snow Goose, in fact, I love that album, and A Live Record, but I don't put Camel in the same league as Gentle Giant (well, I actually think Camel's '77 and up studio output much better than GG's, but then what isn't?  ).Still I have a desire to play "Nimrodel..." now. I do like Mirage considerably, as well as Moonmadness. The debut is quite good, as is Nude. So it is a band I like, and used to listen to a lot, but didn't have the punch, adventurous attitude, contrasts. and twists of GG. Camel plays it safer delivering more accessible melodic tunes (when GG tried to turn more accessible/ commercial, it was disastrous. Camel is better at that). Camel rarely reaches the same heights for me. I joined this site, to a considerable extent, after lurking for ages, because I wished to share my passion for GG. Incidentally, Camel lost to Magma when I put its most popular live album against Magma's most popular live album (Live/Hhai vs. A Live Record). |
Posted By: TGM: Orb
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 16:01
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Mirage is a fantastic album, and the only possible reason I could vote Camel. Erk.. Giant for the consistency, methinks. |
Posted By: Rocktopus
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 16:09
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Gentle Giant with eight great albums and a live one 70-77, is pretty hard to beat. I like early Camel a whole lot, though.
------------- Over land and under ashes In the sunlight, see - it flashes Find a fly and eat his eye But don't believe in me Don't believe in me Don't believe in me |
Posted By: ClassicRocker
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 16:12
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Take that Camel! ELP is avenged (currently 12-5)! ------------- 
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Posted By: Avantgardehead
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 16:13
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I'm really tired of Camel winning all of these little polls and contests, but glad to see the better band winning here! Camel is nice... I guess... but Gentle Giant is light-years ahead. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Avantgardian |
Posted By: Padraic
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 16:16
I guess that's just the sentiment for me as well. I enjoy Camel alright, don't dislike them or anything, but to me GG has such an incredible catalog, such a consistently excellent output. |
Posted By: Zargus
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 16:25
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well like other have said, i Iike camel its a nice band, but they are not on the same level as GG. ------------- 
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Posted By: topofsm
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 16:28
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Psst, where can we make predictions on how we think the polls are going to go? Akin to how college basketball teams are bet on during the playoffs. Or am I the only one who thinks this would be fun? -------------
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Posted By: Hercules
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 16:34
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Camel for me by a small margin, but these two should have been seeded well apart as they are two of the best four bands in the poll by a mile (along with Rush and Marillion). Incidentally, during the 70s Camel were far more popular and far bigger than GG ever were (GG were regarded as a quirky cult band with a fairly small but extremely loyal following) and were generally rated light years ahead. How times change! ------------- A TVR is not a car. It's a way of life. |
Posted By: febus
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 16:35
Another poll i don't have to write anything! Thanks , Pat
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Posted By: febus
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 16:49
That/s it Alex????
...what about the Moody Blues, Eloy, Barclay James Harvest, Procol Harum, and.........Jethro Tull??/........Should have been A32, not A16 |
Posted By: The Quiet One
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 17:02
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A quite hard choice. Two bands, which maybe not faves, still I found 1 or 2 of their albums to be GREAT! Camel: Camel(debut) and Moonmadness, while I enjoy Mirage, Rain Dances, etc..
For GG I find GREAT the following: In a Glass House and Octopus. While GG may have been complexier and broken rock frontiers as nobody has, Camel has the climax and atmosphere, which few have. I'll go with Camel. |
Posted By: Queen By-Tor
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 17:05
yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 17:10
That's a matter of taste, of course. I know you're an old-time Progger, but I can't say how well you know all of the other choices. Though I'm a relative newbie to the wider world of Prog (sure I've known Yes, Genesis, Focus, Gryphon, ELP. Mike Oldfield and others for a very long time), I think that most of the bands are superb. Personally, I'd say that (in no particular order) Henry Cow, The Soft Machine, Magma, Area, Gong, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Univers Zero and Koenjihyakkeii, ELP (though not quite to my taste anymore), Can and Amon Duul II, Samla Mammas Manna, Le Orme, Van der Graaf Generator, Hawkwind, Tangerine Dream, the Residents, and Kayo Dot are great bands that have put out outstanding material. I think the choices have been terrific, and bands listed there I would rate higher than choices of yours. I just, particularly, hoped that Art Zoyd would find itself on one of these polls.
I'd known that Camel has much more commercial success than Gentle Giant, and I expect that Camel is still much better known than Gentle Giant. Camel is considerably more accessible, and GG lamented their lack of success (I think they tried to remedy that with their final three after snubbing their musical noses at the industry. Of course, Derek Shulman became a very big wig in the industry (a suit), and Ray became a successful writer of music for commericals and a succesful producer). So they found insustry success outside of GG. Camel was hardly obscure. I knew it in the '70s, but didn't get to know GG until my Prog revival this decade. |
Posted By: YesFan72
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 17:13
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GG.
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Posted By: gr8dane
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 17:16
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Camel.
GG is just too hard to digest most of the time.
Mind you.They have some great tunes.
I do love Aquiring the taste.Smooth.
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Posted By: Anderson III
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 17:21
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Oh, that'll be the Giant! For me Camel has always been that nice above-average-prog-band, but GG was the band that had the ability to make me go: "a rock band can do THAT!" ------------- "Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and cannot remain silent" - Victor Hugo |
Posted By: The Quiet One
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 17:28
lol
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Posted By: Epignosis
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 17:31
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I've got to admit, this one is a tough call. I could easily click "Gentle Giant," but then I remember "The Snow Goose," from that haunting introduction all the way through (and I don't really care for too many instrumentals!). Gentle Giant does have more interesting compositions, but man, the soul of Camel's music makes this one a tough match up. Say, Alex, how much time do I have to make a choice? |
Posted By: MovingPictures07
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 17:36
I thought about doing 32 but the task would have been too large. There will be follow-up rounds, of course. -------------
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Posted By: MovingPictures07
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 17:41
I usually try to give these polls about 72 hours from their creation, so plan on that. -------------
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Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 18:11
| Oh, come on, just one more for this round, please? An artful battle: Art Zoyd vs. Art Bears.... |
Posted By: MovingPictures07
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 18:24
Haha, this doesn't mean I'll stop making polls (or even ones like this) after the series is over. That's a good idea for when I'm done with this. -------------
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Posted By: proggy
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 18:40
| Camel....Gentle Giant has never clicked with me. |
Posted By: LinusW
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 19:32
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Gentle Giant play quirky, technical counterpoint melodies and have the most amazing mix of musical influences and their music gives me a special thrill only they can cause. I'll only upset people commenting how I've experienced Camel so far  So GG it is. |
Posted By: Alberto Muņoz
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 19:54
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Camel from this round -------------  |
Posted By: JoaoPirucas
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 20:25
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CAMELLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!
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Posted By: Padraic
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 21:51
Thing is, I could swear someone's done this poll, long ago before I even knew what the hell these bands even sounded like. and for the record, I'd choose Art Bears and Logan would choose Art Zoyd. |
Posted By: MovingPictures07
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 21:53
I think I've seen a poll like that too. I'll search for it before making one on it. -------------
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Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 22:46
Sorry, yes I did do a poll like that before, http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=47087& - An Artful Poll , but it doesn't count because: a) I included many more "Art" options b) It was not part of a greater tournament c) And most importantly, Art Garfunkel won. And yes I did vote for Art Zoyd, and would again, but it was, and still is, a tough choice. I was seriously into Art Bears at the time. Neat things about such polls, like Area vs. Gong, The Soft Machine vs. Magma, Henry Cow vs. Amon Duul II, The Residents vs. Tangerine Dream, and Univers Zero vs.Koenjihyakkei, is that whichever way the vote turns out, a band I really like wins! However, I think the results of Art Zoyd or Art Bears vs., say, Nightwish or Torman Maxt would also be satisfying.http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=47087& - |
Posted By: MovingPictures07
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 22:49
Nightwish v. Torman Maxt!! -------------
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Posted By: Queen By-Tor
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 22:51
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finally! A poll that Nightwish would win!
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Posted By: horsewithteeth11
Date Posted: October 14 2008 at 22:52
Amen! ------------- 
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Posted By: MovingPictures07
Date Posted: October 15 2008 at 01:46
Are you guys sure? I should make a poll on that. -------------
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Posted By: Thandrus
Date Posted: October 15 2008 at 02:06
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Camel Forever!!! In my Top 3 prog bands. Well. GG... ? interesting, not more, not nearly as inspiring. P.S. How long do these "battle of stardom" matches last? are there some fixed times or anything else? |
Posted By: Kapitan_Mrok
Date Posted: October 15 2008 at 03:01
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EASY. Camel FTW ------------- Terra Tegit Terram |
Posted By: splyu
Date Posted: October 15 2008 at 03:03
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Well, I'll have to go with Camel here. Gentle Giant... I tried real hard with them, but they just never really did it for me. I recognize their talent (it's hard to ignore, obviously), but I could never really take them to heart. I even decided to give them yet another try just a while ago (after a long abstinence), and put on In A Glass House, but couldn't even finish side one. Simply not my cup of tea. Camel, on the other hand, I really love those guys' music. Granted, it's not as complex as, say, Genesis or Yes. But it just feels right. Those guys knew exactly what they were after (probably still do, but I couldn't say as admittedly I've hardly heard any post-Moonmadness stuff, just a song here and there. I'll get around to it eventually.  ) Personally, I'd place them at the very top of the second tier of 70s sympho. |
Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: October 15 2008 at 03:53
| Gentle Giant, but I might vote for Camel on another moment. Both are great. |
Posted By: Norbert
Date Posted: October 15 2008 at 13:21
| Gentle giant is one of my absolute favourite bands, while I consider Camel just very good. |
Posted By: Luke. J
Date Posted: October 15 2008 at 13:30
| For me, Camel is among my favourite bands of the seventies. I like the relaxed, but nevertheless complex style of their music. On the other hand, I always found Gentle Giant hard to enjoy. If I am in the mood for them, I take them over Camel, but that happens quite seldom. This way, Camel gets my vote. |
Posted By: MovingPictures07
Date Posted: October 15 2008 at 15:03
Each match roughly lasts 72 hours. -------------
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Posted By: Epignosis
Date Posted: October 15 2008 at 15:14
| All right, went with Gentle Giant. But I was this close to sitting this one out. |
Posted By: Bj-1
Date Posted: October 16 2008 at 17:56
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Definitely Gentle Giant, one of my favorite bands ever, although I really like Camel as well!
------------- RIO/AVANT/ZEUHL - The best thing you can get with yer pants on! |
Posted By: poslednijat_colobar
Date Posted: March 15 2009 at 14:44
| Longer and constant career for Camel, but GG have a couple of highest quality albums! I'm votiong for GG! |
Posted By: micky
Date Posted: March 15 2009 at 14:48
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------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |