Gentle Giant

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Gentle Giant formed out of the blues based (and later psychedelic) group Simon Dupree & The Big Sound in 1970, which featured the multi-instrumental Shulman brothers Derek Shulman, Ray Shulman, and Phil Shulman. They joined with guitarist Gary Green, keyboard player Kerry Minnear, and a series of drummers (John Weathers most consistently, also Martin Smith and Malcom Mortimore) to play music beyond the scope of ordinary rock, though with still a hint of blues in Green’s guitar. Minnear’s elaborate arrangements featured elements of both medieval polyphony and twentieth century composition.

In particular, the complex four-part vocal arrangements give the band its unusual character, with each part functioning independently rather than forming simple harmonies. The instrumental parts were just as complex, often featuring interlocking parts often in odd meters, all backed by a solid drum pattern.
Cello, violin, recorder, saxophone, and vibraphone (all handled by band members) figure prominently in the arrangements in addition to Minnear’s keyboards.

The band took their name in tribute to the giant Pantagruel from the satirical Renaissance fiction of Rabelais. The band disbanded in 1980.

Ray Shulman went on to become quite a renowned producer at the alternative scene from the late Eighties and onwards, working with oddball likeminded, but musically extremely competent indie acts such as Icelandic The Sugarcubes and Danish art-pop group The Poets (originally Poets Of The Signature, in the US and Canada known as The Sealand Poets).

Tagged as:

progressive rock, art rock, progressive, classic rock, rock
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John Peel Session (16th Sept 1975)
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Mercin wrote:
Wednesday morning

yes they are!

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ioria50 wrote:
Tuesday afternoon

they are the prog!

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Mercin wrote:
Monday morning

Great Band!

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placental_fluid wrote:
Sunday evening

"There is no prog rock that suck ". Oh man...

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gentleGIANTplay wrote:
7 days ago

Happy Christmas! my digital catalog is on sale as a special price of 7.99 for most of the albums at http://www.thinkindie.com All the bonus tracks on the digital releases are exclusively available at iTunes.com and remastered CDs from the original 1/4 inch recordings of FREE HAND, IN A GLASS HOUSE, POWER AND THE GLORY will be available January 26, 2010

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MaidenSlayer wrote:
16 days ago

Gentle Giant I must say is incredible. Not an avid fan but the release "Gentle Giant" is amazing. I'd classify that album more Jazz Fusion Rock than Prog Rock.

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gentleGIANTplay wrote:
18 days ago

My music is now available on http://digital.thinkindie.com/#, Come find it!

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progtrance7 wrote:
19 days ago

Underrated band. So much talent....

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rickividal wrote:
19 days ago

They're incredible! <3

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crimsonking93 wrote:
20 days ago

@gnirrednow: There is no prog rock that suck

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gnirrednow wrote:
22 days ago

this is so idiotic yet so good at the same time. prog rock that doesnt suck

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t0p31r4 wrote:
26 days ago

AdoOoOoOoOrooOoO essa banda maravilhosa!!

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jaricleiv wrote:
28 days ago

Одна из лучших прог-групп Англии всех времен. К концу карьеры драйва и безумия уже меньше, не так интересно.

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OlavOrganist wrote:
November 2009

One of the best prog groups, somewhat better than Yes and Genesis in my opinion.

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Idelxau wrote:
November 2009

the Best of the bEst of the beSt of the besT ololo

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Eywin wrote:
November 2009

If you want similar to GG: http://www.last.fm/music/Et+Cetera They sound exactly like GG, but with a female singer and they sing in French.

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MaidenSlayer wrote:
November 2009

Anybody know some good prog rock bands similar to Gentle Giant ?

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MaidenSlayer wrote:
November 2009

One of the greatest Prog Rock bands.

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grumfossil wrote:
November 2009

mazza79: Start with Octopus, and then Free Hand. Enjoy :)

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Klaezman wrote:
November 2009

Never start with the masterpiece (Octopus?) dude. A good start would be their first (Gentle Giant).

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