About

I like the progrock genre including bands like: Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Genesis, Yes and others like Marillion or Gryphon. Recently I discovered Gentle Giant. The band was active between 1970 and 1980. Their style was complex including influences of jazz, folk, soul and classical music. Including medieval baroque and chamber music.

Simon Dupree & The Big Sound - Without Reservation (album cover)

The band started with 3 Scottish-Jewish brothers: Phil, Derek and Ray Shulman. They were encouraged by their father who was an army musician and later jazz trumpeter. They called themselves Howling Wolves and later the Road Runners and then Simon Dupree and the Big Sound. Simon Dupree is in fact Derek Shulman who was the leader and lead vocalist, Phil played saxophone and trumpet and Ray played guitar and violin. Simon Dupree and the Big Sound released a few singles which didn't chart and were forced by their management and label to do psychedelic music. This resulted in their first top 10 hit "Kites" in 1967 as well as an album "Without Reservation". The follow-up to "Kites" failed to chart. Then they released a double a-side single as the Moles "We Are The Moles (parts 1&2)" to get rid of the direction of psychedelic rock. First people rumoured that the Moles were in fact the Beatles with Ringo Starr doing lead vocals but Pink Floyd recognized Simon Dupree and the Big Sound in the single.

The Gentle Giant as displayed on their debut album

In 1970 they founded Gentle Giant expanded with Gary Green (guitar, mandolin, recorders and more), Kerry Minnear (keyboards, vibraphone, cello and more) and drummer Martin Smith who had previously drummed for Simon Dupree and the Big Sound. The 3 brothers did lead vocals on the songs.

The name of the band was based around a giant who loved a band of musicians from the Renaissance tales of François Rabelais. Each album of the band included the use of 64 instruments played by the members of the band. Their untitled debut album was produced by Tony Visconti but with a disappointing recording quality. After the second album "Acquiring the Taste" Martin left the band and was replaced by Malcolm Mortimore.

The album "Three Friends" from 1972 was the first concept album about 3 childhood friends who became a road digger, an artist, and a white-collar worker. But is also is a reference to the 3 brothers in the band. In the US a representation of the debut album was used as the album cover. Later the album "Octopus" was in the US also replaced with another album cover (replacing the one by the legendary Roger Dean). In all cases these replacements were bad. Malcolm Mortimore injured himself in a motorcycle accident and was replaced by John Weathers. The new line-up recorded the album "Octopus" named because the album existed of 8 songs in total. An octo opus so to speak. After this album Phil left the band due to disagreements with his brothers. More great albums followed like "In A Glass House" with a theme around the saying of "Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones" and "The Power And The Glory" (wth an album cover representing a playing card and the concept for the album was based on the corruption of power and how people on the bottom are affected by the people on top.

Gentle Giant in 1974

They signed a new record deal with Chrysalis in 1975 but success started to decline. They were searching for a new style and direction but failed. Their progrock fusion of medieval style with complex bridges was more in favour by the fans.

Discography

  • Gentle Giant (1970)
  • Acquiring The Taste (1971)
  • Three Friends (1972)
  • Octopus (1972)
  • In A Glass House (1973)
  • The Power And The Glory (1974)
  • Free Hand (1975)
  • Interview (1976)
  • The Missing Piece (1977)
  • Giant For A Day (1978)
  • Civillian (1980)
Top 3

My top 3 at this moment (It can change through the years) is like this:

1. The Power And The Glory (1974)

2. Three Friends (1972)

3. In A Glass House (1973)
Tracklistings

The Power And The Glory (1974)
Proclamation / So Sincere / Aspirations / Playing the Game / Cogs in Cogs / No God's a Man / The Face / Valedictory

Three Friends (1972)
Prologue / Schooldays / Working All Day / Peel the Paint / Mister Class and Quality? / Three Friends

In A Glass House (1973)
The Runaway / An Inmate's Lullaby / Way of Life / Experience / A Reunion / In a Glass House

Videos
Simon Dupree & the Big Sound - Kites

School Days (Three Friends)
Proclamation (The Power And The Glory)

Experience - Live in 1975 (In A Glas House)
Playing The Game (The Power And The Glory)