Gentle Giant. . Whatever happened (merged several similar threads)

I've since learned that Phil is actually 81 and that Wikipedia had his birth year wrong.

 

I've only heard one Gentle Giant album in my life, Free Hand. I heard it at an age when buying albums was a well thought out purchase since we didn't have much money and tended to buy albums with which we were already at least pretty familiar. My best friend bought this album and I always enjoyed it when he played it so I bought it when I got in the Army and had a little pocket money.

Anyway, what other albums did they release that were musically along the same lines (adventurous and musically enoyable)? What I'm really asking is what albums of theirs are considered essential? I appreciate any help you can give me.

If it helps any I also enjoy Yes: The Yes Album, Fragile and Close To The Edge, early Rush, early Genesis, etc. .

Again, thanks for any tips you folks can give me on this subject.

 

One word: Octopus. You'll thank me later.

 

octopus !!!!!!

 

The Power and The Glory
In a Glass House

 

Also Aquiring the Taste.

 

Playing the Fool

 

I think everything until The Missing Piece.

 

Most of their 70s albums are outstanding, but I would recommend In A Glass House as being one of their most consistently successful efforts. It's a little more accessible than The Power & the Glory. Octopus is a winner as well.

 

Acquiring The Taste
Three Friends

 

One of the few albums where I have multiple version me of the same album.

 

Stay away from Missing Piece. Thats all I have to say.

 

From FH I'd go directly to The Power And The Glory, which is close in time and also stunning. (Even though my own favorite, like many, is Octopus.)

Nothing really wrong overall - far from it! - with The Missing Piece...

 

Mountain Time and Betcha Thought are utterly fecking dredful. GFAD is more consistent imo.

 

Missing Piece is worth it for Memories Of Old Days alone, very underrated album. I know people don't like to hear progressive rock bands doing anything different from what they're used to, ya know... progressing.

 

The Power and the Glory

 

If you like Free Hand, you can't go wrong with the Power and the Glory or Interview.

I personally prefer their earliest albums where they still had a bluesy hard rocking edge. Maybe you should wait for the upcoming release "Three Piece Suite" which contains tracks from their first 3 albums. Remixed by Steven Wilson.

 

Gentle Giant are amazing to SEE live as well as to hear live.

So I highly recommend the DVD Giant on the Box.

It has a 50 minute concert from 1974 from Belgium and 31 minutes of them live on USA TV from 1975.

Steve Wilson has remixed some their stuff in 5.1 (with their first three albums coming out on one blu-ray soon).
The 5.1 mixes are also highly recommended.

 

Sadly only a third of all the tracks remixed!

 

Do a search here for GG. This band has been discussed in depth.

 

I also think Power and the Glory should be the next purchase and concur that The Missing Piece is a fine, if less adventurous, album.

 

Two songs don't rate and you trash the whole album?

 

Octopus

 

I also like how the early albums contained some lusher/more atmospheric sounding tracks, especially the two Tony Visconti produced albums.

 

Anyone know the deal with the drummer, he always was moving funny and making odd facial expressions when he played, did he have Parkinson's or something?
Great drummer nonetheless!