30-disc studio & live box coming from Gentle Giant

Mammoth Gentle Giant box set to be released in December | Real Gone



20th September 2019 London: Madfish proudly present the ultimate box set of Gentle Giant music. Highly regarded in the prog-rock world for the 12 albums they released between 1970 and 1980, this comprehensive set sees the band’s catalogue augmented by 15 new concert albums: seven never previously released, seven never previously officially released and one never previously released on CD. The 30-disc total also includes two posthumous live/outtake albums and a Blu-ray bonus disc. Also included are books, posters, replica promotional items and much more.


Unburied Treasure will be released on 6th December and is limited to 2000 copies. You can pre-order it from here now: Gentle Giant - Unburied Treasure
Youtube link to box set trailer: –

Gentle Giant emerged from the ashes of chart hitmakers Simon Dupree and the Big Sound to become standard-bearers of the Seventies progressive movement. Their career often paralleled Genesis, their neighbours in the record racks, but while they frequently fought shy of commerciality – largely due to their pop past – and paid the price in sales terms, their uncompromising attitude won them a strong following in continental Europe.

They also enjoyed cult status in the States. When Frank Zappa was asked in 1978 who he was currently listening to, he namechecked Queen and Gentle Giant. (Coincidentally, Roy Thomas Baker not only engineered Giant’s earliest sessions but went on to produce the iconic ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’.)

Strictly limited to 2,000 copies, this lavishly presented collection is clad in Bob Venables’ new artwork, based on the iconic sleeve created by illustrator and Bowie alumnus George Underwood for the band’s Vertigo label debut in 1970. That full album has been remixed for this release’s Blu-ray disc by prolific rock musician Steven Wilson, whose reputation for remixing prog-rock classics in recent years is second to none. The remix is available in high resolution 96/24 Stereo LPCM, 96/24 5.1 surround LPCM and DTS-HD 5.1 surround mixes, and the instrumental mixes for every track are also included.

The foundation of the set is the dozen albums officially released during Gentle Giant’s 11 years as a recording act – but, for all their studio skills, Giant’s musical abilities were given freest rein on stage. Yet only one live album, 1977’s double vinyl Playing The Fool, was issued in their lifetime, so fans will be in seventh heaven at the prospect of 15 unreleased sets. Covering almost every period of the band’s existence, they allow the individual members’ multi-instrumental abilities to be appreciated to their fullest extent.

Arrangements were changed and refined from tour to tour, including many segues and medleys, so these concert recordings offer year-by-year evidence of the band’s progression. All the music, live and studio, has been remastered by Pete Reynolds, acclaimed for his work on the Wishbone Ash box of 2018.

The audio experience is enhanced by a magnificent 136-page coffee table book. This combines rare photographs and memorabilia with a painstakingly researched history by Alan Kinsman. A fan for 45 years, he has achieved the near impossible by interviewing all members of the band in depth, including Phil Shulman who left brothers Derek and Ray to pilot the band in 1973 after providing much of the initial impetus. The result is a must-read that will unlock many mysteries, clear up misunderstandings and finally give the music the context it deserves.

Also exclusive to this limited edition set are:

• A band photo signed by the classic line-up of Derek Shulman, Ray Shulman, Gary Green, Kerry Minnear and John Weathers.

• An exclusive 96-page tour history book compiled by Jack Skelly offering informed commentary on the live recordings, set lists, on-the-road memorabilia and more.

Two replica posters, one from Giant’s debut gig in 1970 and the other promoting 1974’s classic The Power And The Glory album.

Replicas of album giveaway items: the Playing The Fool LP booklet (included with the initial pressing only) and the Giant For A Day mask.

A replica of the jigsaw used to promote the ‘Missing Piece’ album.

The chance to win a reproduction of Giant’s rarest ever piece of memorabilia – a screen-printed mirror produced to promote The Power And The Glory; only 100 were originally created. A golden ‘missing piece’ included at random in one box set may be traded in by the lucky winner for this coveted item.

For too long prog-rock’s best-kept secret, Gentle Giant finally achieved wider recognition in 2015, upsetting the odds to scoop Prog magazine’s coveted Lifetime Achievement Award. Two years later, their home city of Portsmouth honoured their achievements both as a band and individually by inducting them into the Hall of Fame at the Guildhall; Derek went on to become a leading record-business figure, Ray a noted producer. Unburied Treasure is further recognition that this was a band ahead of its time, and one whose unwillingness to compromise has ultimately enhanced its legacy.

“Giant always set out to have a good time and to make sure the audience had a good time,” says drummer John Weathers. “We’d always go on and see if we could play better than we did the night before. I can’t wait to see this definitive box set.”

Derek Shulman would “like Gentle Giant to be remembered as a group with integrity. It wasn’t done for any other reason than simply being together playing music and challenging ourselves to be better. We hated compromise, and we had a lot of integrity in terms of what the music was about.”

For fans of quality progressive rock, Unburied Treasure is the motherlode.

 

Nice set!

I thought some of the early albums masters were lost forever hence why we didn’t get the first 3 albums fully remastered by Steven Wilson in 2017. Is there any indications that these masters were somehow recovered as this set is advertised with the mention: « the set includes remastered versions of the 12 albums the band released between 1970 and 1980... »

Unburied Treasure

 

The multitracks were lost, not the masters, from what I know
And Wilson dont do remastering, remixing!

 

I like that front cover. It reminds me of a human host/puppet children TV show from my youth, "The Friendly Giant", on CBC...

 

Great looking set.

 

Well, that's a lot more expensive than I was hoping for, but I'm still in.

Looks like the 'Giant On The Box' and 'Scraping The Barrel' material won't be included, then?

Confused by the claim that they were "prog rock's best kept secret" - has there ever been an article written on prog rock in the past forty years where they weren't mentioned? I recall them being pretty heavily promoted by Capitol back in the 70s.

 

Burning Shed link
Unburied Treasure

 

Right, this can be confusing but they advertise the full remixing of the first album by SW. Adding to confusion...

Anyway, looks like a nice set once again. Pricing is what it is...

 

So tempting, cheap too compared to Pink Floyd's TLY, almost a give away. Can I resist.

 

Yes, if they use Dan Bornemark's digital copies, because they were done in the 90s, their resolution is 16bit/48kHz.
The mix can then be done in a higher resolution to preserve all nuances. Plus the new remixed tracks will be in the same resolution (24/96) as the ones in Three Piece Suite.

 

Woo Hoo. Instant purchase for me. Can't wait to get my GG tresure.

 

I sure hope Brexit doesn't slow the manufacturing and delivery of this beautiful set down.

 

Very tempting indeed
But it's scary to see how mail orders from Burning Shed will be handled if / when / after that hazy Brexit happens.
I would be happier to order this from somewhere in continental Europe

 

Is Burning Shed the only place available to order this from? I'm basically ready to dive right in but I'm curious to know if there is a better deal (with shipping or whatever) from any other possible vendor.

 

Looking at the detailed list, six of the live shows are audience recordings.
I hope they are of decent quality.

 

I have zero GG so I am seriously considering this. I think the value is there in terms of quantity of material. But I am also interested in buying from a US distributor if available.

 

I see I have a reason to cancel that Pink Floyd preorder.

 

I would remain skeptical, as some of the released live albums are bootleg quality (Live in Santa Monica, The Last Steps), but that said, some of the live vault releases to date sound pretty good for non-multi-track recordings. I'll remain cautiously optimistic.

 

A little torn on this. It's a lot of music for the price, but it doesn't include the SW remixes that were recently released, which means it's not really an all-in-one shop. Minor gripe, I know, but still something that twigs out at least this fan.

I may be happy just sticking with the SW remixes I've picked up individually (and their included flat transfers) and passing on the set.

Though, I should ask: exactly how essential are live recordings by GG? From what I've heard, they were amazing live, but not exactly an improvisational live outfit - which makes me question how much of the live material would warrant repeat listening.

Be gentle with me on that inquiry. Short of Playing the Fool, I haven't heard their live stuff, so I'm strictly in the studio realm with the Giant.

 

How could GG possibly have simultaneously been "standard bearers for the Progressive Rock movement" and "for too long prog-rock's best-kept secret?"

I hope the package is better than the promotional copy.

 

Yikes, I just tried to order but the shipping to USA is about 60 sterling. I think I'll hold off and see if a US retailer offers these.

 

They often do change their song arrangements for live outings, but once changed, they stick pretty close to them throughout the tours. Songs like Funny Ways and the Octopus Excerpt take on lives of their own and can include little snippets of other songs (like Edge Of Twilight).

I have been satisfied with Playing The Fool and the King Biscuit sets and really will have to pass on this fine set as I have all the studio albums already. Glad it's getting released and the extras really are enticing.

 

Wayside will surely offer it soon:

WaysideMusic.com - Wayside Music

 

Thanks for the tip!

 

Yes, appreciated! I"ll definitely be checking on Wayside.