One of the Greatest Classic Prog bands ever Lee, all fantastic Multi-instrumentalists 🎶 I saw them 6 times at their height from 1974' to 1977' in Boston, CT to NYC and they were always great on stage, fun and precise musically ! And more popular now than ever finally 👍🎶🎸🎹🎤🎻🥁🎷🪘🎺🎼✌
Apart from the song being so good in itself, the instrument transitions were fantastic - all the while singing these incredibly complex counterpoint harmonies. They were and still are a level above pretty much all popular music since the 70s.
next week i will be 72, over the years i have heard the name Gentle Giant. today is first time i have heard a song...............oh my fucking god!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i have truly missed out. thanks for this Lee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lee-- got to see Gentle Giant a few times live back in the 70's. Always jawdropping! They truely were on a higher level than just about everyone. You literally watched and listened with your mouth agape at their talent level. All this and--they were so FUN! You laughed at the same time as being awestruck. Never will be another act like them. THe bassist/violinist,Ray Shulman,recently passed away. RIP. Please keep investigating them. You WILL be rewarded every time. Cheers, T
Those two songs back to back hooked me. Their ability to do this onstage is just incredible. John Weathers is like the Dude's rug, tying everything together.
This is my absolute favorite cut of their's. Chrysalis was Jethro Tull's label too. Saw an interview with Derek Schulman, not too long ago. He became an AR man later on. One of his jobs was to get Ann Wilson of Heart to the Tonight show where she was to appear. When he got there, The Roots, the Tonight Show band, when they found out the AR guy was the singer of Gentle Giant, they huddled around him to talk leaving Ann Wilson in the corner.
There’s a YT video entitled “Gentle Giant Live in Long Beach 1975 Full Concert” well worth checking out. It’s them in their prime and about a half hour long.
The trio of albums they did in the mid 70's (In A Glass House - The Power & The Glory - Free Hand) is them at their absolute peak, and prog at its most creative.
I've heard (and read interviews with) people who saw them live in my home town in the mid-seventies. They were absolutely thrilled for sure - and these were people who had recently seen Frank Zappa, Return to Forever and Jethro Tull at the same venue. Clearly GG were a unique band...I have their 1977 live album which is absolutely brilliant.
Saw them at the Wollmann Rink in Central Park NYC in 1978. We went to see Starcastle, the opening act, and when they were done I was going to go home. But my friend convinced me to stay, and I have owed him ever since. Their live album is IMHO the greatest live album ever. They sound like eight people at once in this song!
I know you've reacted to Proclamation, but seriously, you have to react to the Fan's version, it'll blow your mind! The band members are sprinkled in it as they are now. And Jakko from King Crimson is a fan participating in it. It's truly special.
This version is different from the studio version. Try the Steve Wilson remix for a comparison. On Reflection is one of my favorite compositions of the last century (only as far as I know them, of course). It has everything I love Gentle Giant for.
There's a Swedish GG tribute band which is really nice... ruclips.net/video/kvr0EaNFIjI/видео.htmlfeature=shared The founder of "Egentligen Giant" is "Dan Bornemark" who had contact with some of the GG members. Dan's two very talent daughters and other friends are the "boys in the band" Dan worked with Kerry and Ray Shulman and fan Dan Bornemark of Sweden to create Under Construction, a 2-CD collection of unreleased GG tracks, and market it on the Internet. Dan has worked with the band on further Internet-related projects, including a Bon Jovi video site in 1997 (remember, Derek signed them) and some GG-related ideas. In 2000, he created an online store for Alucard Music (for free) so they could sell their CDs. (Alucard migrated to a new store in 2014.)
Yes I agree Lee, you have come a "Long" way Grasshopper ! 🦗 😉 From the 70s Kung Fu TV show 📺 😄 My a suggest a great early GG song even before "Octopus" .... It's (The House, The Street, The Room) from "Acquiring The Taste" from 1971' the 1st GG album I heard and this song especially shows many of the style & sounds to come from Gentle Giant ! 👍🎶🎼✌ ruclips.net/video/HKxGn0UwI-8/видео.html .... Eerie, whimsical using all their instruments then at the halfway point Gary Green's very heavy Riff and solo 🎸along with Minnear's Hammond 🎹🎵🎼 Enjoy
If you go there ( and you know you should ) make sure it’s the same BBC Concert footage . Other versions have inferior sound quality snd camera work . Your welcome , all the way from downunder 👍
Lee as a drummer you must listen to from the same concert video a song called So Sincere Live - and wait for the ending and give your thoughts on….. well you have to listen for that!!
John Weathers's absolutely pounding his drums in a straight ahead style holds everything together. Love that he showcases a gentle touch on the vibes. Love Gentle Giant, they are the band that prog bands listen to for inspiration.
As the comments clearly bear out, every GG fan has different favourites - which is always a good sign. I'm a 'more complex is more betterer' type, so it's Acquiring the Taste & Octopus. So much so that I can't repress flashbacks at my first sight of the horror that is the N.American cover for the latter. Yikes!
great song... theGentle Giant album THREE FRIENDS from 1971 is one of the best prog albums... ever. And it is unfortunately... one of those albums that is like Brian Wilson's Smile, Dark Side of the Moon or Thick as a Brick... you really have to listen to the album from beginning to end. So... I'm suggesting it to you, but it's probably something you should listen to in your free time...lol.
I left a comment for this video reaction 'bout 15 minutes ago. Rather than appear here it bolted to yer Gentle Giant "Knots / Octopus" video which was released 8 months ago. Got me to wonderin' how that happened 'n why? What it is?
How often do you hear low female contralto voices in popular music? Agree, they are rare. The "dramatic contralto" voice is a very rare gift. And how often do female contraltos have a range of 3 octaves? It's hard for me to remember even one name. And a dramatic contralto of 4 octaves? At 21 years old!? Such voices are born once in 100 years. But if you add to this the richest overtones that you have heard in women, which can only be compared with a male bass, a phenomenal ability to extract two or even more notes at once (lower plus upper register, polyphonic voice!? polyharmonic), phenomenal speed of switching registers, the most complex vocal techniques, including yodel. And I want to see your surprised eyes and open mouths when you react to her!
Meet Diana Ankudinova! One of the most famous hits of the king of rock 'n' roll Elvis Presley in an unrivaled gorgeous, phenomenal performance by Diana Ankudinova ( 18 y.o.) Video title: Can't help falling in love (Stereo) - Diana Ankudinova @ ShowMaskGoOn, 1 ep. VERY IMORTANT, the video must be original (duration - 8.56m) from Diana's channel (1.51 million subscribers), NOT a short pirated copy from "brocoli" with 12 million views. 16 million views 360k likes 17 thousand comments - total 1436 reactions to this performance by Diana. ❗ATTENTION: Videos from TV shows are often blocked by RUclips and video EDITING is required. MV, live performances are available for unlimited reactions WITHOUT EDITING.
See more of this and other concerts and be ready to be gobsmacked by the wide variety of instruments they play and their extraordinary virtuosity
One of the Greatest Classic Prog bands ever Lee, all fantastic Multi-instrumentalists 🎶
I saw them 6 times at their height from 1974' to 1977' in Boston, CT to NYC and they were always great on stage, fun and precise musically ! And more popular now than ever finally 👍🎶🎸🎹🎤🎻🥁🎷🪘🎺🎼✌
Apart from the song being so good in itself, the instrument transitions were fantastic - all the while singing these incredibly complex counterpoint harmonies. They were and still are a level above pretty much all popular music since the 70s.
next week i will be 72, over the years i have heard the name Gentle Giant. today is first time i have heard a song...............oh my fucking god!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i have truly missed out. thanks for this Lee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My wife is a HUGE fan of Elizabethan music, and says Gentle Giant would have been a big hit in Shakespeare's day!!!
11 albums in just 10 years by these guys. I enjoy every single one. Even when they moved away from Prog for the last few.
It just doesn't get any better than Gentle Giant. Hail the power and the glory!
My favorite studio album yes, but their very best is their "Live" Playing The Fool 👍🎶
Lee-- got to see Gentle Giant a few times live back in the 70's. Always jawdropping! They truely were on a higher level than just about everyone. You literally watched and listened with your mouth agape at their talent level. All this and--they were so FUN! You laughed at the same time as being awestruck. Never will be another act like them. THe bassist/violinist,Ray Shulman,recently passed away. RIP. Please keep investigating them. You WILL be rewarded every time. Cheers, T
Gentle Giants live album “playing the fool “ is their best album because the loosen up. An amazing album .
GG always better "Live" and my favorite GG album 👍🎶
"Free Hand" from this same concert is S Tier. It's the song where Gentle Giant finally clicked for me.
Those two songs back to back hooked me. Their ability to do this onstage is just incredible. John Weathers is like the Dude's rug, tying everything together.
So glad to see more GG! Some serious hocketing going on with utmost expertise!
I'd never heard of them and WOW!!! what a sonically interesting performance 😊
Gentle Giant toured with Jethro Tull in the early 70s. Understandibly, Ian Anderson is a fan. They share an English folk vibe.
Also like by Frank Zappa, Steve Hackett, Jon Anderson, Camel and more Classic Prog/Fusion guys ! 👍🎼
This is my absolute favorite cut of their's. Chrysalis was Jethro Tull's label too. Saw an interview with Derek Schulman, not too long ago. He became an AR man later on. One of his jobs was to get Ann Wilson of Heart to the Tonight show where she was to appear. When he got there, The Roots, the Tonight Show band, when they found out the AR guy was the singer of Gentle Giant, they huddled around him to talk leaving Ann Wilson in the corner.
Thanks Steve G for this pick! Love getting exposed to great music I missed out on when I was younger!
☮️❤️🎶
There’s a YT video entitled “Gentle Giant Live in Long Beach 1975 Full Concert” well worth checking out. It’s them in their prime and about a half hour long.
Incredible musicians!
Gentle Giant is where serious listeners go to test their prog chops.
The trio of albums they did in the mid 70's (In A Glass House - The Power & The Glory - Free Hand) is them at their absolute peak, and prog at its most creative.
I've heard (and read interviews with) people who saw them live in my home town in the mid-seventies. They were absolutely thrilled for sure - and these were people who had recently seen Frank Zappa, Return to Forever and Jethro Tull at the same venue. Clearly GG were a unique band...I have their 1977 live album which is absolutely brilliant.
Saw them at the Wollmann Rink in Central Park NYC in 1978. We went to see Starcastle, the opening act, and when they were done I was going to go home. But my friend convinced me to stay, and I have owed him ever since. Their live album is IMHO the greatest live album ever. They sound like eight people at once in this song!
The first concert I ever went to in 75 was YES and Gentle Giant! Great show! ✌️❤️🤟🥁
1975' was a great GG tour ! 👍🎶
After all this time I always go back to 3 friends.
Yep, this version is fine! Thanks, Lee!
Excellent - love GG - "You listen and you learn" - Exactly
Never heard of them. But im liking this.
One of Classic Progs Greatest band and thankfully many fantastic "Live" videos of the band ! 🎶
I know you've reacted to Proclamation, but seriously, you have to react to the Fan's version, it'll blow your mind! The band members are sprinkled in it as they are now. And Jakko from King Crimson is a fan participating in it. It's truly special.
And famously Frank Zappa liked GG!
This version is different from the studio version. Try the Steve Wilson remix for a comparison.
On Reflection is one of my favorite compositions of the last century (only as far as I know them, of course). It has everything I love Gentle Giant for.
oh shiiiiiiiit here we go
back like the police when you give them a fake name and they find out.
There's a Swedish GG tribute band which is really nice...
ruclips.net/video/kvr0EaNFIjI/видео.htmlfeature=shared
The founder of "Egentligen Giant" is "Dan Bornemark" who had contact with some of the GG members.
Dan's two very talent daughters and other friends are the "boys in the band"
Dan worked with Kerry and Ray Shulman and fan Dan Bornemark of Sweden to create Under Construction,
a 2-CD collection of unreleased GG tracks, and market it on the Internet.
Dan has worked with the band on further Internet-related projects, including a Bon Jovi video site in 1997 (remember, Derek signed them) and some GG-related ideas.
In 2000, he created an online store for Alucard Music (for free) so they could sell their CDs. (Alucard migrated to a new store in 2014.)
Here's a performance from this year:
ruclips.net/video/i2wtT854mbk/видео.htmlfeature=shared
Yes I agree Lee, you have come a "Long" way Grasshopper ! 🦗 😉
From the 70s Kung Fu TV show 📺 😄
My a suggest a great early GG song even before "Octopus" .... It's (The House, The Street, The Room) from "Acquiring The Taste" from 1971' the 1st GG album I heard and this song especially shows many of the style & sounds to come from Gentle Giant ! 👍🎶🎼✌
ruclips.net/video/HKxGn0UwI-8/видео.html .... Eerie, whimsical using all their instruments then at the halfway point Gary Green's very heavy Riff and solo 🎸along with Minnear's Hammond 🎹🎵🎼 Enjoy
Another level, indeed!
Top pick so far :) Love it! Ty, Steve G!
Lee ,
Please try Funny Ways from the same BBC concert . It is mind blowingly out of this world . Seriously 👍
If you go there ( and you know you should ) make sure it’s the same BBC Concert footage . Other versions have inferior sound quality snd camera work .
Your welcome , all the way from downunder 👍
An interesting group of minstrels. 🙂
A nice melodic transition.
Lee as a drummer you must listen to from the same concert video a song called So Sincere Live - and wait for the ending and give your thoughts on….. well you have to listen for that!!
Saw them 75 most unique band I’ve ever seen, the drummer was very original not your usual 4/4 timings
John Weathers's absolutely pounding his drums in a straight ahead style holds everything together. Love that he showcases a gentle touch on the vibes. Love Gentle Giant, they are the band that prog bands listen to for inspiration.
As the comments clearly bear out, every GG fan has different favourites - which is always a good sign. I'm a 'more complex is more betterer' type, so it's Acquiring the Taste & Octopus. So much so that I can't repress flashbacks at my first sight of the horror that is the N.American cover for the latter. Yikes!
When Prog tries to impress itself rather than the fans.
One of my favourite bans! You should check out the track Interview. There’s a promo video for it from the 70’s.
great song... theGentle Giant album THREE FRIENDS from 1971 is one of the best prog albums... ever. And it is unfortunately... one of those albums that is like Brian Wilson's Smile, Dark Side of the Moon or Thick as a Brick... you really have to listen to the album from beginning to end. So... I'm suggesting it to you, but it's probably something you should listen to in your free time...lol.
Yes - and the last track on the album is just so hypnotically glorious 👍🏼❤️
Gentle Giant album reactions when????
I love Knots and Octopus,,,,,,but, it isnt for everyone.....thats OK,,,,Ill keep it for myself LOL
I left a comment for this video reaction 'bout 15 minutes ago. Rather than appear here it bolted to yer Gentle Giant "Knots / Octopus" video which was released 8 months ago. Got me to wonderin' how that happened 'n why? What it is?
How often do you hear low female contralto voices in popular music? Agree, they are rare.
The "dramatic contralto" voice is a very rare gift.
And how often do female contraltos have a range of 3 octaves? It's hard for me to remember even one name. And a dramatic contralto of 4 octaves? At 21 years old!? Such voices are born once in 100 years. But if you add to this the richest overtones that you have heard in women, which can only be compared with a male bass, a phenomenal ability to extract two or even more notes at once (lower plus upper register, polyphonic voice!? polyharmonic), phenomenal speed of switching registers, the most complex vocal techniques, including yodel.
And I want to see your surprised eyes and open mouths when you react to her!
Meet Diana Ankudinova!
One of the most famous hits of the king of rock 'n' roll Elvis Presley in an unrivaled gorgeous, phenomenal performance by Diana Ankudinova ( 18 y.o.)
Video title:
Can't help falling in love (Stereo) - Diana Ankudinova @ ShowMaskGoOn, 1 ep.
VERY IMORTANT, the video must be original (duration - 8.56m) from Diana's channel (1.51 million subscribers), NOT a short pirated copy from "brocoli" with 12 million views.
16 million views
360k likes
17 thousand comments
- total 1436 reactions to this performance by Diana.
❗ATTENTION:
Videos from TV shows are often blocked by RUclips and video EDITING is required. MV, live performances are available for unlimited reactions WITHOUT EDITING.
Magical or Madrigal? Oh, both.
I'm disappointed.
They only played about ten different instruments in this song. I expected fifteen.
How dare they….😂
Lol 😆🤣 "So Sincere" 👍🎼🎶