Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Gentle Giant's "Octopus"
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- Опубликовано: 30 ноя 2022
- Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Gentle Giant's "Octopus"
Released on Dec. 1, 1972, Octopus is an absolutely perfect title for an album that branches off in so many strange, thrilling directions: No bones about it, Octopus is one of the most complex and technically dazzling in the history of progressive rock.
This music is so dense, so challenging, so utterly bizarre (and was so, even during the band's '70s heyday) that it's often overlooked, even by prog obsessives. It takes a special kind of listener to digest a song like "Knots," a dizzying whirlwind of overlapping, madrigal-tinged vocal harmonies, discordant glockenspiel, and jaunty piano breaks. But for the dedicated, open-minded (and, let's face it, weird) listener, it's transcendent, totally unique music that sounds like no other band on the planet.
Phil Shulman stated, "The eight pieces (on the album) were originally intended as musical portraits of the band and roadies but found their own identity in the making. The title came from Bobbi, my wife, who recognized eight pieces with very different arms as a fair reflection of the band then."
-Ryan Reed, Ultimate Classic Rock
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![Gentle Giant: The Most Intricate Rock Band of All Time? Part 1 [Progressive Rock Guitar]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cgzzpl0GgY0/mqdefault.jpg)
One of the most underrated bands of the time. One of the great bands of the 1970s
Only of the 70's?
Or perhaps underappreciated and misunderstood, and, of all-time. Even if we weren't there or won't be. The music lives.
They made the music like that on porpouse.
Octopus is their "easier to like" piece
_Octopus_ (1972) is a masterpiece.
Every GG album is a masterpiece.
I agree!
A life-changing album for me, and I'm sure I'm not alone in that!
Same, exelent album
That’s a fact, Jack!
Ditto that 🐙
Absolutely, a great album to come back to again and again and again
My first exposure to the band
I was introduced to progressive rock in 2002 by our flute player, Cheung Yiu Munn. He was then 18 and from Hong Kong...yet he was superbly knowledgeable about late 1960s and early 1970s progressive rock groups. Prior to meeting him, my love of music focused exclusively on baroque and 20th century classical works...and nothing else! Well, after sampling 2 or 3 tracks each of Jethro Tull, Yes, King Crimson, Genesis, The Family and Van Der Graff Generator (and only The Family really impressed me at the time) I listened to Gentle Giant and it happened to be this album. I could not believe what I heard! I listened to the entire album...then made a mug of tea, rolled a cigarette and listened to the whole album again. By the end of the month I had purchased ALL their studio albums (which means, of course, I had to endure the shabby pop pap of the final 3 which, though superbly played, are not impressive as music, at least compared to what came before it). From Giant to Interview there's not a single track I don't enjoy. Three Friends (especially Schooldays) and Octopus (especially Knots, Boys In The Band and Think Of Me With Kindness) are probably my favourites. Our own group, UNIT, began to explore progressive rock territory as a result of my acquaintance with all this music and our sound changed accordingly although we never sounded like Gentle Giant. How could we? I mean, how could any group sound like them? Splendid stuff.
There really IS no other band that can, or will, EVER touch GG, in terms of virtuosity, invention, and vision.
They truly WERE...
A "one-off" 😊
They created their own genre and occupied it alone. The best.
The first one with Pugwash on the skins! Weathers is a unit behind that drum kit and octopus really shows just what he bought on his first album with the band
Absolute masterpiece. Gentle Giant was a major force in contemporary music, a unique ensemble with an unmistakable sound. Thanks for the great music you made. Fortunately, there are new generations discovering the band, so it's still alive and kicking.
I have always wondered why they have retired. Wouldn it be good if Gentle made a new album?
They didn't reach a real success at the time and after years of touring they decided to give up. That's the official statement, at least. Except for Gary Green, they have been out of making music as a band (or music at all) for years. In a late nineties interview, Ray Shulman says that he didn't play the bass since the band stop touring. And that was forty years before! I agree, it's a pity. But bands splitting were too dramatic in those days.
Don't get me wrong, as much as I like Renaissance and Aphrodite's Child, Gentle Giant will always be the single most talented band of all time.
Unrivaled multi-instrumentalist progrock.
Blimey! Was it really 50 years ago that I bought this album? I can still remember the day I first heard "Knots", and wondered how on earth they managed to fit all those vocal parts together.
Do people really still say blimey?
One of the most underrated bands,the most underrated musicians EVER.Especially Gary Green.Why no Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?Criminal!
I was 12. I recorded the Octopus medley from the Alan Freeman show one Saturday afternoon. I played on the rope swing in the woods near my grandfather's place, with the track playing on my cassette recorder, which I had hanging from a tree. You can get that medley on the BBC sessions CD.
One of my favorites including Glass House, The Power and the Glory and Free Hand.
Endless love for GG ❤
Happy birthday, Octopus!
I only discovered Gentle Giant this year so I’m a bit late to the party, but they’re quickly becoming an all time favourite. Playing the Game is my favourite track of the year, it is simply perfection. What a band!
That's the same song that made the light bulb come on for me. Have been enjoying the heck out of their work since. Cheers!
That repeated melody is so infectious
I listened to it this morning, also a favorite of mine. No matter how often I have heard it over the years, I still enjoy it. GG always brings a smile to my face.😊
Yeh me too, i dont consider myself a prog fan at all but these guys were their own genre entiely. I like how their albums take you on a journey with loads of twists and turns but are only 35 mins long.. They never get boring.
The last album with brother Phil. What an amazing display of musical thought and dexterity...music that runs the gamut from midieval folk(Raconteur Troubadour, Dog's Life) to explosive jazz-rock(The Boys in the Band) to sympathetic balladry(Think of Me With Kindness)to complex vocal and percussion arrangements(Knots). Yes boys and girls, there's something in this specimen jar containing an eight tentacled octopus to satisfy the most curious of music aficionados. One of the best "progressive music" albums of all time!
Landmark album that thrusted Gentle Giant into the mainstream.
Happy 50th Anniversary to this masterpiece!!!
Work of geniuses!! One of the best albums ever. I don’t think they were underrated, those who knew them back then had extreme admiration and respect to say the least. The problem was they were not widely known, too uncommercial, it takes time to get into the thing. Regular people don’t spend enough time.
Happy 50th Anniversary to a towering achievement. Octopus is phenomenal. And this here video was well crafted. Thanks for the effort.
"Octopus" was my first LP and is still one of my favorites it just came out when I heard it and it was mind blowing!!!
I loved it from the first time I put it on the turntable. A little less than 50 years because it was very difficult to find Gentle Giant records in Brazil. And I found my CD copy in a small store in Iowa City in 1989. Congratulations!!!
Happy birthday to the eight-legged cephalopod 🎉🎉🎉🐙
50th anniversary, but back then, it was 50 years ahead of times, so pretty contemporary now.
Fantastic album!!!! I've loved this band since the early days when I first heard Three Friends! I turned a lot of friends on to their cerebral brand of Prog!!! Not many bands were this sophisticated back in the day. Musical yes, but Gentle Giant topped them all!!! I was fortunate to see them albeit just once, their performance level was stunning!!!
Happy anniversary! What a great album this is, i shall think of you with kindness!
First I bought and loved Three Friends, Octopus was my second LP. Sadly I never saw them live, but I love my DVDs... An very underrated band of the seventies, and a band for musicians...
Magnificent, one of the greatest works of art of the 20th Century. 50 years later it remains as fresh, exciting and inspirational as it did back then. You guys are my heroes!
People who didn't know Gentle Giant, today they are having the opportunity to know and are amazed.
Octopus is one of the best to start the journey. This is realky cool.
Bravissimo to Gentle Giant!
The complexity of a work is equaled only by the pleasure of its discovery!
It's not given to everyone to appreciate such complex musical structures -yes!-, but oh! how RICH! such literary or pictorial works in which one can easily get lost yes!
So, should we go back to the simplicity of a piece like Think Of Me With Kindness (piano/organ...) or Isn't It Quiet & Cold (violin/cello...) for comforting simplicity.
The pleasure of rediscovering the subtleties of a work means that we return to Gentle Giant with ALWAYS the same certainty of hearing the same piece again in a different way.
How many times have I played any piece of GG to a friend and discovered all these little musical scores under the main ones, as if there were several pieces in the same room.
But yes, polyrithmy, polystructure is not for everyone!
But those who indulge in it come back with great pleasure and I AM TO MY GREAT PLEASURE AS A MUSIC LOVER!
This is perhaps a bit of what explains why GG is still listened to today. You have to believe that there are still people who refuse the musical simplicity and so standardized that current music presents to us.
I know, there is still good music for music lovers, but we are so invaded by standardized music that it is good to return to a more fragmented world like Gentle Giant!!!
Phil had some Serious sideburns!
I'm sure Noah can convince his dad to do a little 50th Anniversary tour 😉
the most underated prog band on the planet an absaloutley brilliant band of players brilliant live would have loved to seen the regeneration three friends
Always shocked at how many people “just didn’t get it”. IMHO one of the best and most creative bands in rock’s history.
Love you guys! (In platonic way :-))
They played "Boys in the Band" on the Radio in early 1973. My biggest key experience musically!
Gentle Giant: to know and to love!
Truly masters of prog
This masterpiece holds a special place in my heart. Has it really been that long ago? Timeless music.
Excellent album by the band that epitomizes progressive music. They ARE progressive music, and they still are the best
a masterpiece
Excellent excellent album. ❤️ 🏆
absolute masterpiece that changed my life.
The perfection of the Progressive Rock. Inimitable, unique band.
The best of the best of the best ...
Loved the video. 😍 Goes without saying I love the album 🥰 My intro to the boys in the band, and possibly my favourite.
Felicidadeees, es de mis discos favoritos de principio a fin, saludos desde Chile
Start to finish this is just an amazing album.
Congrats 🎉 and Thanks ❤
My giant mole acquiring friendship strides all the way back to SD&TBS´s "Kites", so of course "Octopus" was a swell swirl Christmas acquisition :)
Glory to the Missing Free House Civilian Interview.
I was fortunate to see them live a couple of times and even designed the poster for their gig at Southend Tech´s student union Rag Ball back in my art school daze.
Oh my god 50 Years of Gg octopus, super classic exelent prog álbum, 🎩
.
. Giant's Best Record !
.
Love you guys!
Well, guess I know which GG album (CD) I'll be repeatedly playing today.
Great !
Disc of total excellence.
Happy birthday, truly a great birthday to celebrate!
50 years ago these masters were way ahead of any of modern posers!
💞💞💞💞💞💞💞
50 ANNI!
Amazing album. Had it been more successful in its reach, it would be widely considered a "music-changing" album, as what the critics said about Miles Davis' music.
IMHO the compositions on this record are more song-oriented than in previous efforts such as Acquiring the taste. The fact that they started to pour their composition techniques into a song structure helps this album to be more accessible.
Kerry Minnear is really out of this world. And "think of me with kindness" is one of most perfect songs ever composed.
Thx Noah for making this vid. Remeber the former days discovering GG music. Free Hand is my favorit album. Think of me with kindness from Octopus is the best of this Lp in my opinion.
I remember when it came out, I actually studied it pretty intensively for at least 4-5 years, to try to understand everything they were doing, musically. While this DID help me hear some of the esoterica which I missed upon initial review, I'm afraid there are still some levels to the composition which I have yet to fully appreciate. It's that good.
Even this short montage contains about 60 musical ideas...1 every 2 seconds, lol.
Bellissimo ! 💖
Beautiful collage!!!
Their best imo
🎉🤘🏻
now i wonder which song resembles who of the band. whos the existentialist? whos the troubador?
usally green colour
I can't relate to their so called music, to me it's like someone put a load musical notes in a bag and gave it a good shake and tipped it all out.I just don't understand their music.
Oh well your giant loss i feel sorry for you
@@1359401 Don't feel sorry for me,I am so happy in my own music bubble. I'm sure we could have something in common in music. Respect your opinion.
My "In a glass house" shirt arrived the other day ❤
Raconteur Troubadour, A Cry for Everyone, Think Of Me With Kindness 🥲 If I ever get a tattoo, I can't go wrong with an octopus.
Gentle Giant: to know and to love!