Saw these guys in the mid 1970's. The only band I ever saw where they rotated instruments after each song. The guitarist would play bass, then keyboards, then drums. Crazy talent. Such an under-rated band in an era where Kiss was top of the charts.
Gentle Giant might be my favorite Prog Band from that era, they are criminally underrated, it just baffles me. Gary Green’s playing is so rich and soulful.
Totally agree. Hardly anyone in North America ever knew these guys, yet their musicianship and creativity was easily equal to Crimson, Yes, Genesis, EL&P, etc. There management really messed up, never gave them a good chance over here.
You should listen (if you haven't already) to Echidna's Arf of You. Written about the same time as this song. Listen to Echidna's on Roxy and Elsewhere. It was recorded the same year as this concert. See the huge difference in quality?
The more I listen to Gentle Giant, the more I appreciate what a brilliant Drummer John Weathers is. Along with the rest of the band, he is right up there with the best.
We're the same age then!! I trust you've seen bands like Stickmen, Nick Masons Saucerful of Secrets (/ and Haken) in recent years? I'm playing some serious bass guitar now and it's allll prog inspired with a lean towards a metal intensity. Most prog bands like GG i firmly believe would be metal bands if they were a 2000's act - I look at bands like Rush and the snakes and arrows album; they were so closely rubbing shoulders with the progressive metal bands that neil peart was literally doing double kick patterns. GG makes me feel the same with their intensity 😊
Bravo on that part about having fun I've never seen members of the band smile More or playing live in these guys Especially Gary Green and Ray schulman
this just blew my head apart. i am still in disbelief that i only recently got into this band. i'm 48 and i've been a fan of all the titans of prog for years. so much of what i got into early-on was based on word of mouth, late night DJs on weird independent radio stations, and conversations with record store owners - but no one ever mentioned nor introduced me to this band! and i am in disbelief about that as well. gentle giant is right up there with all the greats, and clearly underrated, underappreciated, undermarketed, etc, etc. something is very wrong with this picture. i don't understand why none of those late night DJs or record store guys ever said or played or talked about any of it. i wasn't in a small market, either, as i grew up in the chicago area. plenty of eclectic radio on the lower end of the dial in those days. and, plenty of eclectic funky record stores all over. so how did i finally get into this band? youtube algorithm brought me to "in a glass house" (full album). i was in another room and had to come in to see what i was hearing, it was so good. so now i am addicted to this band! they would be one of my all-time favorites had i gotten into them back when i got into genesis, yes, rush, tull, kc, zappa, etc.. now they are a new favorite. better late than never!
Yo los acabo de descubrir esta noche. Diosito es tramposo a veces. No puedo entender como hasta hoy me ha ocultado tal maravilla. Buscando cosas de los KC, concretamente Islands, queria escuchar de nuevo Formentera Lady y pummm, youtube me ha plantado esto en las narices y no doy crédito. Son absolutamente estratosféricos.
Yeah, I don't know how they found him, but he was playing in a Chicago Blues-style band. I wonder what they saw in him, or what he saw in them. I would've loved to be there at the audition!
@@leelaine01 He responded to an ad in "Melody Maker", but had second thoughts when he saw "Simon Dupree and the Big Sound" (a pop group) on the bass drum! There is an archived interview if you check his Wiki.
You are absolutely a gazillion percent correct-My favorite bass player and multi instrumentalist in the greatest band of all time who is the most criminally underated player ever
Not only did he write some of THE most intelligent electric bass guitar lines of all time, the dude composed most of the parts to their songs! He and Kerry Minnear were the glue of GG.
I cannot imagine how embarassing it must have been to have Gentle Giant on as a supporting act with any band. They would upstage about anyone, except perhaps the Mahavishnu Orchestra with John McLaughlin, Jan Hammer, Jerry Goodman, Rick Laird and of course, the great Billy Cobham on drums. Mahavishnu could at times be very, very loud. I saw them when they opened for Jeff Beck and dang, they were LOUD! Gentle Giant had great dynamics, great counterpoint, switched instruments which they all played at an expert level. They really grooved even when they were playing unusual solos. The keyboard player was phenomenal, as was the drummer. Great vocal quality and definitely a band with great songs and vocal ability. These guys must have all gone to the Berkley School of Music or something! The flutes, the bass work and great guitar work are impressive also.
@@douglasmccomb2029 First time I saw them they were third on the bill, playing before Stray (who were very good too at what they did) and the top billed Groundhogs, who were who Davie and I had gone to see... we were blown away (Octopus was just on release) and we've been lifelong fans ever since.
The most unique band I ever heard, and they played these 13/11 time signature gems like they're frolicking on the beach! By this point they had these babies down to a science....😊
I have been amazed since I first heard them back when they came on the scene. Over the years, my admiration never flags. They are powerfully progressive alright!
What a phantastic performance! At least as good as the original studio recording! This band is unique! No words to praise them enough. My favorite track from my favorite album. I'm really happy to be born at the right time to grow up with bands like GG. I feel so sorry for the young people today because the most of them will never know what real good music sounds like.
Ahh Gentile Giant...like an aged single malt scotch...not for everybody, but once you're brave enough to "acquire the taste", you're hooked...thanks for the post!
a musician's musician band ; a once in a lifetime occurence , for shure, and soooo unrecognized , luckily less these days ;took a long time waking up to this exceptional phenomenon of music creation.Weathers is a badass drum hero.
Five brilliant musicians at the top of their game. Credit, too, to the BBC sound engineer, the mix is perfect! The first note of Gary's solo is staggering!
Gary Green is the most Underrated Guitar Player....Incredible Precision, Feel amd A Penchant for throwing a Blues solo anywjhere He could, then following it with sequences Bob Fripp woyld have been proud to play.
I absolutely love this band. Having 24 and listening to this with my dad is the best experience ever. They do deserve more credit for such creative and amazing music
I can't get over the quality of the sound recording for this video, it is exceptional. Never mind the the virtuosity of the players, the quirkiness of the composition, the multiple time signatures, and the blending of Funk, Folk and Rock into a prog masterpiece. This track and 'Two Weeks In Spain' turned me onto GG. The late great Ray Shulman and the monstrously talented John Weathers make up one of my favourite rhythm sections of all time. Only whish I could have seen them live and also chatted to Ray before he sadly passed recently.
Saw them open for Yes on their Relayer tour, which was Giant's Interview tour. I have still not recovered. Got to hang with Mr. Green quite a bit when he showed up at Progday 2006. What a great guy.
I was very young but already a fan when this record came out. Now, after more than 40 years, I listen to it again and understand where Steps Ahead and Mike Stern grabbed the idea of playing dissonant harmonies over funky grooves. Gentle Giant were light years ahead.
Saw them several times in small venues, right up front..never ceased to be amazed that they did their stuff live so incredibly. Constant changing of instruments ....all excellent on whatever they were playing. You could see how much they enjoyed what they were doing. Ray et al making hysterical faces. So exciting. Your heart was in your throat at the complexity. Cheeks literally hurt by the end of the concert because you spent so much time smiling. Even watching this now I get that swelling feeling in my chest...pure musical Joy. No one could touch them..... Man I miss those days. Thanks guys.
This was an outrageously underrated band... They were phenomenal musicians and composers. I completely love the contrapuntal vocals and especially the drummer's drumming!!!
Saw them in 1975 - astonishing concert and one that really did change my life - no exageration! Ray Shulman has got to be one of the most underrated bass players of all time.
The fact that Kerry starts the main figuration on the pinky of the left hand (at that speed AND at the strength it has to be played to make all the notes heard properly) just goes to show how great was his technique. And....he's dancing around!! I have to start that part on the ring finger of the left hand and it still gives me agita. You're the best, Kerry!
He was also an incredible xylophone player Saw then in concert New York City several times and could not believe how fast he was playing! Still boggles my mind to this day!
One of my favourite bands - saw them live in Toronto at Maple Leaf Gardens. Thank goodness we have these great videos and recordings (yes they COULD do it live).
R.I.P. Ray! Gentle Giant são eternos. Ray Schulman será sempre lembrado. SEMPRE!!! Uma das melhores bandas que ouvi e sempre nos meus gostos deste 70´s.
A very underappreciated prog band by the masses. You always hear talk of ELP, Yes, Genesis, etc., but these guys are an incredible band with a style and sound nobody can copy properly, with the versatility of the instruments they play. I have been listening to them since the 70s. They aren't the type of band you listen to everyday, but when you are in the mood, you really appreciate their talent.
I had youtube on autoplay, and thought it had the album version. But WTF, they do this LIVE. What an incredible bunch of musicians they are / were. I never get enough of listening to this music-redefining band of men. I had the incredible luck of being introduced to their music by the age of 9 or 10, by my elder brothers. When they came home on Friday, I ran up the stairs up with them to hear the new album that they'd bought. Imagine the imprint that Gentle Giant (and Genesis, Yes, ELP, Klaatu, and many others of the era) made on me!
david gilmour and gary green kings of prog guitar...they both managed to instill emotion in their intricate leads, solos, fills, rhythms, textures, and chords.
***** I heard Peeling the Paint for the first time when I was a teenager and that heavy ass riff....just got me. I'm 33 now, but at the time I was like "hey dad here is the sort of prog you should've been listening to when you were young, Pink Floyd is lame, this is heavy and yaddayadda" in typical teenager fashion. "Oh yeah?" My father gets up, walks over to his vinyls, pulls out the entire Gentle Giant collection from the rack, throws it on my lap and walks away smug as hell. "Have fun" :O
Obviously a lot of talented members in that group and it would have been easy for them to write music which catered for the masses yet they stayed true to themselves. I'd really like to thank them for that.
this was the year they released Giant for a Day, and it seems they were trying to present themselves a bit differently - even in the presentation of a classic like this track.
This was/is quite a fantastic band, whose music is very complex, and not always easily accesible, and was sadly overshadowed by other progressive bands at the time, but I am glad that they are being recognized again, with constant releases of their albums.
This performance is kick ass I love Weathers, and Derek Shulman sure does have some killer moves, and he bounces around like a rabbit.I cant get enough of these guys they are just so damn awesome everytime I watch this I have to get up and groove around the office.My co-workers think I am crazy-they just havent been Giantized yet!!
Saw them in the early 70's backing up Yes. They were incredible. That was such a magical time for music. Progressive Rock never is mentioned anymore but I'll tell you those musicians were extremely talented. I'm just glad I got to hear all the great bands live. Aerosmith to Zeppelin in their heydays. I feel very lucky to have witnessed that.
The music these guys squeezed out may endure and grow forever. I believe they are up there with the greats. Sadly, we are stuck with noise like gaga and beyonce.
This music is SO complicated.. it's just unbelievable.. As funky as it is, no American funk or soul band could EVER play this: just too far out of their reach musically... Gentle Giant was an incredible phenomenon.
larry urbon ...The Brecker Brothers, maybe...but I agree it's way more orchestrated than anything TOP or Funkadelic/Parliment would perform. Don't think that makes it "better", though :-) It's funky, but it's lack of silence in the orchestration keeps it from being (or ever becoming) a "funk groove". AWB's "Cut the Cake", Parliment's "Knee Deep", Zapp's "More Bounce to the Ounce"...they all have mad levels of syncopation like this...but they also have that space/silence that allows you to "get your head bob on"! Lol
Umphreys McGee are the only ones with half a chance to duplicate something similar. But this Gentle Giant is the standard by which I measure musicianship.
I just talked to a keyboard player who I turned on to GG in the late 70's and he told me that they inspired him to pursue a career in music. GG are transformative...
Tremendous stuff from one of the great prog bands. Great musicians all and one of my favourite tracks. They should have got far more recognition but maybe they were just too complex for the average ear. It's difficult to describe how good Gary Green is on guitar, Ray Shulman on bass and Kerry Minnear on keyboards.
I was fortunate enough to see these guys play in New York City when I was 13 years old. And I was then a budding young bass player, in awe of Ray Shulman, every note he played. So, to "set the stage," this was Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, a beautiful arena set up for Classical Music. Good acoustics, and you can hear everything, including the audience. And then, in the middle of the show, Ray Shulman takes a bass solo. And, of course he is ABSOLUTELY shredding it. In the middle of his solo, someone shouts from the audience, full volume "DO IT RAY!!!!" And, without skipping a beat, Ray Shulman STOPS his bass solo, and without condescension or attitude, he shouts back "I'm doing it! I'm doing it!" and then he starts his solo, without skipping a bit, or losing any energy. It was a surreal moment, I say. There is no peer for the guy.
RIP Ray, one of the finest multi-instrumentalist of our lifetime
genius
Absolutely agree. Extraordinary musician.
I just read it now. Didn't know it. RIP Ray!
mastermind
No doubt.
No doubt indeed...
Saw these guys in the mid 1970's. The only band I ever saw where they rotated instruments after each song. The guitarist would play bass, then keyboards, then drums. Crazy talent. Such an under-rated band in an era where Kiss was top of the charts.
Not a musician huh? Most half decent musicians play at least one other instrument.
John Thompson and you probably never played live if you think that is easy to pull off. (You probably did but you sound like a dick)
John Thompson you wouldn’t talk that shit if you saw GG own it live.
and the string section too from Kerry Minnear and Ray Shulman on songs like On reflection, funny ways
@@JohnInTahoe Which other bands have you seen do this live? The parent comment's point is that this is rare for a band to do. What was your point?
Gentle Giant might be my favorite Prog Band from that era, they are criminally underrated, it just baffles me.
Gary Green’s playing is so rich and soulful.
Who did peeps vote 4 in 2019? ........................ Get my drift?
In retrospect, lead vocals a bit weak, but I still love them!
Arguably the Most under-rated band. Ever.
Absolutely-without a doubt
Totally agree. Hardly anyone in North America ever knew these guys, yet their musicianship and creativity was easily equal to Crimson, Yes, Genesis, EL&P, etc. There management really messed up, never gave them a good chance over here.
@@twtobin941 I'm so glad I got to see them, as well as the four other bands you mentioned.
Maybe 300 years from now they'll get the proper appreciation
Hard to get over the vocals. The instrumentation is incredible
Jazzy, funky, folky, classical, avant garde, they did it all!
Their music truly defied description
You left out Medieval & Renaissance!!
...often in the same song 😊
Yes, thx for reminding me!!!@@BarrettBarfinsky
It's not just the complication of the music, it's how tight they are while they're doing it. Pretty astounding performance.
You should listen (if you haven't already) to Echidna's Arf of You. Written about the same time as this song. Listen to Echidna's on Roxy and Elsewhere. It was recorded the same year as this concert. See the huge difference in quality?
@@tixximmi Are you trying to one up a 10 year old comment of a guy who's not even being critical of FZ and the MOI?
It's the funk.
The more I listen to Gentle Giant, the more I appreciate what a brilliant Drummer John Weathers is. Along with the rest of the band, he is right up there with the best.
ABSOLUTELY! Amen, Bro..
Couldn’t agree more!
My new fav Drummer!!!
When you're a 26 year old huge fan who never got to see them live, footage like this is precious. hail....hail.....hail....
I'm an 18 year old fan
24 year old fan here, I agree
I'm 97 (I am not joking) and I love Gentle Giant.
We're the same age then!! I trust you've seen bands like Stickmen, Nick Masons Saucerful of Secrets (/ and Haken) in recent years?
I'm playing some serious bass guitar now and it's allll prog inspired with a lean towards a metal intensity.
Most prog bands like GG i firmly believe would be metal bands if they were a 2000's act -
I look at bands like Rush and the snakes and arrows album; they were so closely rubbing shoulders with the progressive metal bands that neil peart was literally doing double kick patterns.
GG makes me feel the same with their intensity 😊
Saw them in the 70s, supporting Wishbone Ash, I think...
Kids will be studying this for years to come
This is some of the best sounding bass I have ever heard.
That's because it's maestro Ray Shulman!
i so love that music sounding...that's GENTLE GIANT!
+ jannick top
He's never on the 'Great Bass Player' lists, but he should be. Not only complicated and melodic, but the tone he produced was magnificent.
Fender P bass with a pick, round round strings, into a mildly pushed valve amp and voila, you’re there
I have never heard a better band than Gentle Giant. These guys were the standard of musicianship, performance, composition, and just having fun!
Bravo on that part about having fun
I've never seen members of the band smile More or playing live in these guys
Especially Gary Green and Ray schulman
@@tommyrawlings3046 Just look at Pugwash in any of the clips, he's having the time of his life!
this just blew my head apart. i am still in disbelief that i only recently got into this band. i'm 48 and i've been a fan of all the titans of prog for years. so much of what i got into early-on was based on word of mouth, late night DJs on weird independent radio stations, and conversations with record store owners - but no one ever mentioned nor introduced me to this band! and i am in disbelief about that as well.
gentle giant is right up there with all the greats, and clearly underrated, underappreciated, undermarketed, etc, etc. something is very wrong with this picture. i don't understand why none of those late night DJs or record store guys ever said or played or talked about any of it. i wasn't in a small market, either, as i grew up in the chicago area. plenty of eclectic radio on the lower end of the dial in those days. and, plenty of eclectic funky record stores all over.
so how did i finally get into this band? youtube algorithm brought me to "in a glass house" (full album). i was in another room and had to come in to see what i was hearing, it was so good. so now i am addicted to this band! they would be one of my all-time favorites had i gotten into them back when i got into genesis, yes, rush, tull, kc, zappa, etc.. now they are a new favorite. better late than never!
better late than never!
Yo los acabo de descubrir esta noche. Diosito es tramposo a veces. No puedo entender como hasta hoy me ha ocultado tal maravilla. Buscando cosas de los KC, concretamente Islands, queria escuchar de nuevo Formentera Lady y pummm, youtube me ha plantado esto en las narices y no doy crédito. Son absolutamente estratosféricos.
No other band brought such soul and funk to the prog-rock genre. Absolutely awesome live recording here.
I really admire Gary Green - he was basically a blues guitarist, but he really commits to the intricate style of 'the Giant'.
Yeah, I don't know how they found him, but he was playing in a Chicago Blues-style band. I wonder what they saw in him, or what he saw in them. I would've loved to be there at the audition!
@@leelaine01 He responded to an ad in "Melody Maker", but had second thoughts when he saw "Simon Dupree and the Big Sound" (a pop group) on the bass drum! There is an archived interview if you check his Wiki.
They all played the blues back then.
When Giant closed shop, didn’t Green move to Peoria Illinois, and play at blues clubs?
Gary Green is an extremely talented guitar player. You can hear elements of jazz, rock, blues and folk in his playing.
Man, these guys were UNBELIEVABLE!
R.i.P: Ray Wizard Genius of Bass and almost all Instruments and also voice .. your legacy will live forever..
Amen to all that!
Ray Shulman FTW. Hands down the most under appreciated electric bass player of all time. This is not hyperbole!
You are absolutely a gazillion percent correct-My favorite bass player and multi instrumentalist in the greatest band of all time who is the most criminally underated player ever
Not only did he write some of THE most intelligent electric bass guitar lines of all time, the dude composed most of the parts to their songs! He and Kerry Minnear were the glue of GG.
@@FreneticZetetic Yes, I believe those two were the true geniuses behind the music.... though ALL were incredible musicians.
AND HE PLAYS WITH A PICK!
Tom Fowler and Randy George are both better and less known
Wow, this live version tops the studio track. Unreal, it's so good.
STILL my favorite progressive rock band. Incredible musicians!
I cannot imagine how embarassing it must have been to have Gentle Giant on as a supporting act with any band. They would upstage about anyone, except perhaps the Mahavishnu Orchestra with John McLaughlin, Jan Hammer, Jerry Goodman, Rick Laird and of course, the great Billy Cobham on drums. Mahavishnu could at times be very, very loud. I saw them when they opened for Jeff Beck and dang, they were LOUD!
Gentle Giant had great dynamics, great counterpoint, switched instruments which they all played at an expert level. They really grooved even when they were playing unusual solos.
The keyboard player was phenomenal, as was the drummer. Great vocal quality and definitely a band with great songs and vocal ability. These guys must have all gone to the Berkley School of Music or something! The flutes, the bass work and great guitar work are impressive also.
@@douglasmccomb2029 First time I saw them they were third on the bill, playing before Stray (who were very good too at what they did) and the top billed Groundhogs, who were who Davie and I had gone to see... we were blown away (Octopus was just on release) and we've been lifelong fans ever since.
The most powerfull progresive band on planet earth
The most unique band I ever heard, and they played these 13/11 time signature gems like they're frolicking on the beach! By this point they had these babies down to a science....😊
I have been amazed since I first heard them back when they came on the scene. Over the years, my admiration never flags. They are powerfully progressive alright!
oh yeah! just WOW
Diddo. They did more for progressive rock than any other band, save maybe Yes
In their own strata...
i had forgotten how awesome they were...
This was my GG initiation 15 years ago. This is probably the most important video I've watched in my entire life.
The best 1st dance wedding song of all time.
LOL
What a phantastic performance!
At least as good as the original studio recording!
This band is unique!
No words to praise them enough.
My favorite track from my favorite album.
I'm really happy to be born at the right time to grow up with bands like GG.
I feel so sorry for the young people today because the most of them will never know what real good music sounds like.
This goes to show that the best bands aren't always the ones you hear on the radio
Ahh Gentile Giant...like an aged single malt scotch...not for everybody, but once you're brave enough to "acquire the taste", you're hooked...thanks for the post!
That guitar solo is amazing. Genius band!
His he good? Man...he is better than so many other of theses guitarists of that era and stil....
The guitar solo is one of my favourites ever. Paired with the bass, and organ, it sounds like 70's car chase music in the coolest way possible.
Amazing that they can be so tight on something so complicated! Wow....
Very well noted!
thats what being a profesional means
Len Audsley No fooling
Tight and also very funky!john weathers , fab drummer
@@Phoebedumplings Agreed, loved his drumming with GG.. .. gave their music the power it needed, more so than earlier albums.
This live version rocks so much harder than the studio version with new instrumental sections added.
Rest in peace, Ray. No bassist understands composition quite like you did.
The best musicians I have ever heard!
the greatest most criminally underated band ever
Drummer is fantastic.
a musician's musician band ; a once in a lifetime occurence , for shure, and soooo unrecognized , luckily less these days ;took a long time waking up to this exceptional phenomenon of music creation.Weathers is a badass drum hero.
Prog's Finest !!! These guys were awesome..
One of the best ever. Sheer brilliance.
Five brilliant musicians at the top of their game. Credit, too, to the BBC sound engineer, the mix is perfect! The first note of Gary's solo is staggering!
Love how they changed the arrangement from the studio album...these guys ROCK!
How in the hell could they play such a complex, polyrhythmic, multi-layered tune like this -- live -- so cleanly, so flawlessly?
Great tone on that Fender Precision Bass.
all around! The drums are glorious.
An incredible rhythm section here...and the guitarist isn’t too bad either
I particularly like Kerry's clavinet/electric piano combo myself.
Gary Green is the most Underrated Guitar Player....Incredible Precision, Feel amd A Penchant for throwing a Blues solo anywjhere He could, then following it with sequences Bob Fripp woyld have been proud to play.
Dear Raymond Shulman Rest In Peace
These guys rock so hard! It's pretty cool how these guys are so into their performance, it shows their true musicianship.
impressive the talent of this band, the way they perform complex arrangements with ease and joy. For me, the best prog band ever, unmatched.
one of the greatest! criminally underated!
I absolutely love this band. Having 24 and listening to this with my dad is the best experience ever. They do deserve more credit for such creative and amazing music
They are/were the greatest most criminally underated band ever
the only band i ever heard zappa say he was listening to.
Saw them in 80 on their last tour. Played over 2 hours. Even played songs I thought no way can the play it live. I was totally mind blown.
Great guitar solo starts here: 4:18
I can't get over the quality of the sound recording for this video, it is exceptional. Never mind the the virtuosity of the players, the quirkiness of the composition, the multiple time signatures, and the blending of Funk, Folk and Rock into a prog masterpiece. This track and 'Two Weeks In Spain' turned me onto GG. The late great Ray Shulman and the monstrously talented John Weathers make up one of my favourite rhythm sections of all time.
Only whish I could have seen them live and also chatted to Ray before he sadly passed recently.
I'm not even a bassist, but I recognise Ray's genius throughout this, as well as many other of their tracks.
This song got me dancing with intensity at 6:05 AM before work... the power (and the glory) of gentle giant.
I was blessed to have seen them live in 77 at the Fox Theater in Atlanta.
Undoubtedly the best band ever. These people are genius.
Yes you are absolutely correct and i would also add that they are/were the most criminally underated band ever
With the possible exceprion of Cardiacs, I completely agree
Procol Harum also very underrated!
Saw them open for Yes on their Relayer tour, which was Giant's Interview tour.
I have still not recovered.
Got to hang with Mr. Green quite a bit when he showed up at Progday 2006. What a great guy.
A circus of music! Most entertaining of all the prog bands in my eyes...and ears...I Love them !!
I was very young but already a fan when this record came out. Now, after more than 40 years, I listen to it again and understand where Steps Ahead and Mike Stern grabbed the idea of playing dissonant harmonies over funky grooves. Gentle Giant were light years ahead.
Saw them several times in small venues, right up front..never ceased to be amazed that they did their stuff live so incredibly. Constant changing of instruments ....all excellent on whatever they were playing. You could see how much they enjoyed what they were doing. Ray et al making hysterical faces. So exciting. Your heart was in your throat at the complexity. Cheeks literally hurt by the end of the concert because you spent so much time smiling. Even watching this now I get that swelling feeling in my chest...pure musical Joy. No one could touch them..... Man I miss those days. Thanks guys.
I keep coming back to watch the guitar solo. Such amazing use of phrasing and melody.
drummer looks like he popped in from 2010s.
kuburga k dude I swear I thought the exact same thing
kuburga k And he also plays like a drummer in 2010!
God forbid these kids start wearing Andy Pandy overalls too, there’s only so many retro visions that essay taste successfully.
Theo Katzman from vulfpeck with more beard
@@christianbalzer8101
Reercanation maybe😄
Stunnig guitar playing from Bill Hicks
This was an outrageously underrated band... They were phenomenal musicians and composers. I completely love the contrapuntal vocals and especially the drummer's drumming!!!
More like the greatest most legendary genius criminally underated band ever
@@1359401 I agree!
Saw them in 1975 - astonishing concert and one that really did change my life - no exageration! Ray Shulman has got to be one of the most underrated bass players of all time.
The fact that Kerry starts the main figuration on the pinky of the left hand (at that speed AND at the strength it has to be played to make all the notes heard properly) just goes to show how great was his technique. And....he's dancing around!! I have to start that part on the ring finger of the left hand and it still gives me agita. You're the best, Kerry!
He was also an incredible xylophone player
Saw then in concert New York City several times and could not believe how fast he was playing! Still boggles my mind to this day!
solch fantastischen musikstil hat es vorher und auch nachher nicht gegeben.einfach einmalig!!!!!!!!!!
Adventurous and tight at the same time. Doesn't get any better than that.
One of my favourite bands - saw them live in Toronto at Maple Leaf Gardens. Thank goodness we have these great videos and recordings (yes they COULD do it live).
Saw them with Tull in the 70’s
I love watching drummer John Weather! He gives it everything. He really was the rocking heart of this band.
R.I.P. Ray! Gentle Giant são eternos. Ray Schulman será sempre lembrado. SEMPRE!!! Uma das melhores bandas que ouvi e sempre nos meus gostos deste 70´s.
During the piano break at 1:31 Green does some really tasteful slides that aren't on the album recording.
So funky
A very underappreciated prog band by the masses. You always hear talk of ELP, Yes, Genesis, etc., but these guys are an incredible band with a style and sound nobody can copy properly, with the versatility of the instruments they play. I have been listening to them since the 70s. They aren't the type of band you listen to everyday, but when you are in the mood, you really appreciate their talent.
Nice musicianship.
I really like that drummer.
Great band. They played at my school in Blandford Forum Dorset.
I did not know that they vere a schol band❤
Giant for ever one of the best bands ever
Yes!
Major prog band👍👍👏👏❤️
I had youtube on autoplay, and thought it had the album version. But WTF, they do this LIVE. What an incredible bunch of musicians they are / were. I never get enough of listening to this music-redefining band of men. I had the incredible luck of being introduced to their music by the age of 9 or 10, by my elder brothers. When they came home on Friday, I ran up the stairs up with them to hear the new album that they'd bought. Imagine the imprint that Gentle Giant (and Genesis, Yes, ELP, Klaatu, and many others of the era) made on me!
david gilmour and gary green kings of prog guitar...they both managed to instill emotion in their intricate leads, solos, fills, rhythms, textures, and chords.
I'm 12 years old and i've been listening to this since i born, every time i listen to Gentle Giant It feels like the first time
I think this is the best song to start with Gentle Giant
Mine was Nothing At All from their eponymous album. My favourite though is I Lost my Head.
***** I heard Peeling the Paint for the first time when I was a teenager and that heavy ass riff....just got me.
I'm 33 now, but at the time I was like "hey dad here is the sort of prog you should've been listening to when you were young, Pink Floyd is lame, this is heavy and yaddayadda" in typical teenager fashion.
"Oh yeah?"
My father gets up, walks over to his vinyls, pulls out the entire Gentle Giant collection from the rack, throws it on my lap and walks away smug as hell.
"Have fun"
:O
+SoilentGr33n Wow, owned, but with a full collection of GG vinyls ... I envy you :D
Riff from working all day is unbeatable.
if you're looking for a heir for your gg records, i would be a great nominee :) :/
They fill my brain to the ultimate Maximum.
Obviously a lot of talented members in that group and it would have been easy for them to write music which catered for the masses yet they stayed true to themselves. I'd really like to thank them for that.
RIP Ray. Thanks for your incredible talent.
Brilliant band. Saw them do the whole album back in the day at Hammersmith. Such talent
Me too 😀✌️🏼
🐂💨💨💨💨💨💨
this was the year they released Giant for a Day, and it seems they were trying to present themselves a bit differently - even in the presentation of a classic like this track.
This was/is quite a fantastic band, whose music is very complex, and not always easily accesible, and was sadly overshadowed by other progressive bands at the time, but I am glad that they are being recognized again, with constant releases of their albums.
WTF...seeing them live...OMG...respect...so this was them...I was 16 and wondered what they looked like...live
This is MUSIC, plus the words makes a whole lot sense!
Condolences to the member who recently went ahead on. RIP, and may his family, friends, and fans find some solace in this time of grief 🕊🌹💯
This performance is kick ass I love Weathers, and Derek Shulman sure does have some killer moves, and he bounces around like a rabbit.I cant get enough of these guys they are just so damn awesome everytime I watch this I have to get up and groove around the office.My co-workers think I am crazy-they just havent been Giantized yet!!
A stunning performance by an impossibly talented combination of musicians. Never bettered. In retrospect, the best Prog Rock band ever. Period.
AbsoSmurphly!!
Oh the 70s… the definite decade of the best progressive rock ever
i have all of this bands albums. no other band sounds quite like gentle giant . unique.
What a great group!👍
This is awesome.
RIP MASTER Ray Shulman, and THANK YOU!!!
Saw them in the early 70's backing up Yes. They were incredible. That was such a magical time for music. Progressive Rock never is mentioned anymore but I'll tell you those musicians were extremely talented. I'm just glad I got to hear all the great bands live. Aerosmith to Zeppelin in their heydays. I feel very lucky to have witnessed that.
The music these guys squeezed out may endure and grow forever. I believe they are up there with the greats. Sadly, we are stuck with noise like gaga and beyonce.
They are easily the greatest most criminally underated band ever
I remember seeing them at The Schaffer Music Festival in Central Park NYC 1976. I still have the program brochure
This music is SO complicated.. it's just unbelievable.. As funky as it is, no American funk or soul band could EVER play this: just too far out of their reach musically... Gentle Giant was an incredible phenomenon.
larry urbon ...The Brecker Brothers, maybe...but I agree it's way more orchestrated than anything TOP or Funkadelic/Parliment would perform. Don't think that makes it "better", though :-) It's funky, but it's lack of silence in the orchestration keeps it from being (or ever becoming) a "funk groove". AWB's "Cut the Cake", Parliment's "Knee Deep", Zapp's "More Bounce to the Ounce"...they all have mad levels of syncopation like this...but they also have that space/silence that allows you to "get your head bob on"! Lol
I'd love to see Phish give it a go.
Parliament funkadelic comes close
It is my humble opinion that Eddie Hazel could sure play a mean guitar like this, but as a whole Funkadelic/Parliament don't come even close.
Umphreys McGee are the only ones with half a chance to duplicate something similar. But this Gentle Giant is the standard by which I measure musicianship.
I just talked to a keyboard player who I turned on to GG in the late 70's and he told me that they inspired him to pursue a career in music. GG are transformative...
Tremendous stuff from one of the great prog bands. Great musicians all and one of my favourite tracks. They should have got far more recognition but maybe they were just too complex for the average ear. It's difficult to describe how good Gary Green is on guitar, Ray Shulman on bass and Kerry Minnear on keyboards.
How about that GREAT drummer???
I was fortunate enough to see these guys play in New York City when I was 13 years old. And I was then a budding young bass player, in awe of Ray Shulman, every note he played. So, to "set the stage," this was Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, a beautiful arena set up for Classical Music. Good acoustics, and you can hear everything, including the audience. And then, in the middle of the show, Ray Shulman takes a bass solo. And, of course he is ABSOLUTELY shredding it. In the middle of his solo, someone shouts from the audience, full volume "DO IT RAY!!!!" And, without skipping a beat, Ray Shulman STOPS his bass solo, and without condescension or attitude, he shouts back "I'm doing it! I'm doing it!" and then he starts his solo, without skipping a bit, or losing any energy. It was a surreal moment, I say. There is no peer for the guy.