History Music / GentleGiant

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

[[quoteright:275:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Gentle_Giant_6879.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:275:The classic lineup. Left to right - Derek Shulman, Ray Shulman, Gary Green, John Weathers, Kerry Minnear]]
->''"It is our goal to expand the frontiers of contemporary popular music at the risk of being very unpopular. We have recorded each composition with the one thought - that it should be unique, adventurous and fascinating. It has taken every shred of our combined musical and technical knowledge to achieve this. From the outset we have abandoned all preconceived thoughts of blatant commercialism. Instead we hope to give you something far more substantial and fulfilling. All you need to do is sit back, and acquire the taste."''\\
--Sleeve text from ''Acquiring the Taste''.

Gentle Giant were an English ProgressiveRock band active in the 1970s. Formed out of the ashes of Simon Dupree & The Big Sound, who had a BlackSheepHit with the single "Kites", they are notable for being one of the most experimental and versatile of the prog bands of that era.

Every member was a multi-instrumentalist who often switched instruments during a single song. This made up for very intricate arrangements and a GenreRoulette style of music in which one song could vary between hard rock, jazz, medieval tunes, baroque counterpoint, modernist sounds and soft ambience.

All of the members were multi-instrumentalists who often switched instruments during a single song. This made up for very intricate arrangements and a GenreRoulette style of music in which one song could vary between hard rock, jazz, medieval tunes, baroque counterpoint, modernist sounds and soft ambience.

Many prog-heads consider them to be one of the 'hardest' prog bands out there. In fact they are not that hard to listen to, however, since the compositions focus on catchy melodies, rhythms and clever songwriting in general. The compositions are very concise, not as long as the typical prog-fest and played almost totally clinically. This is not to say, however, that the band was dry or unemotional. It was noted by one fan that what made this band different from many other progressive rock bands was their almost {{punk|Rock}}ish energy while playing and clear enthusiasm for the music they were performing live. (Just see their Website/YouTube videos for clear examples.)

* GenreRoulette: UpToEleven... [[SerialEscalation and then some.]]

* NeoclassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly: Early on, they were very blues-influenced, but later had medieval and classical influences as well. Later albums included reggae-, new wave- and punk-tinged songs.

* MohsScaleOfRockAndMetalHardness: 1–5.

They have a very extensive [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gentle_Giant article]] on [[Wiki/{{Wikipedia}} The Other Wiki]].

Gentle Giant were an English ProgressiveRock band active in the 1970s. Formed out of the ashes of 60s' psychedelic group Simon Dupree & The Big Sound, who had a BlackSheepHit with the single "Kites", they are notable for being one of the most experimental and versatile of the prog bands of that era.

Gentle Giant were an English ProgressiveRock band active in the 1970s.

They are notable for being one of the most experimental and versatile of the prog bands of that era. All of the members were multi-instrumentalists who often switched instruments during a single song. This made up for very intricate arrangements and a GenreRoulette style of music in which one song could vary between hard rock, jazz, medieval tunes, baroque counterpoint, modernist sounds and soft ambience. Many prog-heads consider them to be one of the 'hardest' prog bands out there. In fact they are not that hard to listen to, however, since the compositions focus on catchy melodies, rhythms and clever songwriting in general. The compositions are very concise, not as long as the typical prog-fest and played almost totally clinically. This is not to say, however, that the band was dry or unemotional. It was noted by one fan that what made this band different from many other progressive rock bands was their almost {{punk|Rock}}ish energy while playing and clear enthusiasm for the music they were performing live. (Just see their Website/YouTube videos for clear examples.)

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: The album cover for ''Acquiring the Taste'', which shows a tongue drooling over someone's buttocks.[[note]]It's actually a [[BaitAndSwitch peach]].[[/note]]

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: Before forming Gentle Giant, the Shulman brothers played in a blue-eyed soul group called Simon Dupree & The Big Sound. When their [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Imf3NyO27Js attempts in soul]] proved commercially fruitless, they tried their hand at psychedelia (while still going under the Simon Dupree moniker) and got a Top Ten hit with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0svzLY-u7E "Kites"]]. During this time, they ended up touring Scotland with the then unknown Music/EltonJohn substituting for their ill keyboardist, Eric Hine. When they couldn't follow up the success of "Kites", they made the Beatles-esque single "We Are The Moles", this time going by The Moles. Due to the hype surrounding the anonymity of the Moles (at one point, it was speculated that Music/TheBeatles themselves had made it), sales of the single started to pick up, but quickly petered out when Syd Barrett (yes, ''that'' [[Music/PinkFloyd Syd]] [[Music/SydBarrett Barrett]]) spilled the beans on the project. Eventually, the Shulman brothers gave up on Simon Dupree & The Big Sound and, out of its ashes, formed Gentle Giant.
** The Syd Barrett story was denied by Barrett-biographer Rob Chapman, who actually took credit/accepted the blame for starting that rumour, along with some other rumours, pertaining to Syd.