History Music / GentleGiant

* {{Bookends}}: ''In a Glass House'' begins and ends with the sound of breaking glass. ''The Power and the Glory'' begins with the song "Proclamation" and ends with "Valedictory", a song [[DarkReprise based off of the same tune but on distorted guitars instead of keyboards]], as well as an overall darker mood.

* SomethingSomethingLeonardBernstein: The band has polyphonic songs in which multiple lyrical lines are sung simultaneously. Makes following the lyrics almost impossible without looking them up.

Gentle Giant were an English {{progressive rock}} 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)

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

!! '''''In a Glass Trope''''':

* ChristianRock: After they disbanded, Kerry Minnear, a Methodist convert, tried to make a career in this genre.

* ConceptAlbum: FOUR of them! (Specifically, ''Three Friends'', ''In a Glass House'', ''The Power and the Glory'', and ''Interview'').

* EpicRocking: Mostly [[AvertedTrope averted]]. Their compositions manage to encompass much more in less time, it seems. Atypically for a ProgressiveRock band, their average song length is about five minutes long. They did tend to mix things up live and play extended {{medley}}s, however.
** A complete list of studio songs over six minutes long from their first nine albums[[note]]Their last two albums, ''Giant for a Day!'' and ''Civilian'', do not have any songs over six minutes long[[/note]]: "Giant" (6:24), "Alucard" (6:02), "Nothing at All" (9:08), "Pantagruel's Nativity" (6:52), "The House, the Street, the Room" (6:03), "Plain Truth" (7:36), "Prologue" (6:14), "Schooldays" (7:37), "Peel the Paint" (7:32), "The Runaway" (7:16), "Way of Life" (7:53), "Experience" (7:50), "In a Glass House" (8:26), "Proclamation" (6:56), "Playing the Game" (6:46), "Free Hand" (6:16), "His Last Voyage" (6:27), "Interview" (6:54), "I Lost My Head" (6:59), "Memories of Old Days" (7:18), for a total of 20 examples. Most of their prog albums have two or three really long songs; the only one without any is ''Octopus'' (which still has "River", which almost qualifies for this trope at 5:51), while ''In a Glass House'' stands out having the most at four. Still, by prog standards their material is pretty short (as mentioned above their average song length on these albums is about five minutes), so one could say the trope is ZigZagged. Live, however, they definitely indulged in this trope; the medley of ''Octopus'' material on ''Playing the Fool'' is almost 16 minutes long, which qualifies even by prog standards, and that's not all.

* ProgressiveRock

* StudioChatter: Intentional on ''Interview''.

* HeAlsoDid: After the band folded in 1980, Derek wound up working in A&R for Atco Records - leading to him signing a little-known Long Island band called Music/DreamTheater in 1991.

* VocalTagTeam: All of the members sung. In the early stages the band had three lead vocalists: Derek for the rocky songs, Phil for the folksy, dreamy songs and Kerry for the classically-inspired ones. Gary Green & Phil Shulman both often sang harmony vocals, and John Weathers has been known to sing lead on a couple songs.

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: Before forming Gentle Giant, the Shulman brothers played in a blue-eyed soul group called Simon Dupree & The Big Sound. When their [[http://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 [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0svzLY-u7E "Kites"]]. When they couldn't follow that up, 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.

* AlbumTitleDrop: "Hail to power and to glory's way" appears in two songs on ''The Power and the Glory'': "Proclamation" and "Valedictory".

!!!1970–71:

!!!1971–72:

!!!1972–73: Classic lineup:

!!!1973–80: Final lineup:

!!!Studio discography:

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

!!! '''''In a Glass Trope''''':

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)

They went to making pop songs in an effort to garner commercial success at the end of the '70s. Their sound, however, still proved too complex to appeal to a wide audience and they disbanded in 1980.

* AllDrummersAreAnimals: [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWfmfgHXAfE Sexy animals, as this video and the top comment prove.]]

** A complete list of studio songs over six minutes long from their first nine albums[[note]]Their last two albums, ''Giant for a Day!'' and ''Civilian'', do not have any songs over six minutes long[[/note]]: "Giant" (6:24), "Alucard" (6:02), "Nothing at All" (9:08), "Pantagruel's Nativity" (6:52), "The House, the Street, the Room" (6:03), "Plain Truth" (7:36), "Prologue" (6:14), "Schooldays" (7:37), "Peel the Paint" (7:32), "The Runaway" (7:16), "Way of Life" (7:53), "Experience" (7:50), "In a Glass House" (8:26), "Proclamation" (6:56), "Playing the Game" (6:46), "Free Hand" (6:16), "His Last Voyage" (6:27), "Interview" (6:54), "I Lost My Head" (6:59), "Memories of Old Days" (7:18), for a total of 20 examples. Most of their prog albums have two or three really long songs; the only one without any is ''Octopus'' (which still has "River", which almost qualifies for this trope at 5:51), while ''In a Glass House'' stands out having the most at four. Still, by prog standards their material is pretty short (as mentioned above their average song length on these albums is about five minutes), so one could say the trope is ZigZagged. Live, however, they could definitely indulge in this trope; the medley of ''Octopus'' material on ''Playing the Fool'' is almost sixteen minutes long, which qualifies even by prog standards, and that's not all.

* FullCircleRevolution: The {{concept album}} ''The Power and the Glory'' seems to speak of this; the first song describes an autocratic ruler asserting his authority over the people; the following songs talk of an ambitious person attempting to gain power and set things right, but the final song on the original album is a [[IronicEcho reprise]] of the first, with the new chorus "Things must stay, there must be no change; anyway, time to rearrange"

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

* SanitySlippageSong: "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWTEKTcajg8 An Inmate's Lullaby]]" is about a man in a mental hospital.

** A somewhat humorous example also occurs on the song "The Face" from ''The Power and the Glory'', when one can quite audibly hear an enthusiastic "Oh, WOW!" after a very fast electric violin solo. Liner notes from a CD release reveal that this was Ray realizing he ended the solo a few bars too soon.

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)

Gentle Giant was an English {{progressive rock}} band active in the 1970s.

-->Derek Shulman – lead vocals, saxophone, recorder, keyboards, bass, drums, percussion, "Shulberry"

-->Kerry Minnear – keyboards, lead vocals (on recordings only), cello, vibraphone, xylophone, recorder, guitar, bass, drums
-->Gary Green – guitar, mandolin, vocals, recorder, bass, drums, xylophone

-->Kerry Minnear – keyboards, lead vocals (on recordings only), cello, vibraphone, xylophone, recorder, guitar, bass, drums
-->Gary Green – guitar, mandolin, vocals, recorder, bass, drums, xylophone

* TheBandMinusTheFace: The departure of Phil Shulman was this. Derek says that he still doesn't know how the album following this departure got made, but they managed to carry on.

* CommonTime: Mostly [[AvertedTrope Averted]]. Sometimes played straight and sometimes [[PlayingWithATrope played with]]: Often the time signature is 4/4, but the rhythms are still incredibly complex such as in the song [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIaG8a9ACYY So Sincere]].

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 punkish energy while playing and clear enthusiasm for the music they were performing live. (Just see their Website/YouTube videos for clear examples)

They went to making pop songs in an effort to garner commercial success at the end of the '70s. Their sound, however, still proved too complex to appeal to a wide audience and they disbanded in 1980.

Lineups:

* BookEnds: ''In a Glass House'' begins and ends with the sound of breaking glass. ''The Power and the Glory'' begins with the song "Proclamation" and ends with "Valedictory", a song [[DarkReprise based off of the same tune but on distorted guitars instead of keyboards]], as well as an overall darker mood.
* BreakUpSong: "Free Hand"

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: Before forming Gentle Giant, the Shulman brothers played in a blue-eyed soul group called Simon Dupree & The Big Sound. When their [[http://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 [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0svzLY-u7E "Kites"]]. When they couldn't follow that up, 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 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.
* EpicRocking: Surprisingly [[AvertedTrope averted]]. Their compositions manage to encompass much more in less time, it seems. They tended to mix things up live and play extended {{medley}}s however.
** Well, ''mostly'' averted. There are exceptions; "Nothing at All" from the first album is over nine minutes long and they have other fairly long songs. Atypically for a ProgressiveRock band, however, their average song length is about five minutes long.
** A complete list of studio songs from their first eight albums over six minutes long: "Giant" (6:24), "Alucard" (6:02), "Nothing at All" (9:08), "Pantagruel's Nativity" (6:52), "The House, the Street, the Room" (6:03), "Plain Truth" (7:36), "Prologue" (6:14), "Schooldays" (7:37), "Peel the Paint" (7:32), "The Runaway" (7:16), "Way of Life" (7:53), "Experience" (7:50), "In a Glass House" (8:26), "Proclamation" (6:56), "Playing the Game" (6:46), "Free Hand" (6:16), "His Last Voyage" (6:27), "Interview" (6:54), "I Lost My Head" (6:59), for a total of nineteen examples. Most of their prog albums have two or three really long songs; the only one without any is ''Octopus'' (which still has "River", which almost qualifies for this trope at 5:51), while ''In a Glass House'' stands out having the most at four. Still, by prog standards their material is pretty short (as mentioned above their average song length on these albums is just upwards of five minutes), so one could say the trope is ZigZagged. Live, however, they could definitely indulge in this trope; the medley of ''Octopus'' material on ''Playing the Fool'' is almost sixteen minutes long, which qualifies even by prog standards, and that's not all.
* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: The album ''Interview'' is a concept album of an interview.

* GenreRoulette: UpToEleven

* LargeHam: Derek Shulman's stage performance may come off as this.

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

* SanitySlippageSong: [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWTEKTcajg8 An Inmate's Lullaby]] is about a man in a mental hospital.

* WordSaladLyrics: "Knots" is described as a "musical jigsaw", inspired by Creator/RDLaing. It's further complicated by the complexity of the music.

The lineups:
!!!1970–72 Early line-up:
-->Phil Shulman: Lead vocals, clarinet, saxophones, trumpet
-->Derek Shulman: Lead vocals, saxophone, recorder
-->Ray Shulman: Bass, violin, trumpet, recorder, vocals
-->Kerry Minnear: Keyboards, vibraphone, cello, recorder, vocals
-->Gary Green: Guitars, recorder, vocals
-->Martin Smith: Drums (1970–71)
-->Malcolm Mortimore: Drums (1971–72)

!!!1972–80: Classic lineup:
-->Derek Shulman: Lead vocals, saxophone, recorder
-->Ray Shulman: Bass, violin, trumpet, recorder, vocals
-->Kerry Minnear: Keyboards, vibraphone, cello, recorder, vocals
-->Gary Green: Guitars, recorder, vocals
-->John Weathers: Drums, percussion, vibraphone, vocals

!!!Discography:

They have a very extensive article on [[Wiki/{{Wikipedia}} the other wiki]]:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gentle_Giant

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

----

* VocalTagTeam: All of the members sung. In the early stages the band had three lead vocalists: Derek for the rocky songs, Phil for the folksy, dreamy songs and Kerry for the classically-inspired ones.

** A complete list of studio songs from their first eight albums over six minutes long: "Giant" (6:24), "Alucard" (6:02), "Nothing at All" (9:08), "Pantagruel's Nativity" (6:52), "The House, the Street, the Room" (6:03), "Plain Truth" (7:36), "Prologue" (6:14), "Schooldays" (7:37), "Peel the Paint" (7:32), "The Runaway" (7:16), "Way of Life" (7:53), "Experience" (7:50), "In a Glass House" (8:26), "Proclamation" (6:56), "Playing the Game" (6:46), "Free Hand" (6:16), "His Last Voyage" (6:27), "Interview" (6:54), "I Lost My Head" (6:59), for a total of nineteen examples. Most of their prog albums have two or three really long songs; the only one without any is ''Octopus'' (which still has "River", which almost qualifies for this trope at 5:51), while ''In a Glass House'' stands out having the most at four. Still, by prog standards their material is pretty short (as mentioned above their average song length on these albums is just upwards of five minutes), so one could say the trope is ZigZagged.

** A complete list of studio songs from their first eight albums over six minutes long: "Giant" (6:24), "Alucard" (6:02), "Nothing at All" (9:08), "Pantagruel's Nativity" (6:52), "The House, the Street, the Room" (6:03), "Plain Truth" (7:36), "Prologue" (6:14), "Schooldays" (7:37), "Peel the Paint" (7:32), "The Runaway" (7:16), "Way of Life" (7:53), "Experience" (7:50), "In a Glass House" (8:26), "Proclamation" (6:56), "Playing the Game" (6:46), "Free Hand" (6:16), "His Last Voyage" (6:27), "Interview" (6:54), "I Lost My Head" (6:59). Most of their prog albums have two or three really long songs; the only one without any is ''Octopus'' (which still has "River", which almost qualifies for this trope at 5:51), while ''In a Glass House'' stands out having the most at four. Still, by prog standards their material is pretty short, so one could say the trope is ZigZagged.

!! '''''In a Glass Trope''''':

!! '''''Acquiring the Tropes''''':

* BaitAndSwitch: ''Acquiring the Taste'' has a cover that appear from the front to be a tongue licking two flesh-coloured cheeks, but the back reveals that it's just a flesh-coloured peach.

!!! '''''The Missing Trope''''':
* AlbumTitleDrop

* 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.

** A somewhat humorous example also occurs on the song "The Face" from ''The Power and the Glory'', when one can quite audibly hear an enthusiastic "Oh, WOW!" after a very fast electric violin solo.
* UncommonTime: As humorously illustrated [[http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/File:Ggnotation.jpg here]].

They have a very extensive article on [[{{Wikipedia}} the other wiki]]: