Gentle Giant 101: My favorite band ever

[@aka.Mr.French]

One of my personal hopes is that increased attention to Gentle Giant's music will get more attention focused on Ray Shulman's brilliant bass playing. In the world of bass guitarists, Raymond's the freakin' poster child for the word "underrated."

[@1359401]

Agree a gazillion % easily without a doubt the most obscenely criminally underrated bassist ever.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Have you seen our tribute video to Ray?

[@aka.Mr.French]

@@MakeWeirdMusic yep, and loved it. And thanks for doing it! Thing is, WE all know what a treasure Ray was; it's the greater world of musicians that seem oblivious to his many talents -- and from what I've seen on YT over the years, the bass guitar world seems the most neglectful. So... hopefully your "GG 101" will help change that. :) Knowledge is power -- and may help with the glory. ;) (sorry, had to do that...)

[@aka.Mr.French]

I love the opening to In A Glass House. Every time I put the album on, my cat looks around to see what got broken.

[@scottsinner7530]

You’re a monster if you don’t tear up at Think of Me with Kindness, and His Last Voyage. Terrific video!!

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Totally agree. Thanks, Scott!

[@pedrozappa]

Massive giant fan here. When i told my friends in the 80s (i was 15) that my favourite band was Gentle Giant they would make fun of me as if I was a hideous deformity. Unmitigated i continued and this music led me eventually to Zappa. How was I to know that Frank love them too? Well, all I can say is that these musicians helped me so much in my life that I wouldn't even be the same without them (obvious). Glad that someone like you is trying to spread this virus through vast continental areas. Anyway, my favourite record is 3 friends.😅

[@Seigong-z8j]

19 years old Korean GG fan here! Being a GG fan for a 7~8 years, it's really hard to share my love for the band with someone in my country except talking with "proggy" Japanese friends. I'm very happy to see you helping everyone get into GG. Keep up the great work!

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Thank you!

[@1359401]

Congrats for liking the greatest band ever and please spread and share their genius with all your friends and others who dont know or have ever heard of them.

[@motoroverflow]

So happy to see you covering Gentle Giant! I've been into their weirdness and genius since I was a kid in the 70s. Brilliant, interesting, complex, but emotive and fun! Cheers.

[@gavinbuck8130]

Always loved the polyrhythmic fun of Gentle Giant, also there's such a wealth of ideas to be gleaned from classical music, Thinking Plague used bits of Shostakovich, Voivod incorporated Stravinsky's Rite of Spring. Cheer-Accident are my peak but I've always had massive appreciation for Gentle Giant's talent.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

I should do one on cheer-accident.

[@seraphimberlin]

Hey mate, love you and wish you a happy 2025 ! Thanks for all the amazing new music you showed us...that being said - in my humble opinion - all GG albuns should be experienced in totallity as they're all conceptual and work as a whole. hugs !

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

♥️♥️

[@angelkowalski4846]

In a glass house album, one of my favorites. Thank you for sharing the playlist

[@faustolaporte9843]

back in days Octopus changed my music taste forever

[@bobvance2511]

So great to see the resurgence of Giant the past few years. I still listen to them today and catch things I've never heard before, especially with the Steven Wilson remixes. I've always thought about how to introduce them to a new listener and this is perfect. Ray Shulman was brilliant.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Agree. Did you see our tribute video to Ray?

[@bobvance2511]

⁠@@MakeWeirdMusicI did. To see Adam play Time to Kill was incredible. Also saw your experience with Experience on acoustic. To see it broken down was so good. Thanks again MWM.

[@a.s.henderson483]

You are the only other person who I’ve heard who’s named Gentle Giant as his favorite band. They encapsulate everything I love about music-technical, interesting arrangements and colors, amazing musicians, humor, and full of surprises. I discovered them in the late 90s when I was around twenty and in the middle of my prog journey.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Wait til you meet the hardcore fans hahaha. Look up GORGG

[@a.s.henderson483]

@@MakeWeirdMusic will do. Immediately.

[@kencoffman1723]

I would like to be on that short list.

[@a.s.henderson483]

@ Hell yeah!

[@billdubilier]

I’ve been a GG fan for decades. Power and the glory is my favorite (as of today, that changes). I think they have a run of seven perfect albums.

[@dereckvon]

Great band, had the pleasure of interviewing three of the members in the last couple of years. Superb musicians and great people.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Agreed

[@BayouMaccabee]

If one were so inclined to check it out, where might one find your interview(s) for consumption?

[@dereckvon]

@@BayouMaccabee kzbin.info/www/bejne/en7GeaV3bahpfLssi=rTy-aWJTW0f61D0k kzbin.info/www/bejne/q5mnZ6JsnNqfotUsi=9daiPa4bwXiN4Frg kzbin.info/www/bejne/emKzlIJ7q8x3nZIsi=klftUWummXWy3oC6

[@oldman1031]

Love Gentle Giant! Been listening since the '70's. Three Friends, Free Hand, In A Glass House just for starters.... Seriously not a bad album in their catalog. Fantastic!

[@mfischer387]

Gentle Giant is one of my top three favorite bands of all-time. They are arguably the most talented rock band ever assembled.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Awesome. I agree

[@ayeatropoulos1]

I wholeheartedly agree as well. I've never grown tired of their music.

[@stanferraro4130]

The night of my High school graduation ( '74), I was hanging with a fellow-music-fan friend, and he put on "In a Glass House" and I was stunned about how great it was, "The Runaway" still gives me goosebumps (that guitar tone)...I became a big fan and saw them almost every time they came to town. It is ironic that they wrote/recorded some amazing music, but it only lasted for 10 yrs. It still sounds great to me after all these years....

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

My favorite of their albums

[@gerardlee4319]

So glad they’re your favorite. What’s funny is that my favorite of their albums constantly changes; right now Acquiring the Taste blew my socks off (again). Definitely my favorite Prog group followed by VDGG.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

We will need to do a VdGG 101 viddy

[@scottsinner7530]

@@MakeWeirdMusicYES YOU WILL. 🙂

[@cachockey]

Lucky to have seen them live 3 times - Jaw dropped every time - next level musicians

[@Ki11ersix]

Dude, "Playing the Game" with some minor tweaks would have been a top 10 hit in the 80's

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Right?! Thanks for watching and the comment! Your son's recommendations are in the January playlist video, which I'll probably make in a week or two.

[@2wayplebney]

"I'm Turning Around" got a lot of airplay in the UK and still managed not to be a hit.

[@slidetek]

They'd have to rewrite all the lyrics. Songs about gaining and keeping political power would go over too many heads even in the 80's. Today, that's a solid 100%.

[@lexworld1807]

In high school I turned on 8 or 10 guys on to the band … they were blown away . In 1977 we loaded up two cars and went to Guelph University to see the band … totally mind blowing. I still have one of the guys thanking me to this day for turning him on to the band. It was my librarian in junior high that introduced me to GG and the whole prog genre and even though he’s no longer with us I still have deep gratitude for him taking time to play his collection of records of these incredible bands.

[@yesloow]

Gentle Giant was my first rock concert when I was ~7 or so. I was drumming through Power and the Glory (the album, not the song) on my drum set at that age and my dad brought me to see them when they came to NY way back then. Great band.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

OMG. What a privilege!

[@yesloow]

@@MakeWeirdMusic I went on to study/play Balinese Gamelan for 14 years, so I guess I kept it weird :) One suggestion for your list: Aspirations off Power and the Glory might go in the easy-to-listen to intro songs for someone new to Gentle Giant. It's an absolutely beautiful song. Oh, also the album cover for Aspiring the Taste does look like what you think it is, but I remember the LP was either a double album or in any case, it folded out, and the part that looks like it was a backside, when folded out, turns out to be...maybe a "cheeky" apple?

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

@ I think it was a peach 🍑:)

[@cameronpatrickscott]

I am as i write listening to 'Gentle Giant Live 70's concert remastered' on the 'sidnei otavio music and video' channel. - soney dj' at 3.40am uk time, i'd left it on a playlist (as a tinnitus ridden muso who needs a podcast of sorts to go to sleep on) i awoke some ways into this concert and have been coaxed into fully gobsmacked wakefulness, and returned to the start of the concert and am fully present and about to make a nice hot cup of tea and revel in these masterpieces. I cant but am attempting to thankyou enough and commented on the sidnei channel thus 'This is astounding, new fan, for someone who has loved crimson zappa and gong for 40 years its fairly unbelievable that i'd only mildly flirted with GG, however this has just thoroughly birthed them into my life, what a fantastical treat, never to late for something wonderfuiled to come into your life, wowed. Not since some young friends of mine at a job i had some years ago introduced me to King gizzard and the wizard lizard in their 7 or 8 album making year have i been so thoroughly astounded, which has inspired me to so profusely communicate. I am off to share this comment on Andy Edwards channel, because this is a revelatory moment for me in early 2025, and in the prog tradition of complete an utter thorough communication and desire to share, i am spirited to have your two great GG loving Prog enthusiast channels further conspire to spread the gospel of such excellence, because music of this calibre is a sorely needed elixer in these times, cor i sound like a new born insert favourite spiritual tradition, only leaves me to quote "MUSIC IS THE BEST".

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

That’s awesome. I don’t know Andy but several have told me about him.

[@cameronpatrickscott]

​@@MakeWeirdMusic Further i just went over and found a clip on Rick Beato 2 of him chatting with Steve Wilson about Steves favourite albums and shared this comment, This is a collection of comments i am weaving as i am having an 'Oh my God i've just dicovered Gentle Giant 'moment, through the channel 'Make Wierd Music' which has compiled a 25 song spotify introductory playlist to Gentle Giant, I have since discovered thru MWM that Steve Wilson has excellently remixed GG, in my excitement i went over to one of my new favourite channels, the prog/jazz/fusion waffling musicological drumming maestro that is (channel name) Andy Edwards to see if he had a top 10 album reveiw of GG, and sure enough this trustee servant of the prog gospel had not just one but 2 dedicated podcasts (40 mins ish) extolling the virtues of Gentle Giant, in the following paragraph, you will discover what happened to a near lifelong fan of Gong Zappa and Crimson discovering (properly) for the 1st time Gentle Giant, who now wishes enthusiastically to bring these GG loving Prog heroes together for us as fans in the present zeitgeist of podcasting illumination, so if anyone reading this can bring Steve Wilson into the conversation with Make Wierd music, Andy Edwards, and dare i say even the Maestro of the form himself Rick Beato, please weave away and keep me in the loop, because i feel there are some illuminating conversations to be had, with Gentle Giant being the inspired theme to bring us together and see what other topics emerge in such enlightened and learned company. Which brings me back full circle to my original response to finding your homage to and sharing of Gentle Giant, which for me is akin to discovering King Crimson when I was 18 years young, hence this enthusiasm, and by my nature, the desire to bring people together, which along with my love of playing music, seems to have been one of my occupations in life through all sorts of musical media (bands studios venues et al). Its now 5:03 am uk time, i am halfway through the concert, ive spent the last hour weaving comments and my tea is luke warm....Momentous Day.

[@cameronpatrickscott]

I have made an 'Oh my God!' i've just discovered 'Gentle Giant' playlist on my channel. incl concert footage, podcasts, interviews, this video, being the original inspiration...again many thanks, i'm just picking up this ball and running with it.

[@cameronpatrickscott]

@@MakeWeirdMusic ive been running around communicating with everyone, seizing the moment, i'm rarely up this early, its now 6.40am and i'm about to watch the 2nd half of, what is in effect their 2nd concert in this 'gentle giant in concert video'. HopeFULLY you hear from Andy or Steve or Rick, or all of them :))

[@Hydrocorax]

I've watched that Proclamation fan video about a million times and I never recognized you until now.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

👋

[@2wayplebney]

As I sit preparing work for my English classes next week, I am smiling at the first four great bands you rattled off at the beginning. Of all four, Giant is the one most regularly on my car stereo, as they are so funky. Apart from The Beatles, GG are also my favourite band. Your choices are excellent here. I used to live near Tal y bont in North Wales but left before GG went on holiday there! Finally, I only saw them once at Birmingham Town Hall in the UK. Still the best concert I've ever seen. Playing the Fool has some Birmingham tracks on it, so I'm on it somewhere as part of the enthusiastic crowd. We all went "Aah" when the fairy lights came on round the Giant logo onstage. Ray was hilarious, Gary stomped like he wanted to break the stage, and John pulled faces. I am so glad they are finally getting some recognition, as they were awesome and I learned a lot of guitar stuff from them. Thank you.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Awesome! Glad you get it and saw them live.

[@2wayplebney]

@@MakeWeirdMusic me too! Oh, and I'm not a big fan of Design, even though it reminds me of the lovely Inchworm for some reason. Andy Edwards is your man for the Cardiacs. I expect he watches your channel, but reach out anyway.

[@francoisberube1300]

Wow! What an amazing video! An hour of pure bliss! I have been a big fan of Gentle Giant for several years now, they are in my top 5 favorite bands along with Genesis, Yes, King Crimson, Gentle Giant and Van Der Graf Generator. Thank you very much for this, it was so great, I would also like other people to know about this group. You can be sure that I had shared this video! I look forward to your other playlists especially the one on the band The Residents that I don't really know but therefore I hear a lot about. Thank you very much, I really like your channel, it's so great!😉👍😃🤩

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Thank you!

[@billmcfee]

I know I am late to the comment party, but I so enjoyed this vid. I have been a GG fan since the early 80's and I have tried myself to turn many people on to them, often with limited success. But I agree that they are one of the greats, and I hope your video renews the love the the band in some and turns other newbies to them into fans. BTW, Think of Me with Kindness always makes me cry as well! Thanks Anthony!

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Thanks, Bill! I appreciate you

[@duncanparsons]

Yes. My favourite band ever as well. Looking forward to this!

[@RandyWinchester1]

I'm a big fan too, also I've been listening since I was a kid, but I was also still a kid when Octopus was released. Gentle Giant was easily one of the best bands in rock, period. They incorporated a level of composition that has only been rivaled by Frank Zappa as far as I'm concerned. And you weren't the only one tearing up when you put on "Think of Me With Kindness." It gets me every time!

[@1359401]

Like zappa but giant is so fucking damm great epic legendary genius they leave zappa in the dust.That's just how incredible amazing they are/were.

[@ianlejeune6012]

Thanks for your commitment to such a rare group of musicians. It's taken decades for their approach to composition to sink in enough for them to be kinda normal to my ear. I have witnessed the aural distress on the faces of the uninitiated, and I find it impossible to put myself in their shoes, as I must have been, long ago, A Gentle initiation, following your instincts as to song choice, is probably the kindest and most effective way to dip that first toe into the GG pond. I hope you've listened to Jacob's Ladder by Brad Mehldau et al - a truly remarkable musician and philosopher [Great interview by Rick Beato] I feel, now, that once you've climbed the staircase of comprehension of GG, it's kind of an nice, easy stroll back down to where the other music is.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Love that Mehldau version!

[@djangobole]

Great band, saw them quite a few times live.

[@beta14ok]

Well done! My first foray into Gentle Giant was fairly late given that I was already all in with King Crimson, Yes, Genesis, John McLaughlin, Tull and associated derivatives. My first Gentle Giant LP was "Interview",....WTF,.....so divergent from the other stuff I was listening to,...nobody was doing vocals with super complex instrumental comps (both harmonic and rhythmic) to this extent. I zipped down the rabbit hole and have been joyous ever since. I don't have words to express how great this band IS. Thanks for your efforts speaking on this topic and sharing the play-list!

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

You’re so welcome. Interview is amazing.

[@kzustang]

What a fantastic video, man! Kerry's songs often make me cry too. This is just the best GG crash course ever!!! totally nuts!! Truly awesome video! Enjoyed it so much, laughed, cried, screamed and danced with you! I was sure you would put Funny Ways (Live version) on this list too. If you do that for other bands like Jethro Tull, Gong, Zappa, Crimson, Beefheart and the Residents it would be aswesome. I can help with Cardiacs.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

I’m so grateful for people like you who get what this is all about

[@fredrikandersson7662]

Great movie! Thank you. I love these musicians. I miss my favorite though: Prologue from Three Friends

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

I love that track. Have played along with it many times.

[@jaimegarrido1489]

¡Thank you Anthony ! Gentle Giant , my favorite band ever ........

[@jasonshort1437]

What a great introduction to the genius of Gentle Giant. One of my favorite bands, I played (drum set) along to all of In A Glass House every morning for about 2 years straight haha. You mentioned another band that is probably even more near and dear to me, Cardiacs. Been a fan for ages and it has been a goal to introduce them to as many people as I can who I think would get it. It was the trip of a lifetime to fly over to the UK and catch 2 Sing To Tim shows back in October. They have perhaps the warmest and most enthusiastic fan base I've ever met. I'd say start with The Seaside or Little Man. As much as I love and praise Sing To God, don't start there, haha. Good luck, if you have questions, hit me up. I believe Tim was truly special and his music contains a lot of love and joy.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

I am working to become a Cardiacs convert, but I'm not there yet.

[@elizabethreece8504]

I love your goal of trying to make Gentle Giant more popular, which should be just exposing people to how GREAT they were!! I could add so much to this list, especially from the first album like Funny Ways but this was a lot of fun to listen to. Thanks!

[@JimWilkinson]

What a wonderful way to introduce one of my favorite true prog bands, to those that do not know them. Have been a fan since the late 70's. Bravo sir!!

[@Pandamasque]

Just curious, are there are un-true prog bands? Do you have a list?

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Thanks, Jim! Glad you enjoyed it. Hopefully people start listening.

[@knoodle9908]

Just discovered GG and will check out your playlist. Enjoyed the vid, very helpful

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Thanks, glad you liked it!

[@cheezruff]

Thank you for this video and for ending it with Design, their undeniable Masterpiece. I'm convinced Kerry Minear is the Mastermind of their insane counterpoint and deep compositional style. Truly amazing band.

[@JAANDLU]

Thank you! These guys are an awesome find!

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Yes they are!

[@1359401]

Thanks for sharing and spreading the word of the greatest most epic legendary unique innovative creative multi talented criminally underrated genius band ever.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

You're welcome! Have you seen the other interviews we've done with the band?

[@1359401]

@@MakeWeirdMusic Yes indeed i have and they are damm great lucky you to be able to talk/interview them i am more than jealous.

[@TheDrk26]

Thanks for that, reviving my long term appreciation of GG having been in my teens in the early 70s, one of the many prog bands that have stayed with me all these years!

[@davidwright8086]

Acquiring the Taste & Three Friends are also KILLERS!

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

They really are. But they sound so dated.

[@davidwright8086]

Dated, Schmated. Of their time does not negate either the quality of the compositions, nor the playing

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

@@davidwright8086 This is not how most listeners hear new music. "Dated" is bad marketing.

[@davidrobbins4857]

Once upon a time, Gentle Giant was the top of my favorites list and I am still amazed every time I hear them. Love your show.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Once upon a time? What happened to today?! lol

[@davidrobbins4857]

@@MakeWeirdMusic ...i picked up my guitar and composed like them hahahaaa.

[@assemblyofsilence]

One of the best bands ever!

[@theadventofpanurge]

Loved the video. I discovered them just three or four years ago, and they blowed me away. With GG I keep discovering new things in their music always. Right now “Mister Class and Quality¿” is my favourite from them, just amazing.

[@WalterSobchak1000]

I'm late to Gentle Giant. No idea why my Dad didn't have any albums, as he liked most of the other prog bands of the UK. Watching footage of them, and in particular Ray, it never fails to impress me how everyone is performing for the good of the song. Almost the whole band had virtuoso talent, and could play each others instruments but no one showboated or was selfish. So many Ray clips amazed me, but the live videos of Funny Ways with him on Violin & Trumpet and then him playing Violin while also singing during On Reflection. Absolute genius people, and very much underappreciated by the music buying public

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

They were/are all unbelievable

[@timwhite5647]

For the most part I agree with you, however; Ray DOES showboat. I have the double live cd they did for a radio station in Philadelphia around America's Bicentennial, and Ray does a long, drawn-out violin solo that is really way over the top. Other than that, it's all good!

[@WalterSobchak1000]

Not heard that, thanks for correcting me

[@robertforman3494]

I first discovered Gentle Giant about the time of The Power and the Glory. There was a hole in the wall record store in Los Angeles called Moby Disc that specialized in Prog Rock music and GG was a band they promoted. They even sold GG t-shirts! You would have loved the place. They also sold the British rock newspapers Melody Maker and New Music Express. It was through that store and reviews in those newspapers that I learned about many bands that remain favorites today. They were such a fun band live. Impossible to capture on video unfortunately because you really needed to see what each player was doing. I saw them 3 times live, twice with the band Renaissance. Such an interesting double bill.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

What a time to be alive!

[@stanferraro4130]

I fondly remember driving from Orange Co. to Moby Disc and buying the G.G. -iron -on , and wearing the heck out of it (I might still have it ?) I also have a silk-screened shirt from when they played at the Whiskey in L.A.. I also saw them in '77 with Renaissance, twice in '75 and then in Santa Barbara in "76. It is so great to see that after 40+ years, they are being appreciated !!! "Hail to power and glory" !!!

[@danvei]

Merci tellement de partager cette liste d'un des meilleur group Prog de tous les temps. Cette playlist est désormais dans mes favoris. Mon album favoris, Acquiring The Taste.

[@stevemower4756]

Love this band! Any Happy The Man fans out there? They were out around the same time and kinda, sorta similar.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

I like some of their songs.

[@stevemower4756]

@@MakeWeirdMusic I saw HTM with Brand X back in the day in DC. Great show. I love the weird you're bringing!

[@scottsinner7530]

Absolutely. Service with a Smile is one of my favorite instrumentals. Especially the live version they released.

[@ralphmarrone3130]

Phenomenal band!

[@amarok5048]

Possibly the best band ever!

[@ayeatropoulos1]

One of the greatest ensemble of musicians of all time!!

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Yes.

[@tamatamahey]

So good! Thank you for this guide. I'm only partially"in" on this band. Love what I've got so far and appreciate an introduction to more.

[@THRONEWARMER]

Hell yeah! I really appreciate this. I've had many a musically trusted friend recommend Gentle Giant, shocked that I'm not more into it then themselves... just never knew where to start. At this point I've spent the past 2 days listening to your playlist and no less than 5 or 6 complete albums and now yeah, I get it. (and still so much more to explore!) I totally recognize a handful of their more popular tunes that have bled into my playlists, but listening to music 18/7 I'm not always taking notes. Looking forward to 101's on others you mentioned, though I'm much more in tune with those. One I could suggest (for my sake) possibly covering that has always eluded me is the Sun City Girls. A bit more modern, but wildly prolific and definitely get into some weird territory. Cheers!

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

To be honest, I don't get the Sun City Girls, either.

[@Paddyjoe57]

Thank you for video which are always very interesting. I am 67 year, fan of GG, huge fan of KC i follow since i am a kid, huge fan o FZ too, but surprisigninly, know nothing about the residents. Will dig on them, waiting for your future videos on them. Thanks again. You are great. And Bravo to be able to play Fracture 👌. Patrick, a French guy living in Ireland.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Thank you

[@maramé.r]

Great overview of Gentle Giant, one of my favourite bands of all time. I’ve listened to them since the early 70s (I’m now almost 70). They are surely one the most respected bands of the prog rock movement. Their versatility and virtuosity are extraordinary. Good that all their music is now widely available together with remastered and live versions. There’s a brilliant Danish band called Egentligen Giant that includes two female vocalists who play wonderful re-interpretations of GG music

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Thank you! Egentligen is great, too. We're friends.

[@jojobizadTRASH]

This band definitely needs more recognition. I've been a fan of them for almost 5 years. Thank you for making this playlist 🙏🙏

[@garethde-witt6433]

I saw a concert video of the on KZbin and was blown away, I don’t know how I missed this band while growing up. I do have to say I don’t like ant of Steven Wilson remixes I don’t think he does the justice

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

I am so glad you enjoyed it.

[@Alfred_English]

Never heard of this band before. Really wild stuff. Found a few bits I enjoy. Thanks for sharing!

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

There’s a lot more to enjoy. Thanks for watching.

[@neilloughran4437]

Oh wow... I only got into them over the last days. I'm a 56 year old keyboard player into jazz and some modern classical and know all the other prog bands but Gentle Giant was always the band I couldn't grasp until I heard Egentlig Giant doing "I Lost My Head" and now I'm on the beginning of a journey...

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Wait til you hear GG’s live versions. Powerful!!

[@neilloughran4437]

@@MakeWeirdMusic Being a fellow Brit I'd always heard of Gentle Giant and I heard the live 1978 BBC concert about 20 years ago but for some reason it did not hit me at all... I'll have to revisit that one... the 71-76 era sounds amazing so far. I heard the whole of Freehand and bits of Octopus, Interview and Three Friends.. it is a lot to take in... even for my musician ears into Bartok, jazz, Krautrock, funk, ECM jazz, Yes, PFM/Banco... somehow it is in that mix... but little by little I'll get more into it... but thanks so much for your enthusiasm and your videos!

[@Will_in_Munich]

Thank you. I missed out on GG in the seventies, which surprises me because I liked Tull and a lot of English folk like Pentangle. Also the British DJ John Peel played their music and GG recorded some sessions for his radio programme. I was a regular Peel listener and the band also featured on The Old Grey Whistle Test, a BBC TV programme I watched with religious dedication in the 1970s. Maybe it was too difficult for me as a teenager. The music sounds a lot more intricate than Tull. I'm looking forward to the next 101, it's a great idea.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

I need to learn more about John Peel. I’ve received a lot of compliments comparing what I do to what he did. Glad you are looking forward to the next 101

[@Will_in_Munich]

@@MakeWeirdMusic I've just been listening to Free Hand. You have a convert! John Peel played a lot of left field music, but Bob Harris (who presented the Old Grey Whistle Test) and Alan Freeman were the two Radio 1 DJs who were most into prog.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Very cool. So glad you dig Free Hand!

[@ashevilleguitar]

Thanks for helping promote great music like this 👍 I’ve been a Gentle Giant fan since 1975 when I bought the Free Hand album, what an incredible group of musicians !✌️❤️🎵

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

🤘🤘🤘

[@Ampheaven]

Just brilliant.. I was completely unaware of this brilliant band! Thank you.. they also remind me of "Yes".

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

So glad this video connected with you!

[@schpleeb]

Most definitely the most underrated and indeed underheard band of all time. And for the most part, so accessible and immediately catchy too despite the complexity! Three Friends slowly became my favourite record of theirs, and one of the best concept albums ever, perhaps only beaten by The Wall.

[@RichardXDahl]

Excellent, and you are clearly enjoying yourself :-) Who can blame you? 😊 The way to start a 101 and get people hooked. Such a feel good band. It just sounds like they have a good time, while being professional and serious about their craft. Cannot wait for the rerelease of Playing the Fool that was announced, and hoping In a Glass House follows. They need a repress of Power and the Glory as well so they can take my money. You are not alone tearing up on Think of me with Kindness. My Gentle Giant stocking hat is the best thing about winter. People ask me about it, so I have a chance to give a pointer.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

So glad you liked it! I was worried you might not have.

[@soundpainter2590]

True... However, Every time I Run Into a " Gentile Giant " They Allways (( Eat my )) sister ! SERIOUSLY... are they all cannibals ?? !!! Even when I 😅 Invited The Clinton's (( W/ 14 Compromised { Sea eye Aaay S F Assasins } They had Just converted to Beyond passive Gai woon sen Passive MONKS !!! You know... F ing "Chicken Soup" See.... Epp stein not only was everything people claimed he was... But his "Thing" was ... ( S L O W ) Torture using Volomonious amounts of "SID" & & FORCEING them to listen to Kenny G !! & a Phopherious Slow burn ! ĺ The whole forceing to eat live Bear cubs ... was perhaps over the top. Their F' ing GIANTS !! ..... & I AM the WORLD GREATISTS Be Bop Zither artist !!!

[@1359401]

Power and the glory has already been remixed by steven wilson but unfortunately its a no go on in a glass house because they cant find the master tape.

[@Unikladhalo]

Thank you for this playlist. The order of the tunes on your list weirdly follows my exploration of this band…about 30 years ago.

[@myxfit]

I was already familiar with a couple of the tracks, but I definitely heard some that I want to dig into more. Thanks for putting this together!

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

I’m glad you’re inspired to explore further!

[@chuckbob49]

Who are you? Why do you like all music I do? I’m 67 years old and nobody has EVER liked this music as much as I do.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

I am nobody important. Just another fan. Have you seen the interviews on our channel?

[@chuckbob49]

@@MakeWeirdMusic I won't say I've pored over everything on your channel, but I have consumed a fair amount, including some interviews. I have to admit I boycotted your channel for a few months. I had tickets for the Beat show on December 13, and didn't want to see or hear anything about it. I wanted to go in fresh and unencumbered. It was an absolute masterpiece. Best show ever? Possibly. I had seen KC in 1974 and 1981, as well as several times in 2017 and 2018. Lark's Tongues and The Power and the Glory were obsessions of mine when I was in High School. My car was BLASTING those tunes at all times.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Hah! Doesn't sound like a boycott, but a break? Anyway, glad you're back. Thank you for your support.

[@chuckbob49]

@@MakeWeirdMusic Well, keep making, and talking about, weird music and videos, and you’ll have my support. Ah, hell, you’ll have my support in any case. You seem to be a very decent guy.

[@jazzouchejazzouche5827]

I am 69 . My first listen of GG was a sampler called The vertigo Trip ,early 70s . Have been a fan since then. This video makes me want to listen even more.

[@MattLeGroulx]

Giant's the best. One of the great DIY bands. They inspired me to learn different instruments, especially Ray. Why wait for someone else to do it if you could do it yourself? I'm a guitar player but because of Giant I learned drums, saxophone, violin, flute, mandolin, clarinet, recorder. Giant's the best. Always inspirational.

[@gregvanblair9096]

Gentle Giant was my first concert 1977 in LA. My favorite band...where I must say Peter Hammill is my favorite artist.

[@CloseToTheEdge-Prog]

What an amazing band. I love them.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Thanks for watching!

[@CloseToTheEdge-Prog]

@MakeWeirdMusic You have a great channel.

[@JohnRedmondJTR]

I know almost nothing about this band. Thanks for this, I could see getting lost in their music in the same way I have with King Crimson.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

You absolutely will if you dig in. Thank you, John!

[@JohnRedmondJTR]

​@@MakeWeirdMusicJust bought the first three albums after listening throughout the day. Here we go...

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

@JohnRedmondJTR this is how it starts.

[@davidryle]

"Three Piece Suite" is "Three Friends". and YES I do get emotional every time I hear Think Of Me With Kindness. I was fortunate to see them in Dallas in the mid 70's. Thank you for this wonderful share of my favorite band too.

[@aka.Mr.French]

Actually, Three Piece Suite is a compilation of the first three albums (Gentle Giant, Acquiring The Taste, Three Friends). Basically, it exists because the band wanted Steven Wilson to do his remix magic to those three albums (as he'd done for The Power and The Glory), but too many of each album's original multitrack tapes were missing... so this "suite" was the compromise/solution. For that same reason -- most or all multitracks are lost -- a remix of In A Glass House isn't possible. :(

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Yes we cover this in the interview I did with the band about this release.

[@OldWhitebelly]

I'll admit (with some embarassment) that I didn't know your channel until the BEAT tour was coming together, and I've really enjoyed having the channel as part of that whole journey. Then I see this immediately afterward...damn, this is fun! Back in the 70s and I had these albums and enjoyed them, but I don't think I really GOT it until I was older. What an effing cool thing they had going, all the more surprising knowing that all they really wanted was some pop hits. If only more pop acts had such talent or gave their audiences credit for enough brains to handle stuff like this. Thanks for doing this! By the way, it was Knots that really got me hooked back then. And it was nothing for them to do wicked things like that live...no tapes, no minidiscs (I'm looking at you, Queen...)

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Nothing to be embarrassed about. I am not hardly famous and my channel is still “small” Glad you’re here and enjoying yourself.

[@NBSoundHopperUK]

Excellent video. A band I'm aware of but haven't had a decent "entry point" recommendation for taking the plunge and buying any of their albums - until now.

[@frankh9600]

Loved them since my older brother introduced me to Playing a Fool at the age of 14. My lifetime band of the 70ies alongside King Crimson and Van der Graaf Generator/ Peter Hammill

[@victorkarelin9722]

This week, after a big gap, started for me with listening to several albums of Gentle Giant, and a few songs even stuck in my memory in such way and details, that i couldn't stop a sound in my head last night - stopping one brought another and so going around and around... After this program, I'm afraid, the Gentle mental game, not at all unpleasant, by the way, might continue, but it's not your fault... Thanks for your work altogether, and particularly, for this collection. I've never heard - The Power and The Glory single...

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

😈 🎵

[@theobviousidentity]

Love Gentle Giant, thanks for making this video. Have you listened to Cardiacs? There one of the few bands in the same vein that top Gentle Giant for me. I haven't seen them on your channel yet and would very curious to get your thoughts or see your reaction if you've somehow never heard them!

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Yes, many times. It hasn't clicked yet.

[@fcamiola]

Cardiacs are life ❤

[@markflower8885]

​@MakeWeirdMusic Listen to the Cardiacs song "Visiting Hours ". Really reminds me of Gentle Giant and the outro is to die for.

[@davidkent2804]

Once again, you speak for me. Of all the eclectic recordings in my collection GG are predominant.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Awesome!

[@periurban]

My introduction to GG was on the Alan Freeman Saturday afternoon Rock Show on BBC Radio 1. I taped a session which later turned out to be a series of excerpts from Octopus. It would be years before I heard the full album, by which time I had some other tapings from the radio. I still remember the feeling of my 13 year old self not knowing WTF I was listening to, but loving it all the same.

[@ulfskjol]

You're not the only one to tear up over Think of me...🥲And His last voyage for that matter! Experience is my one of my favourite tracks, it is just crazy, intricate, fun and sheer brilliance!

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Experience is a masterclass.

[@deanearnold4966]

My gateway was Free Hand. I bought it in 1979 after seeing the band name doodled on the notebook of a stoner who rode my bus as I, and thought “well, what the hell…” The fingersnaps got my attention right away, and the band settled into Just the Same. I felt, okay, really cool, some stoners really know what’s up… and then On Reflection came on. I probably alienated a lot of friends after that. I couldn’t stop playing it.

[@msmirk]

Thank you very much!! Your list is perfect to introduce GG to my son. I was thinking to do something like that, but your choices are the best. And about the opportunity to say thanks in person to a important musician to your life, I had this chance years ago with Fred Frith.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

What happened with Fred?

[@outtathyme5679]

I saw them in Central Park

[@zenhighwayman]

Octopus changed my life. Had comp tickets to a show at the Santa Monica Civic Center with Triumvirate ~ show was cancelled last minute. 😐 I still use parts from Cogs in Cogs for drum breaks in dinner jazz combos.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Man, what a bummer about the show getting canceled. I'm sure Cogs goes great with dinner lol

[@cameronpatrickscott]

Just popped over to spotify, i'm only a minute into the vid, couldnt as yet find your playlist, listened to their top 3 songs, saved Panurge...tuuune/sooong!!! had a rummage around wiki, and ......back to your vid, in amongst finishing off my first ever animated video (using text only, incl wingdings) for my newest release 1234 if anyones interested its on spotify, and hopefully the video will be out within the week. Thanks for directing to your favourite band, must be good if they top Crimson.

[@cameronpatrickscott]

OOOH That groove in proclamation!

[@cameronpatrickscott]

Aha links, thankyou.

[@cameronpatrickscott]

Back again, the power and the glory grabbed me immediately, the swing...reminds me of KGATWL

[@cameronpatrickscott]

And one more, have you discovered andy Edwards channel, a total hommage to prog/jazz/fusion etc, he has at least 2 dedicted reviews of Gentle Giant, 40 min episodes, be great for you two to talk/interview each other, if you havnt already, HAPPY NEW YEE HAR!

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

I do not know Andy, but I'd be happy to do something with him.

[@1ouncebird]

Wonderful Gentle Giant!!! This is a nice list for someone to start with. Well done.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed it.

[@rileysdad1923]

Very excited for this

[@ayeatropoulos1]

"His Last Voyage" is a flawless masterpiece!!

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Agreed.

[@agsmith001]

Canterbury Prog! so cool you are a big fan of this great music, thanks for presenting it! the resurgence of interest in this is a testament to the fact that whatever is popular will wane but what is great will live, sometimes meagerly, forever. my friends and I grew up listening to GG and never stopped listening and I love the Steve Wilson remixes too. my only regret about that is that there doesn't seem to be copies available for those of us who like to OWN copies of the music and don't use streaming platforms. desert island stuff for sure (where you can't take your spotify list)! too bad Glass house wasn't better production, would love to hear what Steve could do with that.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Some of them are on Amazon still.

[@agsmith001]

@@MakeWeirdMusic thanks. I was able to find MP3 downloads and the CD of Freehand is available there too. just frightened by the fact that everything is subscription based now, a kind of weird corporate form of socialism. go figure.

[@francisvaughan7460]

Thanks indeed for that. I'm probably the exact demographic to enjoy what you did here. GG were always just off the side of my radar - I knew about them, had heard a little stuff, but never bothered to take things much further. The play list is going straight onto Apple Music for the trip to work tomorrow morning. The song Knots almost certainly derives its inspiration from the 1970 book of the same name by R.D. Laing. The book was very popular in the 70's - and there was even a film made from it in 1975. It is a compendium of short set pieces of conversations between various protagonists involving inter-personal relationships and the various permutations that might occur. Worthy of a read. The song lyrics mirror that content. Laing was a quite controversial and tragic figure in his time, but at core also a true human being.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Yes, it is based on the book. Kerry gave me a copy, I believe.

[@lightningroy]

Cool that you did this. GG flew right over my head back in the early/mid 1970s which is when I began going off the beaten path for my music. None of my musical/prog friends had any of their albums and they weren't ever played on the Mighty-MET in LA. I had heard the name, but none of their music until maybe ten-years ago. I think I've only acquired one album at this point, but really want to do a deep dive after hearing this. Thanks...

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

I’m so glad to hear it

[@ShadeCandle]

What a trip back! Loved these guys as a teenager, over 20 years ago, with In a Glass House and The Power and the Glory being my favourite albums of theirs. My parents absolutely hated them, ha. Never could recommend them to anyone, as they're potentially the nerdiest band that's ever existed, but for those who were able to see past that, there's so much gold in their discog!

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Hey, there are songs in this playlist that even my wife likes!

[@scotthjohnson1558]

Wonderful... thank you for this!

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Glad you liked it!

[@hollyweird8]

Thank you for this excellent video😊

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

You’re welcome!

[@hyperboreal]

Spot-on selection. Hope this brings more people to get to know this quintessential prog band.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

I really hope so.

[@Ms1robby]

I was lucky enough to see them perform "On Reflection" in the early 70's. I was wondering how they would handle all the instrument changes. Answer? With perfect grace and a chamber music intro to boot! At one point Weathers hand left the keyboard one 1/4 note before Minnear's next line. Gentle Giant was a true corner stone of prog. Oh, and rest in peace Ray Shulman.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

I love the "On Reflection" live version!

[@Ms1robby]

@@MakeWeirdMusic At some point someone must have said: "I think we should make this harder to play since we're playing it live."

[@lerneo]

I'm a huge fan of Gentle Giant since I listened to Free Hand at the time and then all the other records. GG is indeed one of the greatest bands of all time. You made an excellent choice of songs. In my opinion, Pentagruel's Nativity kind of epitomizes their "style"; melody, dissonant chords, counterpoint...etc. Anyway, thanks for this great job.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Hopefully people discover that one on their own!

[@chrisanderson5046]

I love the starting sentence “Today, we are going to solve a big problem in music”. I was just thinking about how I first ran into Gentle Giant. I think I had heard about Gentle Giant after looking at various press clippings and comments from either Yes or King Crimson boxsets in the early-mid 90s (eg. Yes years and The Great Deceiver). However, it was basically impossible to find their CDs, let alone cassettes or vinyl in the 1990s where I lived. Forward wind a few years and I remember picking up some Gentle Giant tracks from a Napster-like website in the early 2000s. In a few more years after that, Gentle Giant finally reissued their catalog and I bought all of the CDs, except for maybe Civilian. Anyway, great band. I love their music and overall style. They all seemed like great people, too.😎👍

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Thanks for watching!