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In Reply to: Gentle Giant "Octopus" /mt posted by Ray-o-Stat on May 7, 2007 at 20:34:16:
I have GG three friends, which I like. My impression is that if you only had one GG record octopus is the one to have. Concur?
Follow Ups:
The more I listen to it, the more I prize the contribution (alongside the then-new excellent drummer John Weathers') of the elder of the Shulman brothers, Phil, on that particular album, as co-lead singer, misc. brass instrumentist, writer and lyricist.Plus the whole production is simply a timeless 8-facet jewel! ...Plus with some of the best early-70s rock market album sonics imaginable!
After that one, a period in their career which is in fact more important in both duration and wordwide (West) popularity, they became sort of a different musical entity. Not only because they resized from a 6- to a 5-piece band, but also because they worked towards (in my opinion very successfully with The Missing Piece, from '77) reverting into a simpler, more pop-oriented (yet still inimitable) electric combo. The Genesis syndrome perhaps.
From a quality standpoint, the original Vertigo pressings of Octopus are far superior to the Worldwide Artists pressings of In a Glass House.I also like "Three Friends" and "Acquiring the Taste" quite a bit.
The LP's after "Freehand" all seem forced and devoid of the Gentle Giant innovative music and precision timing IMHO, but the rest are keepers.You can still find original first generation UK Vertigo's out there. Those are the ones to have. The second generation Roger Dean "spaceship" Vertigo's are not quite as good but still head and shoulders better than the horrible US Colombia abominations.
Cheers,
Me, I'm just a lawnmower, you can tell me by the way I walk....
-Ray
than on my original UK Vertigo swirl copy: Dog's Life!OK, my UK swirl is second-hand and not NM. But it is NOT one of those "problem copies" (worn-out grooves on those hot end-of-side tracks, etc.). It sounds fabulous (and really not much scratchy) on every one of the other tracks. But once you get to Dog's, it's good, but you just wished you had never heard the other two references...
I wish I can aford a really minty one some of these days... It seems on ebay every single Vertigo swirl from the UK (or Europe) fetches immediate high money, regardless of how obscure the artist or group is!
Had an old 1972 Toyota wagon many years ago with an 8-track player in it. The only thrift store 8-tracks I found at the time included
Soft Machine: 7
Terry Reid: Seed of Memory
Gentle Giant: Acquiring the Taste
Sure got a lot of mileage out of those, and still enjoy them. I think my total collection ran to six, but I can't remember the other titles.p.s. Got to see Gentle Giant live on a double bill with Yes in the 70s. What a night!
I caught them alone at the Tower Theatre in Phili in the 70's. A friggin' incredible show. Later I saw them again when they were touring Missing Piece, again at the Tower Theatre.A double bill with "Yes" is a line up made in heaven!! I wish I had seen that!
Me, I'm just a lawnmower, you can tell me by the way I walk....
-Ray
although I think you can't go wrong with Octopus or Power & the Glory.
All three have very good sound and are all great musically.
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