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Thread: Gentle Giant Reunion In The Works?

  1. #26
    Highly Evolved Orangutan JKL2000's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by wilcox660 View Post
    Billy Sherwood's Gentle Giant.
    Fuck you!

  2. #27
    Jazzbo manqué Mister Triscuits's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by wilcox660 View Post
    Billy Sherwood's Gentle Giant.
    "Ray Shulman told me on his deathbed he wanted me to carry the torch for...what? He's not? Oh. Hold on, I have to go do something."
    Hurtleturtled Out of Heaven - an electronic music composition, on CD and vinyl
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  3. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by Obscured View Post
    Well the last thing they'd do is go into the studio and make some new music. Complete waste of time and money. Their only move would be to rehearse, rehearse, rehearse and play a couple of shows on both sides of the pond. They'd sell out 1500 - 2000 seat capacity venues; many fans would go to multiple shows (even Buddhabreath and the other naysayers here). Merch would fly off the shelves too, guarantee the XL and XXL shirts would be gone in minutes. They'd make a nice profit in a shorter amount of time while not disrupting their lives too much. Derek has stated too many times over too many years that he wouldn't sing again for it to happen though. Something along the lines of he wouldn't want to embarrass himself/be a shell of the singer he once was.

    But he's still alive and I will be wherever it happens should it happens. And I'm sure he/they will just sound fine. They were great live back then. I'll always have my memories of their shows and know they wont do it again if it wasn't gonna be great again.
    I don't think it's being a naysayer to acknowledge reality. Not a chance in hell Derek would perform. The only chance would be in the studio. In fact he has stated in interviews recently that he continues to write and record for personal purposes. Go back and listen and read the interviews he's given over the last few years and what others close to him have said. For example:https://podsodcast.com/2017/09/26/em61/ at 1:14 he is absolute about not performing, at 1:16:05 he mentions specifically writing and recording to keep his juices flowing.

    I doubt there is much a bigger GG fan than I and I would be the last to naysay anything they would want to do...and it is certainly possible that they would record if all the stars align. It would be the opposite of a waste of time. In fact they would make a modest profit IMO including sparking interest in the back catalogue or the box or other merchandising.
    Last edited by Buddhabreath; 03-22-2018 at 11:42 PM.

  4. #29
    Progdog ThomasKDye's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by infandous View Post
    (particularly Derek and Ray, who have made WAY more money since GG than they did during GG).
    It's weird; I'll bet around the time they toured for Civilian, they were all demoralized that their grand experiment failed and they never gained the fame of a Genesis or a Yes. God had to swoop down to tell them "Fuck prog, your massive fortunes lie elsewhere..."
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  5. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by Buddhabreath View Post
    I doubt there is much a bigger GG fan than I and I would be the last to naysay anything they would want to do...and it is certainly possible that they would record if all the stars align. It would be the opposite of a waste of time. In fact they would make a modest profit IMO including sparking interest in the back catalogue or the box or other merchandising.
    There was a time when I thought that I was the ONLY GG fan...Re-union? Not a chance! The Shulmans are not & never have been interested. The Three Friends issue was a good example of opposition to any revival of GG's music live. At this point in time, I no longer yearn for a GG re-union, although I must admit that I would love to hear Ray & JPW play together once more, but not going to happen.
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  6. #31
    Member Zeuhlmate's Avatar
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    Gentle Geezers playing Kerry Minnears compositions...

    I would love that.

  7. #32
    Quote Originally Posted by Zeuhlmate View Post
    Gentle Geezers playing Kerry Minnears compositions...

    I would love that.
    gentle geezers would be a good alternate band name if they wanted to have a go of it.

  8. #33
    Member adap2it's Avatar
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    Like this?
    Dave Sr.

    I prefer Nature to Human Nature

  9. #34
    Yeah, that menu music IS awesome. Don't get me wrong, if they decided to do something, I most likely would want to witness it, whether live or studio. I'd prefer studio, where they could perfect everything. Live, I just don't think they have it in them (well, mostly Derek). In general though, I'm just not interested in seeing once great bands slog through old material as old men. I don't want to see either Yes that's out there, don't care about Genesis reunions (as a friend who saw Genesis with PG said after we watched Musical Box, "they were tighter than Genesis was back then on that material"), no interest in Ian Jethro Anderson Tull, Kansas, etc.

    Now, if these guys come out with some vital NEW material, I might become more interested. This reliving of past glories has worn thin for me though. 20 years ago, I would have jumped at a Genesis 5 man reunion or GG reunion. Now though, I just don't want to see old men playing music that meant something to them when they were young. It's inevitably going to be a pale shadow of their youthful performances.

  10. #35
    Insect Overlord Progatron's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by infandous View Post
    Now, if these guys come out with some vital NEW material, I might become more interested. This reliving of past glories has worn thin for me though. 20 years ago, I would have jumped at a Genesis 5 man reunion or GG reunion. Now though, I just don't want to see old men playing music that meant something to them when they were young. It's inevitably going to be a pale shadow of their youthful performances.
    I completely agree with all of this. I didn't even bother with the last Genesis reunion, and even that was over a decade ago. And they've been my favourite band since I was eight years old! Much less do I want to see the five-man lineup pushing seventy years old try to recreate music they made when they were practically just out of their teens. Let's face it - it would suck. It would NEVER live up to expectations... and those who want the nostalgia trip can at least still go to see Steve Hackett, who regularly tours with a lot of that material, as well as new stuff of his own.

    Nor do I want to see Gentle Giant - another favourite of mine - reform 38 years after they called it a day. I stopped seeing Yes and IA/Tull years ago. I don't like admitting that time has marched on, but it has.
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  11. #36
    ^^ Please give me this piece of common sense in small doses cause I am not accustomed to it appearing on this forum. I might overdose.

  12. #37
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    Given that in the interviews I have seen, the various members have admitted their fall from grace attempting to make commercially viable music, their expressed pride in their prime work, more explicit interest in playing the music (Gary and Kerry), even their continued interest in writing and recording music albeit for private use (Derek) all I'm saying is that it is not impossible that they would reunite for a studio project. More unlikely things have happened. If they did it they would do it right or not at all IMO. Your opinion will likely differ, but boy oh boy would I like to say "I told you so!". I never expectedto see, say VDGG or Alphataurus reform but they did... and Kerry's DVD menu music is mighty tantalizing. So don't crush my dreams you bastards!

    P.S. Common sense it highly overrated Zapp.

  13. #38
    Insect Overlord Progatron's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Buddhabreath View Post
    Given that in the interviews I have seen, the various members have admitted their fall from grace attempting to make commercially viable music, their expressed pride in their prime work, more explicit interest in playing the music (Gary and Kerry), even their continued interest in writing and recording music albeit for private use (Derek) all I'm saying is that it is not impossible that they would reunite for a studio project. More unlikely things have happened. If they did it they would do it right or not at all IMO. Your opinion will likely differ, but boy oh boy would I like to say "I told you so!". I never expectedto see, say VDGG or Alphataurus reform but they did... and Kerry's DVD menu music is mighty tantalizing. So don't crush my dreams you bastards!
    I'm not opposed to the idea of new studio music from pretty much any band, which you'll note is part of the quote I agreed with. I may have been unclear, I just have no interest in any of these bands coming together again after so long to trot out the old material (which is what that Genesis reunion tour was IMO). The bands are all much older now, but if they wrote new music that stayed within their modern limitations, it could be quite good (VDGG is an excellent example of this BTW). I'd be happy to at least give it a shot.
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  14. #39
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    ^^^

    Agreed! I hate seeing geriatrics get together for $ just to scrape up the past...

  15. #40
    Quote Originally Posted by Buddhabreath View Post

    P.S. Common sense it highly overrated Zapp.
    Yes, it is. But it shouldn't be, regarding how rare it is.

  16. #41
    Its funny how this "I don't want to see old rock/prog rock guys playing the music of their youth" attitude is pretty prevalent, but the old blues and jazz guys seem to get a pass on that. I've hardly ever heard of anyone complaining that some classic old blues guy or old jazz legend shouldn't be up on stage playing the music they became famous for. In fact, its usually deemed pretty cool to go see an old legend in those music categories. Interesting how that has played out.....

  17. #42
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    Quote Originally Posted by DocProgger View Post
    Its funny how this "I don't want to see old rock/prog rock guys playing the music of their youth" attitude is pretty prevalent, but the old blues and jazz guys seem to get a pass on that. I've hardly ever heard of anyone complaining that some classic old blues guy or old jazz legend shouldn't be up on stage playing the music they became famous for. In fact, its usually deemed pretty cool to go see an old legend in those music categories. Interesting how that has played out.....
    Well I'm not a blues guy so I can't speak for that. As for the jazz guys, I'd be happy to go see Chick Corea or Herbie Hancock or someone like that, but then they have never stopped really. They aren't reconvening with a bunch of people they haven't played with in several decades and re-learning music that they won't be able to reproduce as well as they used to. Hardly the case with a band like Genesis or Gentle Giant.
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  18. #43
    Quote Originally Posted by Progatron View Post
    Well I'm not a blues guy so I can't speak for that. As for the jazz guys, I'd be happy to go see Chick Corea or Herbie Hancock or someone like that, but then they have never stopped really. They aren't reconvening with a bunch of people they haven't played with in several decades and re-learning music that they won't be able to reproduce as well as they used to. Hardly the case with a band like Genesis or Gentle Giant.
    So your beef is more the gap in time playing together than the general theme of this thread which seems to have turned into "don't need to see geriatrics reliving past glories".
    What about the Return to Forever reunions a few years back? They hadn't really played together in decades either. I went to 2 different tours and they absolutely kicked ass. Plus, virtually every classic progressive rock "reunion" that the Nearfest boys pulled off, some of which featured bands that hadn't played together in decades, were virtually all fantastic shows for the most part. VDGG was a prime example. Do tours like that replace the original shows they did as 20 somethings? Of course not. But if they are skilled professional musicians with a passion for their music and can still deliver the goods competently, I'm ok with "reunion" shows.

  19. #44
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    Peter Hammill was very specific that VDGG would not have reformed if they (a) didn't still have the chemistry and (b) didn't have something new to say. So there's that. Personally I don't care how long it's been if those factors are in play. I'm guessing we can all agree on that, but I may be mistaken.

  20. #45
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    Quote Originally Posted by DocProgger View Post
    So your beef is more the gap in time playing together than the general theme of this thread which seems to have turned into "don't need to see geriatrics reliving past glories".
    What about the Return to Forever reunions a few years back? They hadn't really played together in decades either. I went to 2 different tours and they absolutely kicked ass. Plus, virtually every classic progressive rock "reunion" that the Nearfest boys pulled off, some of which featured bands that hadn't played together in decades, were virtually all fantastic shows for the most part. VDGG was a prime example. Do tours like that replace the original shows they did as 20 somethings? Of course not. But if they are skilled professional musicians with a passion for their music and can still deliver the goods competently, I'm ok with "reunion" shows.
    My words were "I don't have any interest". You can call that a beef if it suits your purpose, whatever that is.

    RTF did indeed kick ass on both the Di Meola and Gambale lineup tours. Again, these are musicians who never stopped playing, and are as fine-tuned as the instruments they wield. When was the last time Derek Shulman sang Gentle Giant songs? You specify "IF they can still deliver the goods". Well, precisely my point. I don't think bands like that can - not to the level that so many people would want from them, anyway. Could I be wrong? Sure.
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  21. #46
    Member moecurlythanu's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Buddhabreath View Post
    I'm guessing we can all agree on that, but I may be mistaken.
    Dude, this is PE. We can't all agree on the color of grass.

  22. #47
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    ^^^^

    I'm learning that Moe albeit painfully slowly.

  23. #48
    Quote Originally Posted by Progatron View Post
    My words were "I don't have any interest". You can call that a beef if it suits your purpose, whatever that is.

    RTF did indeed kick ass on both the Di Meola and Gambale lineup tours. Again, these are musicians who never stopped playing, and are as fine-tuned as the instruments they wield. When was the last time Derek Shulman sang Gentle Giant songs? You specify "IF they can still deliver the goods". Well, precisely my point. I don't think bands like that can - not to the level that so many people would want from them, anyway. Could I be wrong? Sure.
    I don't have any "purpose" other than stating my view, which may be a differing or alternative view. My use of the generic slang term "beef" would be analogous to "issue with", "problem with", "reason I'm disinterested" etc. Nothing more.
    ---------------

    I went to multiple Genesis shows on the 2007 Reunion Tour (even though redundant for the most part) and thoroughly enjoyed them. I adjusted my expectations of course (songs in lower keys etc). Did I think it would duplicate the 1980 Duke Tour? No---but you know what--it came pretty reasonably close, even overlapping good chunks of that Duke tour setlist. Never got the impression they were just mailing it in to get a payday--these guys all have plenty of dough, and they did the tour to provide a proper goodbye for the band (ie the 3 man era of the band).


    I also saw 2 shows on the recent King Crimson tour--incredible. Sure, it's very little new music and mostly "nostalgia". But it's nostalgia I never got to see live (tracks from those early albums), played by great musicians at a very high level of musicianship. I'd go see it whether or not there was a note of new music played--to me it was mostly new since I didn't see the Lizard/Islands tours etc.

    I understand the concerns about whether a GG tour in particular would work, and the different factors involved. My comments were more re the old prog rockers doing reunion tours in general. By and large the ones I've seen have worked, but obviously each band is a unique situation. Different strokes of course.

  24. #49
    Quote Originally Posted by Zappathustra View Post
    Please give me this piece of common sense in small doses cause I am not accustomed to it appearing on this forum.
    I'm totally and completely sure that if we all just stay patient then most of the big ones will reunite in - say - a decade or two down the line. And I'm absolutely damn sure and equally certain that as long as they truly concentrate, they can all come up with some damn strong, fresh material which keeps the flame ablaze and simply wipes the floor with those wannabe-new upstarts of mere 60/70+ at that point. Genesis, Yes, Tull, Moodies, Gentle Giant, The Searchers, Yes etc.

    Well, at least John Payne and Billy Sherwood.
    "Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
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  25. #50
    Member TheH's Avatar
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    Hey, Phil Shulman was born the very day before my father was born, who is thirty years older than I am (and I'm considered to be old already).

    What the hell do you expect? Even his brothers aren't really much younger...
    (Derek was born 1,5 years after the end of WWII)
    Last edited by TheH; 03-25-2018 at 04:45 PM.

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