Kevin died 20 years ago today. Who knows what he would have done had he been around since:
-producing an album for Dream Theater?
-working with Mike Portnoy and Neal Morse on a project like Transatlantic?
-singing/fronting Genesis?
-industrial/trip-hop music like Kaviar?
-finishing The Shaming of the True and maybe another concept album?
-more scoring/soundtrack work in Hollywood?
Thanks for posting that video. Yeah, what would Kevin Gilbert be up to these days? Such a massive talent. Such a tragic loss. RIP Kevin Gilbert.
"Why is it when these great Prog guys get together, they always want to make a Journey album?"
- fiberman, 7/5/2015
Monster. Talent. Personified.
I was listening to the second Giraffe album the other day and thinking about how much Kevin did to re-energize the prog scene in the U.S. in the 90s. It's easy to forget that Toy Matinee happened in the early 90s and that he left us only a few years after that. WAY too young for such a talented guy.
I'm holding out for the Wilson-mixed 5.1 super-duper walletbuster special anniversary extra adjectives edition.
Toy Matinee 1990. He died 1996 but yes it all was a compressed short time from when we became aware until he was gone
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Love KG's music, wow 20 years. sad
Twenty years ago it was still possible to dream of writing a hit song involving quality music and lyrics; so much has changed since KG's tragic passing. Incredible writer; as the years go by his lyrics somehow become more and more pertinent.
I had the good fortune of meeting Kevin in 1991 and talking to him at length. He even casually tossed out the idea of jamming based on our mutual love of Tales from Topographic Oceans. Damn, I wish I had grabbed that opportunity to see genius that close-up. I only knew about the Toy Matinee album at that point, which got played a LOT on Los Angeles radio.
He was a very nice and humble guy, but even in casual conversation I could sense the scars the music industry had inflicted on him--and this was even before Sheryl Crow had screwed him over (they had probably just finished working on her album when I met him). I met him in the context of him doing soundtrack work, and I sense that's probably what he'd be doing today to make a living. It's sad that he didn't live to see the day when an artist could release their work worldwide without needing a record deal. He could be releasing great, uncompromising rock music while still doing soundtrack work as his 'job'.
We went to the same college at around the same time, as one of my friends had a class with him (they were both music majors). When Toy Matinee came out, I became a fan. I picked up his other stuff, and it didn't disappoint. It would have been nice to meet him in person. Yeah, what might have been.
I posted this on a Kevin Gilbert Facebook fan page…
I usually do not recognize the anniversary of Kevin's death. However, yesterday I read some very tender and heartfelt comments from fans, admirers, and his former band members & friends. That had me stopping to reflect on my memories. I thank you all for sharing your stories and thoughts. It was a nice day.
I ended up listening to the thud 3-cd set and some TMC as I thumbed through some of my memorabilia and archived collection. A well-rounded night.
When I thumbed through one of my books, I noticed that all of the obits that I had collected -- Billboard, Associated Press, Entertainment Weekly, B.A.M., etc. -- each list the actual date as May 18th. I then checked the official Los Angeles County and State of California records and they also have it recorded as Saturday, May 18th, 1996.
I was always hesitant to post some of these obits and images because some will choose to use it as a springboard to further bash Sheryl Crow. I hope that does not occur here.
One of my lasting memories of Kevin was watching him surf the bins at the vendor tables at ProgFest (95?). He was apparently hunting for rare Peter Gabriel and had the same look on his face that all of us do when we're in musical hunter/killer mode!
I'm holding out for the Wilson-mixed 5.1 super-duper walletbuster special anniversary extra adjectives edition.
Had he lived would he be surprised at the horrors that were commonplace by the time his hair started to grey?
One of the greatest weekends of my life was having the accidental honor of working with Kevin at Progfest 95 (he was doing house sound; I was lighting tech). It's hard to explain the instant bond that can occur between people thrown together in that sort of high-pressure situation, but we hit it off right away, and spent the weekend (and the run-through with Spock's the evening before) working hard and clowning around. Like most of us at the time I only knew his work on Toy Matinee and his "Lamb" performance at Progfest '94...so I already knew he was a genius musician. I was intimidated for about 30 seconds of being around him....but he was so 'normal'. Just a great guy. We were laughing away and talking obscure progressive stuff within minutes.
The first night when Spock's Beard opened the fest, their set went so well that he, I, and Neal Morse had a drink toast at the soundboard...one of those "what the fuck am *I* doing here" moments. And through the course of that first evening Kevin was bumming cigarettes off of me (I was chimney smoking and doing all the lighting with manual buttons which is a lot fuckin' harder than it sounds...maybe he was nervous too, but the two of us put away 3 packs of smokes that night). Anyway, the next morning for day 2, Kevin walks in and hands me 3 packs of cigs (even the correct brand), and said "Sorry, this is for yesterday...but I'm gonna bum some more, if that's ok!".
I still cherish the memory that at some point in Kevin's chaotic weekend he had the thought "I have to buy Geoff some cigarettes."
We went through the next day. At a slow point when we were chatting I asked him what he was working on...he gave me a copy of "The Power Of Suggestion" which he had just re-released (initialed inside the booklet, a treasure of mine), and said he was working on a "rock opera" called "The Saga Of Johnny Virgil". I think he ended up re-titling that.
I invited him to come back to the hotel across the street to hang out at the end of the fest but he said he had to go. We traded phone numbers and he said "I love you man!", in the style of a stupid beer commercial that was popular at the time, and gave me a big hug.
I never saw him again, but not too long before he passed he called ME, and left a cool message on my answering machine which is gone now, that I would give my right arm to have now. I still grieve that I wasn't home when he called.
In any case...I miss the absolute genius of the man and the loss of what he would have gone on to create is incalculable....one of the great joys of my life is that I was able to know him as just a cool guy, and miss him as the good friend of mine he would have been.
Thanks for sharing such a great story. How coolOriginally Posted by veteranof1000psychicwars
One of the greatest weekends of my life was having the accidental honor of working with Kevin at Progfest 95 (he was doing house sound; I was lighting tech). It's hard to explain the instant bond that can occur between people thrown together in that sort of high-pressure situation, but we hit it off right away, and spent the weekend (and the run-through with Spock's the evening before) working hard and clowning around. Like most of us at the time I only knew his work on Toy Matinee and his "Lamb" performance at Progfest '94...so I already knew he was a genius musician. I was intimidated for about 30 seconds of being around him....but he was so 'normal'. Just a great guy. We were laughing away and talking obscure progressive stuff within minutes.
The first night when Spock's Beard opened the fest, their set went so well that he, I, and Neal Morse had a drink toast at the soundboard...one of those "what the fuck am *I* doing here" moments. And through the course of that first evening Kevin was bumming cigarettes off of me (I was chimney smoking and doing all the lighting with manual buttons which is a lot fuckin' harder than it sounds...maybe he was nervous too, but the two of us put away 3 packs of smokes that night). Anyway, the next morning for day 2, Kevin walks in and hands me 3 packs of cigs (even the correct brand), and said "Sorry, this is for yesterday...but I'm gonna bum some more, if that's ok!".
I still cherish the memory that at some point in Kevin's chaotic weekend he had the thought "I have to buy Geoff some cigarettes."
We went through the next day. At a slow point when we were chatting I asked him what he was working on...he gave me a copy of "The Power Of Suggestion" which he had just re-released (initialed inside the booklet, a treasure of mine), and said he was working on a "rock opera" called "The Saga Of Johnny Virgil". I think he ended up re-titling that.
I invited him to come back to the hotel across the street to hang out at the end of the fest but he said he had to go. We traded phone numbers and he said "I love you man!", in the style of a stupid beer commercial that was popular at the time, and gave me a big hug.
I never saw him again, but not too long before he passed he called ME, and left a cool message on my answering machine which is gone now, that I would give my right arm to have now. I still grieve that I wasn't home when he called.
In any case...I miss the absolute genius of the man and the loss of what he would have gone on to create is incalculable....one of the great joys of my life is that I was able to know him as just a cool guy, and miss him as the good friend of mine he would have been.
That sounds nice.
Thank you for sharing this, what a cool story. Wish I'd known about the "prog scene" here in LA at the time, I was into pop-rock at the time so this picture (taken by my ex-gf) cracks me up -- so close, and yet so far away.
tnpspockswhiskey.jpg
Oh man! Wondermints and Negro Problem. I wish I coulda been there!!
I'm sad to say I am not familiar with any of his music. Where is a good place to start?
I'm sure others can chime in who have bigger KG collections than myself, but the only thing I sometimes cringe at is the first Giraffe effort, The Power of Suggestion. It's very much of its time and Kevin was trying really hard to fit in with the LA pop rock scene circa 1987. It tries to be arty, but hasn't aged well.
But I'll heartily recommend the second Giraffe album (The View From Here), the eponymous Toy Matinee album, and his 1995 solo album Thud. There are also lots of other nice odds and ends out there, like a cover of "Siberian Khatru" he helped with that appeared on a Yes tribute album from the 90s.
Just be aware that Kevin's music is rarely ever proggy, as in twiddly synth solos, long instrumentals, and heavy Mellotron passages. He was a master composer, lyricist and production guy, who had a knack for crafting memorable tunes and arrangements with just enough of a twist to everything that it elevated it above being mere pop rock. It's no wonder he was a major Peter Gabriel freak.
I'm holding out for the Wilson-mixed 5.1 super-duper walletbuster special anniversary extra adjectives edition.
I agree, for the most part.
Grab the thud 3-cd set. There you will find brilliance…
http://www.popplusone.com/THUD-20thA...k-Edition.html
Toy Matinee...
http://www.amazon.com/Toy-Matinee-Sp...t_mus_dp_dpt_1
And the 20th Anniversary Performance Of The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway…
http://www.popplusone.com/kg-lamb-li...-broadway.html
Never knew much about him, But I was there and was absolutely captivated by his Lamb" performance at Progfest '94!
It was awesome.. 20 years went be so fast.. another 20 and many of us will be with him...
bump.
never knew or saw this, but Kevin joined John Goodsall's band and covered a Brand X tune live
The Toy Matinee DTS disc has stellar sound. At the time this came out, I had only heard of Patrick Leonard from his contributions to Keyboard Mag. Then I started finding Kevin's other material and was soooo hooked! One of our greatest losses to music and musicians alike. The shock I felt in 1996 has little subsided since.
RIP Kevin. So many years missed.
JG
"MARKLAR!"
That's an all too relevant play on lyrics there.
Had he lived a while longer he may have realized the power of the Internet, that a guy as resourceful and talented as he would not need major label backing; efforts need not go unheralded, ideas need not go unrealized and that certain injustices need not go unknown and unscrutinized.
Of course, he'd also realize how prophetic that one song would be, "in every pot a pink slip, every mouth a hook".
That was a big surprise! Thanks.
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