Here we have Gentle Giant’s final studio album from 1980 ‘Civilian’ which would be the subject matter at hand.
Written by: gdmonline
ARTIST: Gentle Giant
ALBUM: Civilian
LABEL: Chrysalis
SERIAL: CHR 1285
YEAR: 1980
CD REISSUE: Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: England
LINEUP: Derek Shulman – vocals * Gary Green – guitars * Ray Shulman – bass, backing vocals * Kerry Minnear – piano, backing vocals * John Weathers – drums, backing vocals
TRACK LISTING: 01 Convenience (Clean And Easy) * 02 All Through The Night * 03 Shadows On The Street * 04 Number One * 05 Underground * 06 I Am A Camera * 07 Inside Out * 08 It’s Not Imagination * 09 Heroes No More (Bonus Track)
WEBLINKS: Site Link
Background
Both Alun and Eric have provided GDM with some insight on English prog band Gentle Giant.
Following on from my recent Camel review of ‘Stationary Traveller’, I wanted to look at another album that also went down the crossover prog/AOR route, and Gentle Giant’s final studio album from 1980 ‘Civilian’ would be the subject matter at hand.
We won’t delve into their troubled back story, only to say that the band found the breezy open pastures of FM oriented rock (a.k.a AOR) in the late 70’s, and made a play for it, at the behest of their (then) record label Chrysalis.
The Songs
Geoff Emerick (a producer notable for his work with The Beatles and many other acts) was bought in to manage the production.
Gentle Giant certainly put more focus on guitar and a harder commercial sound, which sounds great by me. Not having heard any of their early works when signed to Vertigo, I guess I am insulated from that exposure.
I love the heavy bass work from Ray Shulman who certainly sounds like he’s listened to the late Chris Squire‘s thundering Rickenbacker lines a few times.
Sometimes the band dip into Supertramp styled territory with great results, no doubt their ‘Breakfast In America’ LP from the previous year provided some inspiration.
Much of ‘Civilian’ is a very listenable exercise, songs like the booming ‘Number One’, the fast paced ‘Underground’ and rather quirky ‘I Am A Camera’ all make for fun listening.
‘It’s Not Imagination’ is a good example of Ray Shulman’s pumping bass work, while ‘Shadows Of The Night’ and ‘Inside Out’ are GG’s more reflective moments.
In Summary
As mentioned, 1980 would be their last attempt, and at the conclusion of the North American tour in the middle of the year, Gentle Giant called it quits.
Leader Derek Shulman became a legendary shaker and mover in the A&R industry, working for Polygram, then Atco/East West, signing acts like Jeff Paris, Cinderella, Bon Jovi and Kingdom Come along the way.
Certainly a band with an interesting history, and one where Shulman and co would like to leave in the corridors of history.
Gentle Giant on Video
Click to go to YTM album page.
