Gentle Giant

Formed in 1970, Gentle Giant was a British progressive rock band founded by Derek Shulman (vocals), Ray Shulman (bass, violin), Phil Shulman (sax), Kerry Minnear (keyboards), Gary Green (guitar) and Martin Smith (drums). While not as commercially successful as contemporaries like Genesis, Yes, and Emerson Lake & Palmer, the band has remained a cult favorite, influencing future generations of progressive rock musicians. Since their split in 1980, their back catalog has been constantly reissued and upgraded, introducing new audiences to their musical complexities. Their self-titled debut album was released in 1970, followed by Acquiring the Taste (1971). Their third album, Three Friends (1972), was their first to chart on Billboard’s Top 200 Albums chart. By 1974’s The Power and the Glory, the band had made inroads in the U.S., reaching Number 78 on the Billboard chart. Free Hand (1975) did even better, entering the Top 50 at Number 48. The band’s final album, Civilian, was released in 1980. While they released 11 studio albums during their lifespan, there have been nearly 20 live releases and 15 compilations issued by the band. There have been numerous box sets released under the Gentle Giant name, including a 29 CD + Blu-Ray set combining all 11 studio albums and 18 live releases. After Gentle Giant, bassist Ray Schulman became a popular producer, handling hit albums by The Sugarcubes, Ian McCulloch, The Trash Can Sinatras, The Sundays, and many others. He also dabbled in electronic music and wrote music for several video games and released two trance music releases under the pseudonym Head-Doctor. Ray Shulman died on March 30, 2023, at the age of 73.