Prog Legends GENTLE GIANT’s “Interview” Steven Wilson Remix is set to be released on CD, 5.1 Blu-ray and 180g Vinyl June 16, 2023.

“Interview” was the eighth studio recorded album of Gentle Giant and was released April 23rd 1976. The line up on the album is Derek Shulman, Ray Shulman, Gary Green, Kerry Minnear and John Weathers. The album also has the participation of ‘Sounds’ writer Phil Sutcliffe as the ‘interviewer’.

To pre-order: https://linktr.ee/gentlegiantband

Announcement video: https://youtu.be/KBXcxABW2fU

The band had completed a year of non stop touring throughout Europe and North America promoting the highly successful “Free Hand” album. Despite having no real down time the band felt inclined to write and record the follow up to “Free Hand” without having any time to reflect on its success. This may have influenced both the direction and attitude of the album, hence its somewhat cynical concept.
 
The band recorded the album in its favored Advision Studios where in addition to the usual stereo version the album was also mixed in 4-channel quadraphonic sound. It poked a little satirical fun at the state of the music industry and dissected the way a group’s relationship with the rock press could either help or hinder their career. Stylistically it continued in the vein of their preceding seventh studio album, “Free Hand” released in the year before, in 1975.
 
Featuring a spoken cameo from Sounds writer Phil Sutcliffe, the shape-shifting funk-rock of the title track “Interview” lampooned clichéd rock ‘n’ roll journalism, while the snappy “Another Show” painted a vivid portrait of life on the road, redolent of The Kinks’ “Here Comes Yet Another Day.”

Elsewhere, “Interview” further displayed the eclectic and versatile nature of the band, from the 5/4 reggae influenced groove of “Give It Back” to the ethereal “Design” which featured a cappella vocal passages combined with a furious percussion section. “Timing” lived up to its name, a complex rocker with stop start dynamics driven by Ray Shulman’s biting electric violin. The album closed breathlessly with the epic seven-minute suite “I Lost My Head”, its deceptively delicate opening majestically transforming into one of Giant’s most unstoppable and relentless riffs. All in all an “Interview” well worth attending.
 
Award winning producer and musician Steven Wilson has remixed “Interview” in Dolby Atmos and 5.1 surround sound. The Porcupine Tree guitarist has long been a fan of the band, noting them as a primary influence on his own work. Wilson’s painstaking attention to detail, deep respect for the source material and keen tonal range make the album sound as fresh today as it did on first release. In addition to the 2023 remixes, the original 1976 stereo mix, original 1976 quad mix, instrumental mixes, and custom visuals for each track are all included in the CD/Blu-ray version.

A limited blue colored vinyl album of the Steven Wilson remix version of “Interview” will also be available.

The worldwide release date for this classic Gentle Giant release is June 16th 2023.

“Interview” will be available to pre-order on CD, CD and 5.1 Blu-ray Digipak as well as a limited edition 180g sky blue variant LP. Also available on 180g regular black vinyl (not limited).
 
For more information: https://linktr.ee/gentlegiantband

Prog Legends GENTLE GIANT’s “Free Hand”, remixed by Steven Wilson, is now available for Pre-order. The album will be released on 25th June.

GENTLE GIANT have just released their video for the Steven Wilson remix of ‘Just The Same’  which you can see here:

“Free Hand” was Gentle Giant’s seventh album originally released in July 1975. This album was the most commercially successful of the band’s career reaching the top 40 albums in Billboard Magazine. It stands as the culmination of the band’s maturity, following the successes of “In A Glass House” & “The Power & The Glory”.

Having toured Europe & North America non-stop in the years prior to this release with artists like Jethro Tull, Yes, Frank Zappa etc, the band had gone from strength to strength. By the time “Free Hand” was released Gentle Giant had become a major headliner in its own right. All the members were multi-instrumentalists. The band was never afraid of surprising an audience with a 4 part recorder ensemble followed by a vibraphone solo, all the while rocking the audience and thoroughly enjoying themselves onstage at the same time.

Gentle Giant’s albums featured many songs with both literary subjects as well as social and personal commentary on life as rock musicians. “Free Hand” has more than most. The album’s title & first track was named “Freehand” because the band had just changed record labels and management and felt unshackled by prior contractual obligations. Putting these issues behind them upon its first release, Gentle Giant embarked on an extensive tour of North America and Europe, plus a short tour of the UK, to promote the album.The incredible range of Gentle Giant’s music is evident throughout this album. From the intricate vocal fretwork of “On Reflection” and the delicate medieval flavor of “Talybont” the Celtic-tinged rock of “Time To Kill” and the jagged rhythms of “Just The Same” all those diverse elements which made the band so strikingly original are skillfully blended and perfectly executed.

Award winning producer and musician Steven Wilson has added his delicate touch in remixing “Free Hand” in Dolby Atmos & 5.1 surround sound. His tonal range and painstaking attention to sound quality make “Free Hand” sound as fresh today as it did on first release. A fitting tribute to the compositional skills and expertise of five dedicated musicians.Steven Wilson’s remixed version of “Free Hand” will be released in Dolby Atmos, 5.1 surround sound and accompanied by custom animated visuals for each track on Blu-ray. In addition, the original flat mix, original 1975 quad mix and an instrumental mix will all be included in a digipak CD.

A double vinyl album will also be released with both the original flat mix and the Steven Wilson remixed version. The initial first pressing will include a limited edition transparent red version. Releasing June 25, 2021

Watch the Pre-Order announcement video:

To pre-order Gentle Giant’s “Free Hand”: https://fanlink.to/GentleGiantFreeHand

Prog Legends GENTLE GIANT’s “Free Hand”, remixed by Steven Wilson, is now available for Pre-order. The album will be released on 25th June.

“Free Hand” was Gentle Giant’s seventh album originally released in July 1975. This album was the most commercially successful of the band’s career reaching the top 40 albums in Billboard Magazine. It stands as the culmination of the band’s maturity, following the successes of “In A Glass House” & “The Power & The Glory”.

Having toured Europe & North America non-stop in the years prior to this release with artists like Jethro Tull, Yes, Frank Zappa etc, the band had gone from strength to strength. By the time “Free Hand” was released Gentle Giant had become a major headliner in its own right. All the members were multi-instrumentalists. The band was never afraid of surprising an audience with a 4 part recorder ensemble followed by a vibraphone solo, all the while rocking the audience and thoroughly enjoying themselves onstage at the same time.

Gentle Giant’s albums featured many songs with both literary subjects as well as social and personal commentary on life as rock musicians. “Free Hand” has more than most. The album’s title & first track was named “Freehand” because the band had just changed record labels and management and felt unshackled by prior contractual obligations. Putting these issues behind them upon its first release, Gentle Giant embarked on an extensive tour of North America and Europe, plus a short tour of the UK, to promote the album.

The incredible range of Gentle Giant’s music is evident throughout this album. From the intricate vocal fretwork of “On Reflection” and the delicate medieval flavor of “Talybont” the Celtic-tinged rock of “Time To Kill” and the jagged rhythms of “Just The Same” all those diverse elements which made the band so strikingly original are skillfully blended and perfectly executed.

Award winning producer and musician Steven Wilson has added his delicate touch in remixing “Free Hand” in Dolby Atmos & 5.1 surround sound. His tonal range and painstaking attention to sound quality make “Free Hand” sound as fresh today as it did on first release. A fitting tribute to the compositional skills and expertise of five dedicated musicians.

Steven Wilson’s remixed version of “Free Hand” will be released in Dolby Atmos, 5.1 surround sound and accompanied by custom animated visuals for each track on Blu-ray. In addition, the original flat mix, original 1975 quad mix and an instrumental mix will all be included in a digipak CD.

A double vinyl album will also be released with both the original flat mix and the Steven Wilson remixed version. The initial first pressing will include a limited edition transparent red version. Releasing June 25, 2021

Get a first look at the Pre-Order announcement video:

The video for “Just The Same” taken from the “Free Hand” Blu-ray will premiere on YouTube on Sunday, May 2nd at 5pm BST/12pm EST/9am PST.

To pre-order Gentle Giant’s “Free Hand”: https://fanlink.to/GentleGiantFreeHand

Prog Legends GENTLE GIANT are happy to announce the release of the first 4 albums on vinyl April 3rd.

After the positive response to the box set “Unburied Treasure” many fans asked whether the vinyl albums would ever be available. The band has responded and decided to make these albums officially available for the first time in decades.

The band’s first album “Gentle Giant” was first released in October 1970. Produced by Tony Visconti it marks the 50th Anniversary of the recording and live appearances of the band. Tony Visconti produced the follow up album “Acquiring The Taste” in 1971.

The band oversaw the production of the third album “Three Friends” in 1972 and was the first official release in North America. Strangely the N.A. version featured the artwork from the U.K. “Gentle Giant” album. This album was followed up with their milestone album “Octopus” in 1972. Once again the North American artwork was different to the Roger Dean U.K. version and featured a dye cut Octopus in a jar.

Released on the Alucard label, the albums will be manufactured in 180 gram vinyl with the original gatefold artwork from the U.K.

The band hopes that their friends, followers and fans will enjoy these albums in their original form 50 years later!