Η συναρπαστική εισαγωγή του concept album Three Friends των Gentle Giant. Το ιδίωμα του βρετανικού γκρουπ, συνδυασμός στοιχείων από κλασική μουσική, αναγεννησιακή πολυφωνία, τζαζ και ροκ ήταν από τα πιο πολύπλοκα και απαιτητικά που αναπτύχθηκαν στο πρώτο μισό της δεκαετίας του ’70 – όχι τυχαία, ήταν ένα από τα ελάχιστα γκρουπ στα οποία είχε αναφερθεί εγκωμιαστικά ο Frank Zappa. Όπως πολλοί άλλοι, δεν κατάφεραν να επιβιώσουν στο άγονο μουσικά τοπίο που διαμορφώθηκε από τα ’80s και εντεύθεν.
The thrilling introduction to Gentle Giant’s Three Friends [a concept album]. The British group’s idiom, a combination of classical music, renaissance polyphony, jazz and rock, was one of the most complex and demanding developed in the first half of the decade of ‘ 70. Not by chance G.G. were one of the few groups mentioned by Frank Zappa. Like so many of their peers, they failed to survive in the barren landscape formed from ’80s onward.
I can see why this talented band (who I never heard of before) did not survive. I mean Disco alone would have crushed it. The late 60’s and early 70’s were a time of appreciation for concepts, deviations and general uniqueness. (Hendrix, Joplin)
I’m sure Frank Zappa appreciated this group. I wonder how Zappa made it through the Disco years. He had good chart positions at that time. Yet, as disco faded, so did his chart positions. Although he continued to produce and record to his end.
I wonder how he would have survived Rap?
Well, no-one, I mean NO-ONE could survive rap. Even disco had its moments. But rap was intentionally adopted by the industry to end music as we knew it. And it did…
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Ha ha I didn’t know this band but I can see why Frank Zappa liked this!
I think they are fantastic and worth investigating – especially albums like their first one, Three Friends, Free Hand, and Octopus.
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