Gentle Giant

The Profile

Gentle Giant were an English progressive rock band active from 1970 to 1980, frequently described (in these reviews) as among the genre’s most technically accomplished groups, known for multi-instrumentalism, complex rhythms, and choral counterpoint.

Reviews describe the band as led by the Shulman brothers, with key members including Derek Shulman, Ray Shulman, Kerry Minnear, Gary Green, and drummer John Weathers. Phil Shulman is described as leaving after the Octopus tour. The group is repeatedly characterized as highly melodic but demanding, using odd time signatures, layered vocals, and a wide range of instruments; one review claims they used over 30 instruments and mentions an invented instrument called the “Shulberry.” The career is described as ending in 1980, with late-1970s releases shifting toward more commercial material.

Across these reviews, Gentle Giant are portrayed as a definitive 1970s British progressive rock band: complex, melodic, and relentlessly inventive. Writers emphasize odd meters, counterpoint, choral/madrigal-style vocals, and heavy multi-instrumentation—plus the fact that it all works live. Key touchstones include Octopus, Three Friends, In a Glass House, The Power and the Glory, and Free Hand, while later albums are often described as more commercial or less representative.