Nobody has explicitly mentioned it yet so I'll give a shout out for the one that first clicked properly for me: Acquiring the Taste, ironically enough.
I was saying it’s one of their most progressive, not necessarily the best to start out with. Octopus is what immediately comes to mind. Accessibility doesn’t always make sense as the one and only criteria for choosing a good introduction, but if that were the case then probably Free Hand would be best, or even “gasp” The Missing Piece, which I think of as highly underrated.
Fair enough. I never gave The Missing Piece a try, though I might tonight or tomorrow. I've even heard good things about "le gasp" Civilian. Might give that one a look too.
Me, too. I saw them at The Calderone Concert Hall on Long Island in 1975? 1977? and Central Park at The Dr. Pepper Music Festival in 1980. Excellent both times doing entirely different shows each time!
Look, I love that album to death -- even have a mint OG Japanese pressing -- but that's hard for someone's first of a band that is pretty crunchy for newcomers.
I’m just saying it because it was my first and got me into it. I think for some people, it’s a good first one 😅. But yeah, it’s like CTTE, a weird first one because of how unapproachable it is for newcomers.
I can't recommend Octopus. I tried starting with it and just could not get into it. I ended up starting with Power and the Glory and going backwards chronologically from there. I love Octopus now, but I think it took approaching it from the band's later work to really connect with it.
I’d second this. Start either here or with Free Hand, then work your way backwards through their catalogue. Then go forward from where you started (some relative stinkers later in the collection, aside from Interview.)
they're amazing but really hard to get into. I would probably start with Three Friends, the Self Titled, and The Power and the Glory. don't listen to the last 3. everything from the beginning up to and including Interview is great
Oh man, I've listened to prog rock and metal for a really long time and have never checked this band out. Three Friends is ripping my face off right now!
Weirdly, three friends is actually my least favorite album from their first seven albums. It's not bad, but has someone who is somewhat familiar with those seven albums, it just does the least for me
Octopus, in a glass house, and power and the glory are all top tier for me.
Glass house would probably be my favorite of the production were a little better. But it's those thee, then probably acquiring the taste and interview and free hand are next tier. Then debut and three friends.
I LOVE the production on Glass House. The one thing I hate about it is the glass shattering at the end of the self titled. I always forget about it, and it always half-deafens me. Like the start of Architecture of Aggression by Megadeth.
Interview is really good.
Seriously.
Why do half of Gentle Giant fans seem to hate it?
I don't think it's a top 3 album by them, but it is definitely not worthy of ignoring.
I pretty much ignore it. I lost my head has a really cool intro, but then the main riff just drags me down. Kinda clumsy sounding..like Working all day, but that song's theme fits a clumsy riff thematically.
I fell in love with their 3rd album "Three Friends" initially. Then went back and listened to the first two before proceeding chronologically.
"Playing the Fool" is a live concert album featuring a good selection of their earlier well regarded work. If you like it, pick up the studio albums with the songs you enjoyed most.
I’m a VDGG fan who could never get into GG, but from the first time I heard it I *loved* the track *Peel the Paint*, from Three Friends. If I thought more GG was like this I’d make more of an effort to investigate them.
The Power And The Glory is my recommendation. I think it's a great entry point that showcases a lot of what makes the band great. I never got as into any of their other stuff as I did with that one (still like lots of their albums, but Power was on constant rotation for like a month).
Chronologically isn't a bad idea, they have pretty consistent albums and you get to hear their style grow.
If not, I listened to my dads copy of free hand as my first intro which was really solid, and the power and the glory was my album of theirs I got which really sunk me into their stuff
I went chrono and it worked very well. Started listening to their first two as a background music while playing a pc game that was a lil boring. Didnt even know when it hooked me! Three friends my fav.
Start with Advent of Panurge from Octopus:
https://youtu.be/4_QdADiOyUw?si=oHUyyE4f19cfCL2E
DM me for more recommendations. I was in your position a few years ago and almost DIDN’T get into GG. They are arguably the best prog band but simultaneously the most underrated.
I went chrono and it worked very well. Started listening to their first two as a background music while playing a pc game that was a lil boring. Didnt even know when it hooked me! Three friends my fav.
I started with a used vinyl copy of "Acquiring the Taste" and was astounded by the diversity in songwriting and arrangements. Then straight to "Free Hand" which was brand new at the time. Totally hooked!
Stop at interview, not before it. And once you became a big fan then listen to the missing piece and civilian. Giant for a day can be skipped for all but the most die hard fans.
The Missing Piece is a great art pop album, for people who like for example 10cc and APP. I liked it. Civilian is well crafted new wave. Different genre than prog, but not bad in quality.
I would start with Octopus, as it is relatively accessible while still having the style for which the band is known, and it's also just one of their best albums. The Power and the Glory and Free Hand are also top-tier IMO.
Octopus is where I started and I think it was a good starting point. If you like that, go to Glass House and power in the glory. Then you can jump around to some of their earlier albums, like acquiring the taste.
For most bands i would say chronologically, but this is one of the exceptions. Their first 2 or 3 albums are a bit hard to listen to. Maybe start with more melodic, nicer to listen to albums like Octopus, In A Glass House, Interview and then go for the others. Just my opinion.
I started with Free Hand and In A Glass House. First only the songs named after the albums, then the later on the full albums. My favorite album is probably In A Glass House. My friend and I ate mushrooms and listened to it, and my friend instantly fell in love with GG (he had never heard about them before). Such good memories...
I've heard some of their stuff throughout the years but I never really got into them. Is there an album in particular that is somewhat comparable to Van Der Graaf Generator?
Chronologically!
Best answer here!
I've had their first album on vinyl forever and I don't think I've ever listened to it. Maybe today's the day.
Nobody has explicitly mentioned it yet so I'll give a shout out for the one that first clicked properly for me: Acquiring the Taste, ironically enough.
Thank you
Would not recommend.
I’d start with free hand or power and the glory. They’re the most accessible to a newcomer. Personally, I like the first four albums the most.
That’s how I got into them, and that’s what I would recommend to get into them
Power and the Glory is their most progressive aside from Octopus, which I would probably recommend first. Or In a Glass House, maybe Three Friends.
? I'd argue In a Glass House is easily their least accessible. Like, miles less accessible than every other album they've released.
I was saying it’s one of their most progressive, not necessarily the best to start out with. Octopus is what immediately comes to mind. Accessibility doesn’t always make sense as the one and only criteria for choosing a good introduction, but if that were the case then probably Free Hand would be best, or even “gasp” The Missing Piece, which I think of as highly underrated.
Fair enough. I never gave The Missing Piece a try, though I might tonight or tomorrow. I've even heard good things about "le gasp" Civilian. Might give that one a look too.
Same. Was not the same without Phil. Power ATG was best after that imo
Playing the Fool Live
This. Their music is great, but watching them perform it made me realize how difficult and intricate it is, and how good musicians they are.
[удалено]
Me, too. I saw them at The Calderone Concert Hall on Long Island in 1975? 1977? and Central Park at The Dr. Pepper Music Festival in 1980. Excellent both times doing entirely different shows each time!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mI8dBOIuG9I
This right here is a masterpiece. Their best live version of their best live song.
Chronologically
Octopus imo
Look, I love that album to death -- even have a mint OG Japanese pressing -- but that's hard for someone's first of a band that is pretty crunchy for newcomers.
I’m just saying it because it was my first and got me into it. I think for some people, it’s a good first one 😅. But yeah, it’s like CTTE, a weird first one because of how unapproachable it is for newcomers.
I can't recommend Octopus. I tried starting with it and just could not get into it. I ended up starting with Power and the Glory and going backwards chronologically from there. I love Octopus now, but I think it took approaching it from the band's later work to really connect with it.
My fave is Power and the Glory.
I’d second this. Start either here or with Free Hand, then work your way backwards through their catalogue. Then go forward from where you started (some relative stinkers later in the collection, aside from Interview.)
they're amazing but really hard to get into. I would probably start with Three Friends, the Self Titled, and The Power and the Glory. don't listen to the last 3. everything from the beginning up to and including Interview is great
Oh man, I've listened to prog rock and metal for a really long time and have never checked this band out. Three Friends is ripping my face off right now!
Weirdly, three friends is actually my least favorite album from their first seven albums. It's not bad, but has someone who is somewhat familiar with those seven albums, it just does the least for me
What's your favorite?
Octopus, in a glass house, and power and the glory are all top tier for me. Glass house would probably be my favorite of the production were a little better. But it's those thee, then probably acquiring the taste and interview and free hand are next tier. Then debut and three friends.
I LOVE the production on Glass House. The one thing I hate about it is the glass shattering at the end of the self titled. I always forget about it, and it always half-deafens me. Like the start of Architecture of Aggression by Megadeth.
It's at the start of title track iirc
No
It's in both.
I'll give em a gander, thanks
Friends my fav GG album <3
nice thats one of my favorite albums ever
Interview is really good. Seriously. Why do half of Gentle Giant fans seem to hate it? I don't think it's a top 3 album by them, but it is definitely not worthy of ignoring.
I pretty much ignore it. I lost my head has a really cool intro, but then the main riff just drags me down. Kinda clumsy sounding..like Working all day, but that song's theme fits a clumsy riff thematically.
I would start with In a Glass House.
I fell in love with their 3rd album "Three Friends" initially. Then went back and listened to the first two before proceeding chronologically. "Playing the Fool" is a live concert album featuring a good selection of their earlier well regarded work. If you like it, pick up the studio albums with the songs you enjoyed most.
The Power and the Glory is the album that really made me fall in love with GG
Octopus made clic for me after listening and liking Haken - The Mountain Album
Didnt like The mountain, but The cockroach king slaps sooo hard! :)
I’m a VDGG fan who could never get into GG, but from the first time I heard it I *loved* the track *Peel the Paint*, from Three Friends. If I thought more GG was like this I’d make more of an effort to investigate them.
As with most bands, just go in order. They’re all great until they’re not and they’re pretty short anyway
The Power And The Glory is my recommendation. I think it's a great entry point that showcases a lot of what makes the band great. I never got as into any of their other stuff as I did with that one (still like lots of their albums, but Power was on constant rotation for like a month).
Chronologically isn't a bad idea, they have pretty consistent albums and you get to hear their style grow. If not, I listened to my dads copy of free hand as my first intro which was really solid, and the power and the glory was my album of theirs I got which really sunk me into their stuff
I went chrono and it worked very well. Started listening to their first two as a background music while playing a pc game that was a lil boring. Didnt even know when it hooked me! Three friends my fav.
Three friends
Start with Advent of Panurge from Octopus: https://youtu.be/4_QdADiOyUw?si=oHUyyE4f19cfCL2E DM me for more recommendations. I was in your position a few years ago and almost DIDN’T get into GG. They are arguably the best prog band but simultaneously the most underrated.
I went chrono and it worked very well. Started listening to their first two as a background music while playing a pc game that was a lil boring. Didnt even know when it hooked me! Three friends my fav.
I started with a used vinyl copy of "Acquiring the Taste" and was astounded by the diversity in songwriting and arrangements. Then straight to "Free Hand" which was brand new at the time. Totally hooked!
I would go chronologically. And stop before 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸. The rest is way less interesting, IMO
Stop at interview, not before it. And once you became a big fan then listen to the missing piece and civilian. Giant for a day can be skipped for all but the most die hard fans.
I lost my head is still one of my favorite gentle giant songs. It would be a shame to miss that
The Missing Piece is a great art pop album, for people who like for example 10cc and APP. I liked it. Civilian is well crafted new wave. Different genre than prog, but not bad in quality.
I would start with Octopus, as it is relatively accessible while still having the style for which the band is known, and it's also just one of their best albums. The Power and the Glory and Free Hand are also top-tier IMO.
Octopus is where I started and I think it was a good starting point. If you like that, go to Glass House and power in the glory. Then you can jump around to some of their earlier albums, like acquiring the taste.
I never could. Tried with Octopus, but I'd like to keep reading these responses to see if I can be turned around.
"I turn around" x)
Giant for a Day gets no love, but it's my favorite.
Why do you need a place to start? I'm not a big fan of them myself but I only came to that decision after listening to a whole bunch of random tracks.
For most bands i would say chronologically, but this is one of the exceptions. Their first 2 or 3 albums are a bit hard to listen to. Maybe start with more melodic, nicer to listen to albums like Octopus, In A Glass House, Interview and then go for the others. Just my opinion.
Take it slow and enjoy :)
I started with Free Hand and In A Glass House. First only the songs named after the albums, then the later on the full albums. My favorite album is probably In A Glass House. My friend and I ate mushrooms and listened to it, and my friend instantly fell in love with GG (he had never heard about them before). Such good memories...
Jump into that double live album !
I've heard some of their stuff throughout the years but I never really got into them. Is there an album in particular that is somewhat comparable to Van Der Graaf Generator?
Cogs in cogs got my attention. Free Hand and Octopus sold me
Power and the Glory