GENTLE GIANT’s “Octopus” Enters BBC Rock Charts at 34

By Annie on November 10, 2015

For the first time in almost 35 years, 1970’s progressive rock band Gentle Giant is on the charts in their native UK. The Steven Wilson remix of Gentle Giant’s masterpiece Octopus has entered the BBC Rock charts at 34. Octopus is receiving significant attention both in Europe and North America. Alice Cooper, himself featured “A Cry For Everyone” from Octopus on his show, Nights With Alice Cooper the week of November 4.

Back in 1972, Octopus hit the U.S. Billboard album charts for one week at 170.

Says the group’s lead singer, Derek Shulman, who is North American chairman of Frontiers Records and oversees a worldwide management company, says, “Everyone in the band is delighted to hear that the music that we created in 1972 seems to be even more popular in 2015. To see Octopus in the top 40 is such a pleasant surprise. Steven Wilson remixed the music in 5.1 with his usual respect and care. All the Gentle Giant team especially want to thank the old and new fans for keeping the music we created years ago still vital today.”

Octopus is Gentle Giant’s fourth album, featuring band members: Gary Green (guitars, percussion), Kerry Minnear (keyboards, vibraphone, percussion, cello, vocals), Derek Shulman (vocals, alto saxophone), Phil Shulman (saxophones, trumpet, mellophone, vocals), Ray Shulman (bass violin, guitar, percussion, vocals), John Weathers (drums, percussion, xylophone). The album was produced by the band and engineered and mixed by Martin Rushent.

* This Blu-Ray / CD package also includes a bonus of Steven’s mix of live 15-minute concert performances of “Excerpts from Octopus” from the band’s 1976 tour.

* New sketches by Roger Dean (who produced the original UK album cover) is included in the new packaging as well as artwork from the USA album (an octopus in a jar created by Charles White).

* The Blu-ray’s remixed album and added 15 minutes of live excerpts is in 96/24 PCM, DTS 5.1 Surround Sound Master Audio. The Blu-ray also includes instrumental mixes of 5 of the original 8 tracks from this album. Also included is the flat transfer of the original mix of the album. Yael Shulman (Derek’s daughter) films an actual Octopus swimming in an aquarium.

* The CD/Blu-Ray features a 16-page booklet with liner notes by Innerviews’ Anil Prasad.

* Octopus, The CD/Blu-Ray is available through Caroline-UMG in North America, and on Soulfood in the rest of the world.

Order Octopus Blu-Ray / CD online:

iTunes at smarturl.it/GGOctopus

Amazon for the Blu-Ray at smarturl.it/GGOctopus_AmzBluRay

and the CD at smarturl.it/GGOctopus_AmzCD