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Interview (1976)

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About the Album

A concept album, structured as a phony interview. The music contains numerous criticisms of the music industry and the silly questions that rock stars get asked repeatedly. An essay is available from the Truck CD liner notes.

Musicians

Gary Green - guitars

Kerry Minnear - keyboards

Derek Shulman - vocals, saxes

Ray Shulman - bass, violin

John Weathers - drums

Other liner notes:

  A "Gentle Giant Production"
  Recorded at: Advision Studios, London.
  February/March 1976.
  Engineer: Paul Northfield, assisted by Ken Thomas
  All Compositions: Shulman, Shulman and Minnear 
  and all permutations thereof
  Published by: "Clipchoice Music"
  Interviewer: Phil Sutcliffe
  Cover Production: Geoff Allman for "Spoken Image"
  Airbrush: Chris Clover
  CD Package Design: Phil Smee

Track List

1. Interview (6:54)
2. Give It Back (5:08)
3. Design (4:59)
4. Another Show (3:29)
5. Empty City (4:24)
6. Timing (4:50)
7. I Lost My Head (6:58)

Lyrics

All lyrics reproduced with the permission of DRT Entertainment (USA) and Alucard Publishing, Ltd. (UK).

- submitted by David Wilhite. Interview excerpts decyphered by Paul Moore.

(The interview, part 1)

Voice 1: Right....Now...Gentle Giant.
Interviewer: Err. Gentle Giant, is it?
Voice 2: Send for some coffee, Paul, will you?
Interviewer: And who are you?
Derek: Well, I'm Derek, and the blokes behind me are [inaudible bit]....Ray.... [Inaudible bit] Shulman. Yes.... [Inaudible]...
Interviewer: Oh, you're related, are you? I didn't know about that.
(Scrape of chairs at table, etc)
Interviewer: Er, where...where...where shall we begin, then?

Interview

Lead vocals: Derek (verses), John ("What are your plans...")

1. Yes it's been hard, going a long time
   and we're together even now.
   Why do you ask? Surely you know it!
   Isn't it clear just when and how.
   What can we tell you?
   At the beginning had no direction,
   any other way.
   After the fourth one, realisation,
   finding our road, the same as if today.

2. Well we all hear, everyone, no-one,
   not to not say, we like a lot.
   Want to be seen rock and roll music,
   Don't take us something that we're not.
   True it looks better, tide looks like turning,
   so all in all we feel we are alright.
   Yes we had troubles, much more than many,
   rather have none and do we think what's right.

   What are your plans for the future now?
   And can you say who does the writing then?
   How did you get -- who gave the name of the band?

3. Now that he's gone, turn off our faces,
   wait for the new man to arrive.
   Soon the same song, sung for the next one,
   saying our piece, though not alive.
   What can we tell you?
   At the beginning had no direction,
   any other way.
   After the fourth one, realisation,
   finding our road, the same as if today.

   Repeat of verse 2.

Give It Back

Lead vocals: Derek

1. Isn't it strange, oh it's funny,
   working for years have no money,
   suddenly luck can smile on you
   and your life seems worth while to you.

   Chorus:
   Just how much can you spend,
   give it back in the end,
   and the time of your season,
   was no use, had no reason.

2. And you move, you go away
   and you can't come home not today.
   Spreading it out over the bad years,
   not for those men, they can't hear.

   Chorus:

3. Haven't had much in a long time,
   hoping that change is going to be mine.
   Don't want to go, I want to stay here,
   spreading it out over the bad years.

   Chorus:

(The interview, part 2)

Interviewer: Gentle Giant, how would you describe your music?
Band: [All talking at once] Well/Well, I guess...combination of...background...very arranged...basically it's all different sorts...

Design

Lead vocals: Kerry (verses); Derek, Kerry, ??? ("I thought everything may come to me...", in order of appearance)

   (Chant)
   As years drift by
   and future dies.

1. He sits and he thinks
   about all he's done in life,
   I'm now an old man,
   what have I been in life?
   what did I do?
   Had no end to aspire to.

2. His dreams as a boy
   were of hope and intention
   of making his mark
   with his plans and invention,
   where did they go,
   how could he know how time goes.

   In my day had to have
   certain future,
   but now you can do as you like,
   all that I might have wanted,
   seeking what you're after,
   but not for me.

   Everything comes to those who wait,
   I thought everything may come to me
   made my way only as I was able.

3. He knows there's no more he can do,
   no romances, now bitten today
   for they have all his chances,
   all too late, no one waits
   how time goes by.

   Seeking what you're after,
   but not for me
   Have as my years drift by
   never for me.

Another Show

Lead vocals: Derek

1. Lock the door and go,
   heads still in a daze,
   throw the key away,
   lost all count of days.
   Where's the float for the gas?
   How much left does he have?
   set the stage
   and so here's another show
   ask the band how they're feeling,
   never see them now dealing,
   in a way they never would
   we'll get our way,
   always could.

2. Sleep all day,
   there's another show today,
   find the map for the place,
   tell him where, just in case,
   set the stage and go,
   here's another show.

3. Stage is empty now
   always last to go.
   Where tomorrow?
   No, I don't want to know,
   all the scene is torn down,
   up again other town,
   set the stage and so,
   there's another show.
   Are we going out tonight?
   Find a friend and it's alright,
   leave the morning,
   moving so we can stage,
   another show.

Empty City

Lead vocals: Derek

1. She knows the streets
   where she walks,
   never were paved with gold
   can't return,
   but won't dream till she's old.
   leaving it soon behind
   city so cold.

2. And everyday now so long,
   how could she have been so wrong.

   And as the morning comes,
   shadows on her fall upon,
   walking crowded the streets
   she looked on,
   packs her case
   and tomorrow she's gone.

(The interview, part 3)

Interviewer: So, really, when come right down to it, can you describe what kind of music you do play then? What are you playing at? What would you compare it to? How would you express to people who've never heard it?

Timing

Lead vocals: Derek

   See now, like cat then mouse, I move,
   they move, the game hasn't an end.
   Good news soon, bad news then,
   I know the sound that says
   "nothing again".
   What then? The hours go past,
   my say is real, they say only pretend.
   Timing.
   Wait for that day, for my good.
   Timing.
   When I sell myself again.

   Do they all realise, the lion's share
   is always halfway.
   Wait for that day for my good.
   when I sell myself again.
   Timing.

   Wait for that day, for my good.
   Timing.
   When I sell myself again.
 
   See now, like cat then mouse, I move,
   they move, the game hasn't an end.
   Good news soon, bad news then,
   I know the sound that says
   "nothing again".
   What then? The hours go past,
   my say is real, they say only pretend.
   Timing.

I Lost My Head

Lead vocals: Kerry (Part 1), Derek (Part 2)

1. I lost my head, it was not easy,
   unknown, unread, it wasn't easy,
   and each day, each night,
   wasn't wrong, nor right,
   I can't remember what I said
   I lost my head.

2. What will I feel maybe tomorrow,
   but time not real, hours I can borrow,
   so until for now, as long as how,
   I can't remember what I said
   I lost my head.

   (Part 2)

1. I lost my head, forget what I said,
   what's the use to try to deny it,
   I didn't think it would ever happen again,
   wondering why, once bitten, twice shy,
   never thought again would I try it,
   and even though maybe soon
   it would end, wanting to stop,
   but had to go on,
   give a little part of my person,
   and don't reflect,
   don't remember what I said,
   I was afraid and I stayed away
   making sure of my independence,
   isn't it true
   that I lost my head.

   Took my time and I didn't rush into anything,
   showed my face, just forgetting myself,
   I lost my head.

2. Everything's true, but everything lies,
   it's so hard to try to explain it,
   It doesn't matter it happened anyway,
   and for the time while someone is mine,
   I'll go on won't try to contain it,
   though never sure it could finish anyday,
   I lost my head,
   so glad that I made
   right or wrong, I made the decision
   to take my chances,
   give out something of me,
   how will I feel tomorrow?
   not real trying to avoid a collision,
   I lost my head,
   but today I can see.

(The interview, part 4)

Interviewer: Thank you very much, then, and good luck to you.
Band: Thanks/cheers/Thank you...

Release Information

CDs currently in print

Sound quality - read me before you buy this album on CD.

Reviews and Ratings

Keyboard Magazine

Round Sounds

Jason Rubin

Rankings:

On-Reflection album ranking

Proclamation album ranking