Category: Music

Gentle Giant: Playing the Fool

Playing the Fool – The Official Live (1977)

The Complete Live Experience

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“Triple Vinyl LP / 2-CD Set / 2-CD + Blu-ray Set

Available in 96/24 Stereo, 5.1 Surround Sound & Dolby Atmos

The iconic 1977 live album, now fully reimagined, mixed, and mastered for an immersive experience!

Originally released in January 1977, Playing The Fool captured Gentle Giant at the peak of their live performance prowess. Now, over 45 years later, the beloved live album has been re-imagined, mixed and mastered, bringing a fresh level of clarity and depth to the Gentle Giant live experience.

Produced by Dan Bornemark, who has worked extensively with the band on archival projects, The Complete Live Experience captures the full scope of the band’s artistry as they were meant to be heard, including restored in-between-song commentary, band introductions and authentic venue ambience. It features the complete full original setlist, plus three unreleased tracks – Interview, Timing and Ray Shulman’s solo violin feature.

Available as a triple LP, double CD and triple CD/Blu-ray in Dolby Atmos, 5.1 surround sound and 96/24 Stereo, this release gives fans the ultimate Gentle Giant experience as never before, with stunning clarity and spatial audio that places the listener right in the middle of the show. It’s the definitive version of a legendary live performance from one of progressive rock’s most unique and influential bands.”

Mott the Hoople: Rose

Live 1973. One of their signature, serious bombasmo-glam power ballads, the genre in which they were the unsurpassed masters at the time.

Another live version is found on their 1974 Live album, but it’s not on any of their studio albums. Absurdly, it’s the B-side of a silly little pop single from the Mott album, Honaloochie Boogie. But it seems they immediately realized the mistake.

Ian Hunter occasionally made something musically and lyrically interesting out of “ordinary” (non-prog) rock. The few instances of this in the history of ordinary rock are important.