Gentle Giant's Ray Shulman Discusses Free Hand
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Multiinstrumentalist Ray Shulman of Gentle Giant discusses the upcoming reissue of the Free Hand album with a Steven Wilson 5.1 and Dolby Atmos mix, the making of the album, how his band approached writing and playing, and more.
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RIP Ray Shulman . A genius musician and composer. Sadly passed away March 30th 2023. So Sincere.
RIP Sir Shulman. You were a gem, and you will be sorely missed.
😢 Such a sad day 3/30/23, the day Ray passed. He was a joy to see live with GG as I was lucky to have done several times in the early 70s. I was lucky to see most of the biggest bands of the late 60s and 70s. This band was insanely talented and their versatility on stage was unique. Musicianship beyond normal. My cheeks would hurt from smiling so much during a concert and I find myself doing that even watching video. Ray and Garys facial expressions in particular could be hysterical. I love that there is so much video live on KZread and hope more gets uploaded....I never have enough wallowing in the nostalgia of Gentle Giant. ❤
Rest in peace Ray, a very sad loss :(
R.I.P. Ray. Thank you for all the mesmerisingly beautiful music. 🙏
How wonderful that technology has provided a platform for intelligent questions for musicians instead of the same old tired uninformed questions from the media we got back in the day. But it's also sad to see one of my heroes so alive and vibrant here, knowing that he is gone a year later. Life is so fragile.
A great bass player...one of the very best of the '70s! Hail to Ray Shulman!
@Tilemason1
Жыл бұрын
They were part of my super epic first concert ever 1972 Anaheim stadium California Gental Giant, who I was already into my friends older brother had sick music taste and sense. Gary Wright, Peter Frampton, and YES who I was also into what a way to bust my live show 🍒 amazing I've seen GG 7 times and Yes 16
Ray Shulman! A genius. One of the greatest inspirations of my musical life.
@Jpeterson7
3 жыл бұрын
Me also. First time I saw him play was 1977 and Renaissance opened for them so I got to see Jon Camp on the same night. As a bassplayer, I was FLOORED.
@MichaelsRecordCollection
3 жыл бұрын
If you like Renaissance, you'll enjoy next week's interview as well. ;)
@FreneticZetetic
2 жыл бұрын
Incredible bass player, let alone musician! Ray was on Squire's cape tails the entirety of the 70's IMHO!
@martinbrodie8507
2 жыл бұрын
@@MichaelsRecordCollection , I had the pleasure of seeing Gentle Giant and Renaissance in 1977 at the Fox Theater in Atlanta.
@MichaelsRecordCollection
2 жыл бұрын
@@martinbrodie8507 I saw Porcupine Tree there once. Only time I've ever been to Atlanta.
Yes.. Ray is an absolute musical genius and a wonderful person.
Amidst a lifetime of AMAZING concert memories, one standout is a Gentle Giant show at New York City's Avery Fisher Hall (Lincoln Center), a venue usually reserved for "fancy pants" musical fare. Gentle Giant was amazing, terrific show, and Ray Shulman was in the middle of an extended bass solo, tearing it up. In the middle of his solo, some idiot in the audience yelled at full volume "DO IT RAY!!!" Without skipping a beat, Ray Shulman stopped his solo for two seconds (full silence in the theater), looked out at the crowd and yelled "I'M DOING IT, I'M DOING IT!!!!" and then jumped right back into another two minutes of solo. We were all putty in his hands....
@benaustin6361
3 жыл бұрын
This was more than 40 years ago, but I still remember it vividly.
@PRdeSO
Жыл бұрын
Cool story
@Fredo_Viola
Жыл бұрын
Lol, amazing! And he is such an incredible artist, both instrumentalist and composer. I’m new to GG, but am an instant devotee!
@brindledboxer693
Жыл бұрын
Rest in peace
🌹Soft journey, Ray Shulman...RIP ...thank you
Such a great musician and humble chap. What a fantastic band, absolutely outstanding work!
A musical genius & nice dude too!
What an incredible man Ray was. Absolutely brilliant musician who was as modest as they come.
The BEST live band I have EVER seen in my almost 71 years. First time was in the early 70s at The Whisky A Go Go and they flat blew us all away. It was so good I found myself giggling in astonishment. I also saw them a couple of time in Dallas in the 70s.
@Fusionhead
3 жыл бұрын
1974...great show.
@Fredo_Viola
Жыл бұрын
You are so lucky!!! :)
@matreynolds1
Жыл бұрын
I empathise totally, I saw them twice and nothing ever compared to them.
@djorlando57
Жыл бұрын
🎉yep agree I saw them at some smaller venue in Chicago suburbs and was so dazzled. Love octopus 🐙 and Free Hand my favs. I gotta hear this 5.1. I never did and I’m sure I’d love it. I guess you buy the blue ray disk?
@wsc1955
11 ай бұрын
I saw them too in Dallas . One was at the Electric Ballroom. Fantastic!..him and Gary doing the double acoustic guitars was like butta!
Rest in peace Ray. We love you. ❤
The Best relatively unknown bass player on earth, no joke but unfair as he's so much more than that, a really accomplished musician.
Kerry and Ray are the reason I went into composition.
@patrickdemeyer8992
2 жыл бұрын
they are the reason why i am a composer all my life. GG is the greatest band on earth. Jethro Tull too . Frank Zappa is my master. Kerry Minear is the Herbie Hancock of progrock.
@frizzonofficial
2 жыл бұрын
I just discovered them and I can't get enough of their music. I'm trying to learn free hand on the keyboards and it is very difficult. Really clever though.
@jamiepastman5594
Жыл бұрын
if that's true, I'd love to hear what you're writing!
Miss you already Ray. You were the greatest of all time❤
RIP Ray. Best band ever.
It always been ok with me that Giant were a kind of best kept secret and the music feels as fresh as it was when it was made even with the occasional medieval sounding folk interlude. I treasure the albums and wish the Shulman family my condolences with Ray's recent loss.
Wonderful album, outstanding band.
I just learned today that Ray left us a couple of weeks ago, age 73. What an incredible writer and bassist, one founder of what is undeniably one of music's most interesting and special bands. He'll be greatly missed.
RIP RAY , God bless you
Always pleasant to hear a genius.
RIP Ray! May you rest in Infinite Music now! God bless you all!
Ray was always my favorite guy in the band! I wish they would remix The Missing Piece.
@ramoncardinali
3 жыл бұрын
They will! Already announced. We'll get Interview remix too.
@Jpeterson7
3 жыл бұрын
@@ramoncardinali - Awesome thanks!
@johannesobier2477
3 жыл бұрын
@@ramoncardinali Wow! I'm so happy to read this!
@dollhaus1
Жыл бұрын
There could be a remix.
@hugo888888888
7 ай бұрын
@@ramoncardinali From what I understand, they don't have the multi-tracking of the best albums, neither Acquiring the Taste nor Three Friends nor Octopus nor In a Glass House nor The Power and the Glory... It's a real shame, this irreparable loss.
What a great guy.
One of the best bands of the world, they are genius’s!!
I knew YES, Kansas, Floyd, Rush in the 70's, but hadn't heard Gentle Giant until one lucky night on DON KIRSHNER's ROCK CONCERT. I thought, 'What the hell is THIS??" I had to run out and get me some! Three Friends was the album I got, and my friends became fans, too. Not too much longer, they came to INDY with another Brit band I hadn't heard of - RENAISSANCE, in just a small theater! Wow, I got lucky.
Just discovered GG last year. I love them. So great. So, so great.
Ray seems so quiet, humble, and normal; this belies the absolute monster of a player that he was.
Yes, Ray is a really great bass player, but not enough is said about the acoustic guitar duets he wrote for himself and Gary Green. In many ways, Ray's unique and brilliant compositional style can best be heard in those duets. This is the only long interview with him I've been able to find, I'm very glad to finally hear him speak on composing and the band.
RIP Ray. Eternal love and appreciation.
What a shame about “in a glass house”. That would take off with the full monte remaster. Killer interview. Everything was analogue and much acoustic. Ray is so cool.
RIP Ray. You were truly a Giant amongst giants and a brilliant multi talented musician and prolific songwriter. I sure miss you and the boys seeing and hearing you perform live.
I saw GG open for Tull at The Baltimore Civic Center. Mind still blown. Also, yes…His Last Voyage is awesome. The opening bass line very Jazzy.
Wonderful guy amazing musician.
So much memories listening to Giant in the seventies. They were huge in Montreal and I got to see them live a couple of times Thanks for this.
Thank you for this great interview. Ray is a true genius musician, yet so humble
Ray your baselines were just marvelous. Saw you open for Tull in ‘77 I think it was and been a fan ever since.
@dkd1228
2 жыл бұрын
Ray's bass playing opened my eyes to the possibilities of using a pick.
R.S. , one of my very favorite Bass players of all time!!
Thank you very much for this great interview. I was born and living in Hamburg for 53 years . I ´ve been to every GG Concert . After the first one ( support forJethro Tull) I became a very big fan for years . Still have the tickets and great memories. Many years ago I had the honor to meet Damon Shulman in Portsmouth. Mr Ray Shulman is a musical genuis and a great, nice guy. Thank you for all the music to all THE BOYS IN THE BAND . Joachim Griebe - Germany
@herbertbalzac
3 жыл бұрын
After the first one - realisation!
@chriswakefield9538
3 жыл бұрын
@@herbertbalzac The birth of a realisation.
Amazing. What a good sensation to listen Ray talking about all of it. Thank you so much to bring he to this interview. Cheers! Much love and greetings rom Brazil
He’s so high on my hero list, head blown wide open starting around ‘81-‘82
Amazing! The questions asked here were the ones most musicians would love to ask the band members, so thank you for that
Great interview! And Ray.. the ultimate hero! 🙏🏻
Ray was such a great musician. Ray and Kerry in the same band outstanding composers. The music was always innovative and engaging it can not be ignored, not good bar background musac , That what most singles are. My favorite band of all time. Your interview with Ray great. Thank you!
It's just great to see an interview from Ray. He is so rare. I love this guy. Would be great to see him participate on fan reunion. Thank you for this video.
They failed being commercial - thank god for that
Very sad that he has gone to the Great Gig in the Sky. He was a genius.
When listening to GG, sometimes I just focus on what Ray is doing on the bass to hear how inventive it is.
Great great artist ! ! !
Thanks for the interview, great questions. I appreciated the thoughtfulness you brought to the interaction. A very rare treat for this long time GG fan!
RIP, Ray. ❤
I've been listening to and loving Gentle Giant for 48 years now! And I listen to the albums again and again! 😊 The first song was "On Reflection" from the album "Freehand", it came on the radio and I immediately fell in love! Unfortunately, the record dealer couldn't help me because I didn't know which album it was on, so I bought "Interview" which had just come out at the time! I was very surprised that Ray hardly heard his "old" music! My "top ten" are: 1. Acquiring the taste 2. interview 2b. Freehand 3. Debut 4. Civilian 5. Octopuses 6. Missing piece 7. Three Friends 8. Glass House 9. Power And The Glory 10. Giant for a Day And of course "Playing the fool" as one of the best live albums of all time! Rest gently and in peace Ray 🙏
R.I.P. to another great.
Whenever I listen to GG music I often imagine me playing the bass, as a keyboardist. I appreciate this guy so much. Congratulations my friend wherever you are 🌟
What an absolutely lovely guy , multi talented and yet so unassuming Ray thanks for sharing the music and RIP Sir .
rest in peace ray❤
Nothing is more pimp than playing a violin while having a Fender P Bass strapped on.
Saw them in New Haven CT - Nov. 9, 1974 (backing up "Poco" - talk about a mismatch) - What a show! Unbelievable live performance of such complicated music. Great Night! Thank you Ray. You were always a strong influence.
Great interview…thanks for the upload….
Great Ray Schulman. Genious.
Got to see GG four times in Toronto and after Yes they were the best performances I ever saw pure genius.
One of the most innovative, interesting, and humble bass players to ever live!
Of my favorite musicians of all time🌟
It was so easy to take Free Hand for granted back when it was new. Back then when a Gentle Giant album was released we automatically bought it, no questions asked. Now, as we hear the details of what they went through, to get this album into the hands of fans, we can appreciate it even more. They didn't just pull a rabbit out of their hat. They pull several rabbits out each day of recording. Hats off to Ray and Michael for a great interview!
Fabulous musician. Really enjoyed this.
Holy shit, this is awesome!
@sapiensfromterra5103
3 жыл бұрын
By Azura by Azura by Azura
Really great questions in this interview. Nice job!
I saw them live enough times that I could focus on Ray for one whole song. It was amazing. It was like he was playing in his own world, his own song, but somehow it just magically fit into the other four songs going on at the same time. Obviously this was before I really understood what classical music and counterpoint were.
Thanks for everything Ray. 👍😁❤ The work you have done will probably never be surpassed...(or even attempted?) again.
Loved Ray. A main reason I picked up the bass....
Got to see Ray and the band in Chicago at the Auditorium and the Riviera. I think at the Riviera, Ray did an amazing solo with the echoplex with speakers in four locations, looping and echoing was just amazing. Wishing Ray and the band all the very best!
@mshelton5036
3 жыл бұрын
At the Riviera with Renaissance my favorite concert of all time!
@hrw35
3 жыл бұрын
I was at that show… one of my faves.
@hrw35
3 жыл бұрын
@@mshelton5036 That was my first GG show….went to see Renaissance as I didn’t know much about GG….became a huge GG fan from then one. Had never or heard anything like it
RIP Ray 😢
Think of me with kindness - Ray Shulman
Beyond time 🙏❤
An absolute musical genius who deserves more recognition !!! Gentle Giant were 20 years ahead of other Prog Rockers ... I would include Dixie Dregs as well ! Mahavishnu Orchestra were in there no doubt ! ...
i love Gentle Giant and it’s so rare that i’ve ever heard from any of them. Ray’s bass lines and playing are so excellent. if i could, i’d ask him if he wrote “Winning” and if it was at all inspired by disco.
Thank you, thank you :) Too bad about the loss of the multi-track tapes for In A Glass House
Ray Schulman OMG !! -- my idol from age 17 to the present ---
I got it and it's great! Love the instrumental versions. I sure got my money's worth.
Saw GG twice in Ottawa Canada 1975 and 76. Power and the Glory tour and Free Hand tour. Ray Shulman was always making facial expressions on stage along with his bass lines. Incredible band Live. I sure wish I could visit the past in a time machine. Visually appealing and solid off the wall music. Free Hand .I'm ready to purchase the remix.
@bigtwit799
Жыл бұрын
Why travel so far?
@dollhaus1
Жыл бұрын
@@bigtwit799 coz I'm 67 now and saw them when I was 18.
@fabrikk60
Жыл бұрын
I heard that GG opened for Queen at one of their Ottawa shows. Was this the case at one of the shows you attended?
@dollhaus1
Жыл бұрын
@@fabrikk60 No. In 1975 John Lee Hooker opened for GG and in 1976 Starcastle opened the concert. I don't recall the Queen concert having an opening act.
@fabrikk60
Жыл бұрын
@@dollhaus1 My friend was at a Queen concert in Ottawa, opened by GG. He can't recall the year though.
Ray and the band it's a really Genius!
I love this band, you know. Love gentle giant you know. Ray shulman is a beast of a, you know, musician, you know. It is a, you know, pleasure you know to get to listen to this incredible you know interview you know because every GG fan is curious about their musicality and you know... ideas you know
@matreynolds1
3 жыл бұрын
I know.
Gentle Giant! Their name is a gross understatement! They should be called "Extra large Giant!!! The band famous bands went to see and steel techniques from!!!
I'm looking forward to hearing this new mix.
i got to see gg 4 times were great
Oh, no! "Glass House" tapes are gone. Detectives?
RIP Ray Shulman
❤️
I saw them in '72 with Yes and the third band was the Eagles
GG is a lot more known in Argentina than in the UK. F... knows why
The Emperer...
I love you tube
The original mix is the best.
From what I understand, they don't have the multi-tracking of the best albums, neither Acquiring the Taste nor Three Friends nor Octopus nor In a Glass House nor The Power and the Glory... It's a real shame, this irreparable loss.
If god exists -- then can I meet Ray Schulman ?
Gentle Giant great artists that were praised by Frank Zappa