Three Friends
Encyclopedia
Three Friends is a concept album
by the British
progressive rock
band Gentle Giant
. The group's third album was also their first American release to chart, peaking at #197 on the Billboard 200
. It marked a change in drummers from Martin Smith
to Malcolm Mortimore
.
It is Gentle Giant's first concept album, dealing with three childhood friends whose lives take them very different places. It was also their first self-produced album. The two former albums were produced by David Bowie
and T.Rex producer Tony Visconti
.
Gary Green's guitar solo on "Peel the Paint" uses an echoplex
belonging to Mike Ratledge
that Green's brother Jeff, a roadie with Ratledge's band Soft Machine
, had borrowed.
The song "Schooldays" starts off with the sounds of a schoolyard playground in England. Ray Shulman told Songfacts about the song: "We started off using the sound effects of the schoolyard so it would be very nostalgic, and that's a whole song about being at school together, and how these friends went their own different ways. One goes into manual labour, one goes into clerical work, and one is an artist."
. The album title and band name were added over the forehead of the giant image and the colour tinting of the cover was changed.
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
by the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
band Gentle Giant
Gentle Giant
Gentle Giant were a British progressive rock band active between 1970 and 1980. The band was known for the complexity and sophistication of its music and for the varied musical skills of its members. All of the band members, except the first two drummers, were multi-instrumentalists...
. The group's third album was also their first American release to chart, peaking at #197 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
. It marked a change in drummers from Martin Smith
Martin Smith
Martin Smith may refer to:*Martin Smith , British professor of robotics at the Open University*Martin Smith , British actor, singer and composer*Martin Smith , Irish boxer...
to Malcolm Mortimore
Malcolm Mortimore
Malcolm Paul Mortimore , is a drummer who has played with Gentle Giant, Spike Heatley, Tom Jones, Troy Tate, Ian Dury, G.T. Moore, Mick and Chris Jagger, Frankie Miller, Oliver Jones, and Barney Kessel.-External links:*...
.
It is Gentle Giant's first concept album, dealing with three childhood friends whose lives take them very different places. It was also their first self-produced album. The two former albums were produced by David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
and T.Rex producer Tony Visconti
Tony Visconti
Anthony Edward Visconti is an American record producer and sometimes a musician or singer.Since the late 1960s, he has worked with an array of performers; his lengthiest involvement with any artist is with David Bowie: intermittently from Bowie's 1969 album Space Oddity to 2003's Reality, Visconti...
.
Gary Green's guitar solo on "Peel the Paint" uses an echoplex
Echoplex
The Echoplex is a tape delay effect, first made in 1959. Designed by Mike Battle, the Echoplex set a standard for the effect in the 1960s and was used by some of the most notable guitar players of the era; original Echoplexes are highly sought after....
belonging to Mike Ratledge
Mike Ratledge
Michael Roland "Mike" Ratledge is a British musician. Ratledge was part of the Canterbury scene and a long-time member of Soft Machine.-Biography and career:...
that Green's brother Jeff, a roadie with Ratledge's band Soft Machine
Soft Machine
Soft Machine were an English rock band from Canterbury, named after the book The Soft Machine by William S. Burroughs. They were one of the central bands in the Canterbury scene, and helped pioneer the progressive rock genre...
, had borrowed.
The song "Schooldays" starts off with the sounds of a schoolyard playground in England. Ray Shulman told Songfacts about the song: "We started off using the sound effects of the schoolyard so it would be very nostalgic, and that's a whole song about being at school together, and how these friends went their own different ways. One goes into manual labour, one goes into clerical work, and one is an artist."
North American LP release
For the US and Canadian releases, on Columbia Records, the album cover was changed to a modified version of the design from the self-titled UK debut Gentle GiantGentle Giant (album)
Gentle Giant was the first album of British progressive rock band Gentle Giant, released in 1970.-Side One:# "Giant" – 6:22...
. The album title and band name were added over the forehead of the giant image and the colour tinting of the cover was changed.
U.S. CD release
The US CD edition on Columbia also has the marker for track 6 in the wrong place. On this version track number 5 ends early at 3:23 instead of 5:51 while incorrectly extending the length of track six from 3:04 to 5:32.Side Two
- "Peel the Paint" – 7:28
- "Mister Class and Quality?" – 5:51
- "Three Friends" – 3:00
Personnel
- Kerry MinnearKerry MinnearKerry Minnear is a classically trained multi-instrumentalist who played in the innovative progressive rock band Gentle Giant during the 1970s....
- Keyboards, Vibraphone, Percussion, Moog, Vocals - Ray ShulmanRay ShulmanRaymond Shulman is a British musician, and the youngest of three brothers in progressive rock band, Gentle Giant.Born in Portsmouth, Shulman's father was a trumpet player in a jazz band, and that was the first instrument he learned to play...
- Basses, Violin, 12 String Guitar, Vocals - Gary GreenGary GreenGary Green is a British musician. During the 1970s, he was the guitarist for the progressive rock band Gentle Giant. Green was with the band from the debut album Gentle Giant all the way to the last album Civilian. Green's style was different from most of his peers, being a more "blues" based...
- Guitars, Percussion - Derek ShulmanDerek ShulmanDerek Shulman is a British musician and singer, multi-instrumentalist, and record executive...
- Vocals - Malcolm MortimoreMalcolm MortimoreMalcolm Paul Mortimore , is a drummer who has played with Gentle Giant, Spike Heatley, Tom Jones, Troy Tate, Ian Dury, G.T. Moore, Mick and Chris Jagger, Frankie Miller, Oliver Jones, and Barney Kessel.-External links:*...
- Drums - Philip ShulmanPhil ShulmanPhil Shulman , was a member of the progressive rock group Gentle Giant from 1970 to 1972 and performed on their albums Gentle Giant, Acquiring the Taste, Three Friends and Octopus....
- Saxophones and Vocals - Boy's voice on "Schooldays" - Calvin Shulman
- Engineer - Martin RushentMartin RushentMartin Rushent was an English record producer, best known for his work with The Human League, The Stranglers and The Buzzcocks.- Early life :Rushent was born on 11 July 1948 in Enfield, Middlesex. His father was a car salesman...
- Sleeve Design - Rick Breach
- Publisher - Excellency Music
Charts
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
197 |