Acquiring the Taste

Acquiring the Taste
Studio album by Gentle Giant
Released	July 16, 1971
Recorded	January–April 1971, Advision Studios & A.I.R. Studios, London
Genre	Progressive rock, psychedelic, neo-classical, avant-garde
Length	39:26
Label	Vertigo
Producer	Tony Visconti
Gentle Giant chronology
Gentle Giant (1970) Acquiring the Taste (1971) Three Friends (1972)

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Allmusic	[1]

Acquiring the Taste was the second album of English progressive rock band Gentle Giant, released in 1971.^[2]

This was a departure from the blues and soul styles found on their self-titled debut. It was more experimental, more discordant, and with more varied instrumentation. In the sleeve text, the band made this famous declaration:

"... It is our goal to expand the frontiers of contemporary popular music at the risk of being very unpopular. We have recorded each composition with the one thought - that it should be unique, adventurous and fascinating. It has taken every shred of our combined musical and technical knowledge to achieve this. From the outset we have abandoned all preconceived thoughts of blatant commercialism. Instead we hope to give you something far more substantial and fulfilling. All you need to do is sit back, and acquire the taste."

Most versions of this album (both LP and CD) have a mastering defect at the beginning of the title track. The first two notes of the synthesizer are heard at the wrong pitch before the correct pitch stabilizes. This error was probably caused by an analog tape recorder coming up to speed. The correct version of this track can be found on the remastered 2 CD Gentle Giant collection titled The Edge of Twilight released in the UK in 1996 as well as the original UK Vertigo (swirl and spaceship) label vinyl pressings.

The album cover has some innuendo in that it is made to look like a tongue licking an anus. However, when opened completely, it is actually a tongue licking a peach. In 2005, it was featured in Pitchfork Media's list of "The Worst Record Covers of All Time."^[3] At 39 minutes and 26 seconds, it is the longest studio album the group has ever released.

The recording was made at the following studios

• Advision Studios – (Engineers: Martin Rushent, Big A & Garybaldi)
• A.I.R. Studios, London – (Engineer: Bill Price)

Track listing

Arranged by Gentle Giant, except where noted.

All songs written and composed by Kerry Minnear, Derek Shulman, Phil Shulman, and Ray Shulman. 

Personnel

• Gary Green – 6-string electric guitar (tracks 1, 3, 6), electric guitars (tracks 5, 8), 12 string electric guitar (track 1), 12 string electric wah-wah guitar (track 7), mandolin (track 3), bass (track 3), donkey's jawbone (track 7), cat calls (track 7), voice on track 8
• Kerry Minnear – Minimoog (tracks 1-5), piano (tracks 3, 5, 6, 8), Hammond organ (tracks 1-3), Mellotron (tracks 1, 5, 6), harpsichord (tracks 2, 5, 6), electric piano (tracks 2, 6), celeste (track 3), clavichord (track 3), xylophone (tracks 2, 3), vibraphone (tracks 1, 7), tympani (track 2), cello (tracks 2, 3, 7), maracas (track 7), tambourine (track 7), lead vocals (tracks 1, 2), vocals (tracks 3, 5, 6, 8)
• Derek Shulman – alto saxophone (tracks 1, 6), clavichord (track 3), cowbell (track 3), lead vocals (tracks 3, 5, 6), vocals (tracks 1, 2, 7, 8)
• Phil Shulman – clarinet (tracks 2, 3), trumpet (tracks 1, 3), alto (track 6) & tenor saxophone (tracks 1, 6), piano (track 3), claves (track 7), maracas (track 8), lead vocals (tracks 5, 7), vocals (tracks 1-3, 6, 8)
• Ray Shulman – bass (tracks 1-3, 5-8), violin (tracks 2, 3, 5), violins (track 7), viola (track 7), electric violin (track 8), Spanish guitar (tracks 2, 3), 12 string guitars (track 6), tambourine (track 5), skulls (track 7), organ bass pedals (track 6), vocals (tracks 1-3, 6)
• Martin Smith – drums (tracks 1-3, 5-8), tambourine (track 1), gong (track 2), side drum (track 2)

Guest musicians

• Paul Cosh – trumpet (track 3), organ (track 3)
• Tony Visconti – descant recorders (track 5), treble recorder (tracks 3, 5), tenor recorder (track 5), bass drum (track 7), triangle (track 7)
• Chris Thomas – moog programmer (tracks 1-5)^[4]

Notes

The song "Pantagruel's Nativity" is inspired by the books of Gargantua and Pantagruel by François Rabelais.

Release details

• 1971, UK, Vertigo 6360 041, release date July 16, 1971, LP
• 1971, UK, Vertigo 6360 041, release date ? ? 1971, Cassette
• 1971, US, Vertigo VEL 1005, release date August 1971, LP (with gatefold cover)
• 1971, US, Vertigo VEL 1005, release date ? ? 1971, Cassette
• 1997, UK, Vertigo 842 917-2, release date ? February 1997, CD
• 1997, US, Polydor 8429172, release date ? February 1997, CD
• 2005, UK, Repertoire REPUK1072, release date 28 November 2005, CD (limited edition reissue)

References