I was introduced to Gentle Giant in 1974 or so when I heard one of their songs on WNEW-FM in New York. I didn't know the name of the song or the album, but I heard that it was Gentle Giant. So I went to Sam Goody's and bought 'Acquiring the Taste.' Weird and interesting, but not what I heard on the radio. So I went back and bought 'Octopus.' Same story. Finally, I wrote to WNEW and got a postcard back saying that it was 'In a Glass House,' and that it was not available in the U.S. I ordered and received the lp on the WWA label from Moby Disc Records in Van Nuys, CA. Eureka! That's what I had heard on the radio.
I was able to see them twice: August 1975 at a midnight show (that started at 1:30 am) at the Calderone Concert Hall in Hempstead, NY, and Nov. 1977 at the Palace Theater in Albany, NY. They were even more amazing live than on record. I think I read that among the 5 musicians, they played 27 instruments. A staple of their live shows was the 5-Man Drum Bash (self-explanatory), but it was such a hoot to see them play recorders, xylophones, and those vocal gymnastics (a la "Knots").
I think 'Glass House' is their best album. A lot of people like 'Free Hand' and 'Power & Glory,' and while those are very technically accomplished performances, they both leave me a bit cold. I followed them until 'The Missing Piece' in 1978 when they went commercial.
I recently picked up the Anniversary remastered CD of 'Glass House.' While it's quieter than my old lp, I hear a bit of hiss over headphones, and I don't think it's as dynamic as it could be (tho neither was the LP). I read on that GG website that one of the Shulman's and Kerry Minnear did an in-store appearance and autograph session at an FYE store (formerly Sam Goody's) at Rockefeller Center on the launch of the remasters. Apparently there was a large turnout. I didn't know about it until after the event; it would have been fun to see those guys and show them my ticket stub from 1977.