{"product_id":"gentle-giant-three-friends","title":"Gentle Giant - Three Friends","description":"\u003cp\u003eGentle Giant tell a whole life story on Three Friends, their 1972 concept album about schoolmates whose paths split as they grow up. This edition is pressed on 180-gram black vinyl in a gatefold jacket.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRecorded in London in late 1971, it was the band's first self-produced album and the only one to feature drummer Malcolm Mortimore, who stepped in after Martin Smith's departure. It also gave them their first entry on the US Billboard 200, a small but important foothold for one of prog's most adventurous groups.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe story unfolds over six tracks. \"Schooldays\" looks back on childhood with wistful, intricately layered vocal harmonies, before the friends go their separate ways. \"Working All Day\" follows the one who ends up in manual labour, \"Peel the Paint\" turns to the would-be artist, and \"Mister Class and Quality?\" sketches the white-collar climber with acid wit. A closing title song leaves things unresolved, so we never learn whether the three meet again.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Shulman brothers, Kerry Minnear and Gary Green weave it all together with dazzling precision, switching instruments and moods at a moment's notice.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor prog fans, it is a compact, emotionally rich classic, and an ideal place to start with the band.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Alliance Entertainment","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57352628568369,"sku":"804471000671","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0704\/2026\/7313\/files\/Gentle_Giant-Three_Friends.jpg?v=1793989856","url":"https:\/\/vinyl.com\/products\/gentle-giant-three-friends","provider":"Vinyl.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}