Civilian (Gentle Giant album)

Civilian
Studio album by Gentle Giant
Released	February, 1980
Recorded	August – November 1979, Sound City in Van Nuys, California
Genre	Rock, Hard rock
Length	32:41
Label	Chrysalis (UK) Columbia (U.S.)
Producer	Gentle Giant
Gentle Giant chronology
Giant for a Day! (1978) Civilian (1980)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

Civilian is the eleventh studio album by British band Gentle Giant, released in 1980. It was recorded in the Los Angeles suburb of Van Nuys with former Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick. Consisting mostly of single-length rock songs, it is closer to an AOR sound than the progressive style for which the band is best known. It was to be the final album of Gentle Giant's career; soon after its release the band played a last tour and then split up.

It also marked the reactivation of Columbia Records in the U.S. and Canada after an eight-year hiatus; the last Columbia album had been Gentle Giant's 1972 release Octopus.

An unreleased track, "Heroes No More", has been included on some CD reissues. Another track from the period, "You Haven't a Chance", appeared on Under Construction 17 years later.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by :
Side one: Kerry Minnear and Derek Shulman, except where noted.
Side two: Kerry Minnear, Derek Shulman, and Ray Shulman. 

Side one
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Convenience (Clean and Easy)" (G. Green, D. Shulman)	3:13
2.	"All Through the Night"	4:20
3.	"Shadows on the Street"	3:18
4.	"Number One"	4:38

Side two
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Underground"	3:47
2.	"I Am a Camera"	3:32
3.	"Inside Out"	5:51
4.	"It's Not Imagination"	4:03

Bonus track
No.	Title	Length
9.	"Heroes No More" (available on later re-release from One Way)	4:38

Personnel

• Gary Green - Electric guitars on all tracks except track 3
• Kerry Minnear - synthesizers (tracks 1-7, 9), electric piano (tracks 1, 3-9), Hammond organ (tracks 2, 3, 9), Clavinet (track 7), piano (track 3), lead vocals on track 3
• Derek Shulman - lead vocals on all tracks except track 3
• Ray Shulman - bass, acoustic guitar (tracks 5, 6), backing vocals
• John Weathers - drums, tambourine (tracks 4-6, 8, 9), varispeed cymbals (track 1), percussion (track 7), backing vocals^[2]

Release Details

• 1980, UK, Chrysalis Records CHR 1285, Release Date ? February 1980, LP
• 1980, USA, Columbia Records JC 36341, Release Date ? February or March 1980, LP
• 1980, Canada, Columbia Records JC 36341, Release Date ? ? 1980, LP
• 1994, UK, Terrapin Trucking TRUCKCD008, Release Date ? July 1994, CD (Re-Master)
• 1997, USA, One Way CD 28591, Release Date 28 October 1997, CD
• 1999, UK, Beat Goes On BGOCD435, Release Date 10 March 1999, CD (2 x CD with Playing the Fool - The Official Live)

References

1. Little, Patrick (2011). "Civilian - Gentle Giant | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
2. Gentle Giant's website (www.blazemonger.com/GG/)