Giant Steps is a must-read for fans of prog, rock, hip-hop, and more

Episode 654: In Giant Steps, Derek Shulman chronicles a truly incredible life and career in music—first as the leader of the progressive-rock pioneers Gentle Giant, then as the record-label executive responsible for cultivating and signing the likes of Bon Jovi, Dream Theater, and Slipknot and orchestrating comebacks by AC/DC, Bad Company, and more.

Beginning with a young Shulman confidently telling his school teacher that he would grow up to become a pop star, this eye-opening memoir explores a Zelig-like existence on both sides of the music industry. Shulman found fame first as a teenager in the 60s group Simon Dupree & The Big Sound, then took rock music to the outer reaches across eleven albums with Gentle Giant. In the 80s, he switched gears to become a record executive, first at Polygram and then at Atco and Roadrunner, working with everyone from Black Sabbath to Dr. Dre to Pantera to Men Without Hats.

Along the way, Gentle Giant would become a defining influence on hip-hop, their music sampled by many of the genre’s leading lights—including J. Dilla, De La Soul, and dozens more—and the band acclaimed by The Roots bandleader and filmmaker Questlove as one of his favourite rock acts of all time.

Clean-living and career-driven in a world of debauchery and excess, Shulman is perfectly placed to explore and explain the major developments in popular music and youth culture from the 1960s to the present day, making Giant Steps is a must-read for fans of prog, rock, hip-hop, and more.

Purchase Derek’s book: Giant Steps: My Improbable Journey From Stage Lights To Executive Heights https://a.co/d/f1Z062I

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Michael Brandvold is a freelance music industry consultant based in Northern California. Having launched Michael Brandvold Marketing to leverage his years of experience to provide direction to large and small clients in the areas of online & social marketing as well as e-commerce and customer acquisition and retention.

Gene Simmons of KISS first tapped Michael’s skills as a pioneering online marketing strategist to launch and manage all aspects of Kissonline.com’s multi-million dollar enterprise, including their ground-breaking VIP ticket program.

Michael has also managed the online efforts for KISS, ACCEPT, SOiL, Tantric, Killer Dwarfs, Dream Theater, Little Caesar, Narada Michael Walden, Motley Crüe, Rod Stewart, Madonna, Ozzy Osbourne, Madonna and Britney Spears to name only a few.

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As a teenager in the Pacific Northwest, Jay smuggled his Canon F-1 into rock concerts to get the perfect shot of the likes of Van Halen, Queen and Cheap Trick. After college, he toured as a musician gaining invaluable experience in what it takes to create and promote an album. He later translated that knowledge as an executive with Universal, Sony and Warner Music Groups.

He moved to San Francisco and finally to Los Angeles for Universal Music where he worked for 18 years, most recently as VP New Media and Online Marketing for Universal Music Enterprises.

Jay has been on the cutting edge of Digital Sales & Marketing with Universal, Starbucks Entertainment, Fox and Warner Music. It is this unique perspective as a musician, music executive, and fan that makes Jay‘s approach to Digital Strategy and Online Marketing so artist-friendly.”

Jay co-founded Label Service company LABEL LOGIC and also works with clients as an independent consultant. He publishes a weekly industry news email called Your Morning Coffee. Subscribe here:

email: jay@jaygilbertconsulting.com

Website: http://www.jaygilbertconsulting.com