Three Friends were named after the eponymous third Gentle Giant album, Three Friends were formed in 2009 when prog keyboard legend Kerry Minnear joined fellow former Gentle Giant members, drummer Malcolm Mortimore and guitarist Gary Green to play a series of gigs in Europe and Canada. Minnear has since left, his place at the keyboards now taken by session musician and composer Neil Angilley. The lineup is completed by bassist Jonathan Noyce (Jethro Tull), multi-instrumentalist Charlotte Glasson, and vocalist Mick Wilson (10CC).
Three Friends is about bringing Gentle Giant’s eclectic and highly original music back to the live stage, where it belongs. The repertoire is drawn from all the classic albums up to Interview, including many songs that were never played live by the original band.
Malcolm Mortimore
Garry Green
Three Friends 
I’ve been following you guys from Sydney, Australia (or whoever is playing the Gentle Giant music anyway) for 37 years which seems ridiculous, as that is nearly three quarters of my life! But it wasn’t until 2005 that I saw the band in live action via what must have been the band’s first DVD. I’d always loved the music but seeing the actual band was even better than I’d ever imagined, and impossible to foresee – i mean how could anyone expect the sight of John Weathers dressed in what looked like long-johns and the madcap facial expressions of an asylum inmate? But finally, my girlfriend (Emma Wertheim) and a good friend of mine (Jim Leone, bass player with the Celibate Rifles) who has become a more recent fan, have decided to seize the day and come to your Quebec gigs this year! We don’t speak french but somehow we’ll manage to buy tickets and hope we get a chance to say hello at some stage after one of the gigs! I also have a question for you – your rendition of the Gentle Giant music is wonderful, however …. any chance of an album of new music from Three Friends?!
Steve Denham
Roseville, Sydney, Australia
Hey Steve, I’m another local fan. Contact me.
btw are you the “A Plate of Eggs” Steve Denham?
Hi Bill,
Apologies for never getting back to you. My girlfriend Emma let me know you had posted a response to the above! Would be great to hear from you and yes I wrote “A Plate of Eggs”….did you find this on Amazon? Hear from you, Steve
Hey Steve and Aussie admirers of the gigantic. I’ve recently contacted Andrew Ford of ABC Radio National’s Music Show in an attempt to goose him into interviewing a Friend or Ex Giant.
Can you remember Outline playing Three Weeks in Spain around Sydney back in the day?
Hey Dave and Steve, I thought I was the only GG/3F fan in oz so its great to see that you guys exist!
I dont wish to brag but (I will!)
I have…
had tea and biccies at Phils house
gotten a hug from Gary (man-hug)
sat at dinner next to Kerrys wife (oh and Kerry)
sat in Rays flat in London and discussed New Wave music
oh, and also I own a couple of CDs by GG
I would love to catch up with you guys as no doubt we have other things in common
oreillybill@gmail.com
Hi Steve,
I think I may have contacted you before but if you can drop me a line at oreillybill@gmail.com
also see my comments in another post below
When will you play in >Hamburg< ? Hundrets of Fans can`t wait any longer!!!!!!!!
Hi Chris,
I’m waiting too. Let’s talk about realizing a TF gig here.
Lutz from Hamburg
Hey Lutz,
Look at this site,please.:http://www.genesis-fanclub.de/it-forum/andere-bands-andere-fanclubs-andere-websites/15014-bestes-gentle-giant-album.html
We can Chat there. Youll find me as revelation!
I agree: please come to Holland, or when in Hamburg, I do not mind to drive to that town. I really never in my whole life ( I am a fan since 1977, so 35 years…) had the chance to see, hear and feel your music in a live session.
HI THREE FRIENDS
WE’RE ‘WAITING YOU IN FRANCE
WE LOVE YOU
FRANCK
Been a huge fan if GG since way before I first saw them on my BDay in Chicago in 1975 on a double bill with Renaissance. Would really love to see you guys play and especially if Gary is still around Chicagoland, please let me know! I had an eclectic radio show here for over 5 years and touted it as the only place you could still hear GG and related music. Thanks for the great music!
Hi Bill,
Hope you are going to see them tonight at the Arcada Theater in St. Charles. What radio station were you on?
COME TO SEATTLE PLEASE WE ARE COOL OVER HERE JUST ASK IAN
WHO COULD BELIEVE IT NOW? BUT MY HANDS ARE FREE!
Please pleeeaaasssssse come to play in southern Ontario late September 2012…many fans would be so happy to see you!!
‘Really hope a Three Friends return to NYC might be on the Fall Horizon either before or after ythe Quebec dates. That last show at BB Kings back in June 2010 was something I’ll never forget. Please come back!
Hi from Rome,Italy, after the Crossroads show we are waiting to see you again with the complete band! We love you and your music. Mario
Please please please…..we’ll do Miles and Miles to see you once more ,” a french fan who first saw you with “String driven thing” opening act somewhere in England in the seventies…..don’t wait… we have a 3 days prog festival here in the south of France called (PROG-SUD) Ican be your contact . It’s in May near the city of Marseille.
Phil
Bonjour Philippe,
Je suis le représentant des membres de Three Friends. J’apprécierais que tu me donne plus de détails à propos de Prog Sud. Laisse-moi savoir par courriel.
Merci.
pourquoi pas zappanale 24 , bad doberan , allemagne ., fin juillet 2013 , plein de band progressif dans une atmosphere incroyable . j suis parti de montreal pour assister à l édition 2012 et quel merveilleux festival pour amateurs de bonne musique
Please,
Salut
Je suis également grand fan de Gentle Giant et j’aimerais (même si three friends ne passent pas) savoir à quel date a lieu le festival prog dans le sud.
Merci de ta réponse
Franck
Bonjour Franck, le Festival PROG SUD démarre en mai cette année il commence le 16 puis le 17, 18. les concerts ont lieu le soir vers 20h30, Tu tapes “Prog-Sud” sur internet, tu auras tous les renseignements. J’èspère vraiment pouvoir faire venir les ex Gentle Giant pour l’année prochaine…excitant projet !! bien à toi, Phil
Merci pour ta réponse et super ton idée de les faire venir. je me tiendrais au courant
Bien à toi également
Franck
Well, if the mountain won`t come to Muhammad (pbuhn), then I`ll have to go to Canada!
Looking forward to it !
Hows about coming to Wales sometime soon? Or anywhere else in the Uk for that matter!!
Please remember us loyal fans in the UK – the wait to see you again is torturous. Are you planning any warm-up gigs here, before you embark on your dates abroad?
Been a huge GG fan since the early 70’s. seeing Three Friends at BB kings was just incredible. will be back there on 10/9 for sure!!
I’m in France in Paris.
I’m waiting for them
when ? I don’t know
A great fan too
Franck
How lucky you are
way ti go.gentle giant spririt est toujours en vie..merci de sorel-tracy
How about playing in Germany. I saw several Gigs in the early seventies. It World be great.
Three Friends played in Wurzburg and Loreley 2009 and 2010. It is time to play new gigs in Germany, may be 2013.
Just performed an all strings cover for ‘I lost my head’ at my high school graduation!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kp8pk77zZeE
Please come to Houston!
Congratulations !
MM
One of my favorite GG pieces. Very tastefully done!!!
Hell *I* would have come to Houston to hear THAT!!
You should be very proud of yourselves. I’d love to hear how the piece was instroduced, and who arranged it, etc. GREAT JOB!!
Three Friends in Brazil???
Why not???
I hope so!!!
Again… would be a DREAM!
Can’t wait to see TF in October in Sellersville, PA! Saw GG in the fall of ’75 at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. Awesome doesn’t begin to describe it.
Rob V. in Allentown, PA
Saw TF twice in Germany, all my respect for the way thay played my favorit GG songs.
Never saw GG live in the 70-ties, so for me Heaven opened to hear the music of the best band of the world.
Arjan S. The Netherlands
July 26 th 2012 – Trieste
An unforgettable evening, is a true pleasure when you play…feeling, precision, joy… GREAT!!!
Thanks a lot to Gary, Malcolm, Lee, Mick, Gary, Charlotte
Lee Pomeroy is a great replacement for Roger. Sounds more “Giant” now. Any chance for new material?
I guess a danish gig is not to be realistic; I hope for one in London or Hamburg some day.
Best wishes from Denmark
Bonjour Richard, je te laisse mes coordonnées tel 06 81 13 23 89, le prochain festival Prog Sud aura lieu l’année prochaine en mai, tu peux déja visiter le site et te faire une idée.www.progsudfestival.fr
N’hésite pas à me joindre que l’on puisse en parler.
Ce serait génial de pouvoir organiser la venue du groupe pour mai prochain.
Hello from Ukraine!
THE GENTILE GIANT my most favorite group!
Thank you that you again play!
Hope you are able to visit the KIEV in UKRAINE, or RUSSIA ?
Best Regards , Alex R
Great to see the website up and running again, it’s terrific that you guys are keeping the music of Gentle Giant alive!
Gentle Giant were one of the greatest bands ever to bestride this world or any others. No question. I am in paroxysms of delight to discover that some of the ex-members have got together a band to play the stuff live once more. Nostalgia though is famously not what it used to be and if it were just an exercise in that, it would be charming and touching but without it’s big toe dipping in “now”. I would smile, wave, say “Think of me with kindness” and move on. HOWEVER! – The material is dynamic and challenging, the playing is sublime and the vibe is vital. This is a band.
One of the best band ever…
Cant wait to see you guyz in Montreal!
Would be more than pleased to shake hands if a Meet and greet is schedule!
Have a great day and tour 🙂
Another townman from Hamburg: I’m waiting for a live performance, too! Don’t want to listen to Jon Anderson, Supper’s ready, Tarkus or King Crimson anymore. It has to be “Schooldays” or “Memories of old days”. Think of me with kindness!
As you see: If you play in Hamburg, you`ll find a wide Audience! We`re 4 at least ! No argue anymore, you have to come!
Hamburg NEEDS Three Friends!
The “Landhaus Walter” would be a nice venue to play.
Liebe Hambuger, wendet Euch an Lutz Wendler, der hat Kontakt zur Band. Er kann Euch auch sagen ob und was geplant ist
I’m lucky enough to have seen them in NYC last year & will see them again this year at BB Kings. My Message to the Band is wherever you gig just continue to do so in order to keep GG’s music out there!
What about Ottawa @ centrepointe theatre ? Not far from your Quebec dates.
Brilliant set last night at the ropetackle arts centre. Can’t wait to see you again, good luck on the rest of the tour. Fantastic job everyone!!!!!!!!!!
Second time in Quebec City. Charlotte, Garry, Malcolm, Mick, Lee and Gary : thank you so much. Music sounds better like wine come a “Grand Cru”. Great crew and a contagious friendship !
last night’s show in Sellersville, PA was spectacular! Pierre sat in for Mick and Charlotte was not present, but nothing, nothing was missing. having seen the original GG four times and the 2010 version of Three Friends, this was as good, if not better, than any of them. actually, with the 5 piece band, they sounded more like the original band than any other version of TF. they promised to be back!
You’re so right, Doug. Couldn’t have asked for more in the Sellersville show. It was all note-for-note perfect. (Although a few things must not have gone quite according to plan, judging by how Gary Sanctuary was occasionally struck with amusement over something! I do believe one of those times was in “His Last Voyage” — I believe that one time Gary S. omitted a little keyboard riff that occurs after part of the verse; he looked toward Lee or Malcolm with a huge grin on his face.) What a great night! Best regards, Rob Vaughn, Quakertown, PA
Words cannot describe how fantastic Three Friends were in concert last Friday in St. Charles, Illinois, USA. If you are a GG fan, well, short of a re-unification tour, this is the next best thing!! No Doubt! Gary Green played fantastically (as well as Malcolm), including a range of songs from the entire history of GG’s recordings. WOW!
The highlight for me that evening was when Gary’s wife (Judy?) and son stopped me and actually thanked me for being an enthusiastic fan. Are you kidding me? I saw GG seven times and had placed them in a memory bank as if, well, so it goes. I’ll never see this again. But wait, Three Friends brought it all back, and then some.
Gary performed a meet and greet and was very accesible afterwards. If anybody wants to see the spirit of GG is still alive, then you must see Three Friends, the supporting members were very accomplished as well, meaning professional. In short it was fantastic, simply fantastic. I cannot wait to see them again! The SPIRIT lives on!
hey, what happened to my post extolling the the fact that Three Friends are the closest embodiment to GG that exists in 2012?
Never mind……………………..
Sorry for using fantastic so much as an adjective, stupendous, incredible. outstanding, out of this world will suffice as well………………………………… A must see. Cheers All!
Any other reviews from St, Charles, Illinois?
It was a great show, in spite of the sound problems. I can’t wait to do it again. It’s been too long. Come on back guys, we loved it! 🙂
Come to Brazil, we are waiting for you !
It would be so cool if three friends ever release a studio album, in the GG style of course,
something as awesome as FREEHAND or OCTOPUS, a guy can dream.
Please come play in the least cool city on the planet, Dallas! …gotta get a record out, you owe it to the people, we’re so happy we can hardly count…
>gotta get a record out, you owe it to the people, we’re so happy we can hardly count…<
I assume that you mean the record company execs couldn't count GGs time signatures, because, unfortunately, first graders could count their record sales. 🙂
I think this is among the most important info for
me. And i’m glad reading your article. But want to remark on few general things, The website style is great, the articles is really nice : D. Good job, cheers
Come back to Louie’s Rock City Falls Church VA. Oh can’t do that it’s no longer there. State Theatre is also in FC, decent
replacement
Please come to argentina!!
Was great to meet Lee at the recent Rick Wakeman shows in Cheltenham. Will see him again with Steve Hackett this fall. Hoping some day TF comes to San Francisco!
Micks pic is missing, i hope only the pic.
Roll on Australian tour………..
Saw all three shows on Cruise to the Edge 2014. Heard many comment that Three Friends should have been the headliner! What a fantastic job the group did. Thanks for the wonderful renditions of such classic songs.
Is the Paris gig in October still coming up?
Saw two of the gigs on the cruise (missed the 2nd as it collided with UK’s performance). Agree that TF should’ve been one of the headliners and featured in the theatre instead of being relegated to lounges. Great sets, and thanks for joining the fun!!!!
Hi Steve and Bill from sydney. Glad to know i am not the only Gentle Giant music fan in Oz. Not much prog in Canberra where i live.
Hope to see you soon in Montreal
Any tour dates in Europe on 2014/2015?
Three Friends in Brasil please!!! Best!
Hey! How about a gig in upstate NY? Bearsville Theater, The Bardivon, Bethel Wood, maybe even The Falcon…lots of great venues up here and nice places to chill out and relax before and after the gig!
That would sure work for me. I’m in Dover Plains. Where you at?
So psyched to see Three Friends on the prog rock cruise in Miami in November 2015! Seen Gentle Giant every time they played in Baltimore Maryland except their first concert with Jethro Tull – Thick as a Brick at Civic Center. Best Prog Rock on the planet!
We are waiting for you in Brazil!!!
Great seeing you for the first time on CTTE this last week. What a blast, you guys sounded great and were a lot of fun. Give Gary our best!
Who was the lead vocalist on CTTE 2015?
Hope to see you in Michigan!!!
Que legal ver mais admiradores brasileiros do GG!!
ich hörte gentle giant…damals als vorgruppe von jetthro tull in germany, Essen, Grugahalle 21.1. 1972.. ich war sprachlos und sofort ihr fan..meine vorzügliche hochachtungan three friends…ihr lasst gentle giant wieder auferstehen..übrigens ich habe eine menge alben..keine meiner frauen verstand die musik..es war mir egal..frau oder musik ? MUSIK !! 😉
diebesten wünsche aus germany
Der Hooksieler
Hey, i see lots of videos of you guys on youtube. Are there any concert DVDs available for purchase?
Hallo Hooksieler,
es gibt wohl nicht mehr so viele GG-Fans in Germany.
Wir sind Mitglieder eines sehr exklusiven Fanclubs.
Wenn Du willst, melde Dich bei sepp2gl@gmail.com.
Gruß aus dem Hunsrück.
Gerhard
Necessary to write a not much phrase in order to thank you again regarding the wonderful strategies you’ve contributed in this article.
Listening to G.G. since ’73. Saw the band in concert twice – second time in front row seats. Timeless music. I don’t think the majority of music lover’s out there realize the importance of Gentle Giant as a building block of not only progressive rock, but almost everything that evolved in decades to follow. This was a band that was willing to sacrifice popularity in the mainstream to demonstrate how baroque stylings could mellifluously interweave with other forms. Music that is interesting to the open mind, heart and soul.
Thanks for the article.Much thanks again.