Kevin Gilbert: Top 20 Songs

Kevin Gilbert Top 20 Songs

Overview: Born: Kevin Matthew Gilbert Date: November 20, 1966 Where: Scotch Plains, New Jersey Died: May 17, 1996 Where: Eagle Rock, California Known As: synth-pop/neo-progressive rock singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist “Sometimes genius comes and goes without much notice or fanfare. Such is the case with the late Kevin Gilbert,” P “a musical prodigy” JS who “colleagues invariably called…‘the most talented musician I ever met.’” JS This little-known performer ranks as one of my favorite singers. When he died, he “left behind enormous unanswered questions about his potential.” JS Kevin “Gilbert was a moderately important figure in Californian rock music in the 1980’s and 1990’s.” DN “He was an accomplished instrumentalist and composer, who played keyboards, guitars, drums, bass and cellos, as well as singing vocals. His talents also extended to producer.” WK He “spent several years on the edge of stardom [but] could never capitalize on his talents.” DE ” He “might be the most talented American musician to be involved with progressive rock, with the possible exception of Frank Zappa. Although all of his work contains a very strong pop element, there’s usually a lot of prog underneath it.” DN I have said that if I were a musician, Kevin Gilbert best represents the kind of music I would want to make. His lyrics go beyond clichéd love songs and are infused with witticism. His musicianship showcase the tireless hours he spent in the studio perfecting his craft. It was a shame to lose such an astonishing talent at 29. His work, however, lives on and for those uninitiated in his music, I hope this post leads you down the same musical journey where KG’s music has taken me. Significant Bands: NRG (1982-1986) Giraffe (1988-1989, 1994) Toy Matinee (1990-1992) Tuesday Night Music Club (1992-1994) Kaviar (1996) Links: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Kevin Gilbert DMDB profile page for Kevin Gilbert Dave’s Music Database: “Acts’ Profile Pages and Best-of Lists”

Awards:

Top 20 Songs These are my top 20 favorite Kevin Gilbert songs. 1. There Was a Little Boy (Toy Matinee, 1990) 2. Song for a Dead Friend (1995) 3. Tired Old Man (1986) 4. Suit Fugue (Dance of the A & R Men) (1996) 5. Certifiable #1 Smash (1995) 6. Last Plane Out (Toy Matinee, 1990) 7. Kashmir (1995) 8. A Long Day’s Life (1996) 9. The Ballad of Jenny Ledge (Toy Matinee, 1990) 10. Joytown (1995) 11. Parade (1996) 12. The Best Laid Plans (with Marc Bonilla, 1991) 13. Progress (Giraffe, 1989) 14. Until I Get Her Back (1986) 15. When You Give Your Love to Me (1995) 16. El Paso (with Marc Bonilla, 1990) 17. Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding (Toy Matinee, 1991) 18. Bitter Souvenir (1994) 19. Blank Page (Toy Matinee, 1990) 20. Suite: Judy Blue Eyes (with Marc Bonilla, 1990) Resources and Related Links: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Kevin Gilbert DMDB profile page for Kevin Gilbert Dave’s Music Database: “Acts’ Profile Pages and Best-of Lists” First posted 11/17/2023.

Kevin Gilbert “Tired Old Man” first released

Tired Old Man Kevin Gilbert

Writer(s): Kevin Gilbert (see lyrics here) Recorded: 1986? Released: October 19, 2009 (on Nuts) First Charted: -- Peak: 1 DF (Click for codes to singles charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, -- streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Singer/songwriter and musician Kevin Gilbert was born in 1966 in Scotch Plains, New Jersey. He started playing piano at four years old, studying classical piano. He said a hippy guitarist named Mike Scully heard Gilbert playing piano at church and brought him Genesis’ Fox Trot CH and that by age ten, he was into pop and progressive rock. RB-N Gilbert said he was terrible at reading music and would go buy the records, listen to them, and then play it for his piano teacher, convincing her he was reading the music. She eventually got frustrated with him and quit. SD He attended high school in San Mateo, California. He spent a lot of time at Sunnyvale’s Sensa Sound studio after hours. JS96 He ended up writing and recording the album No Reasons Given in 1984 under the name NRG before he’d graduated from high school. The album wouldn’t be widely available until he’d made a bigger name for himself and it was offered at KevinGilbert.com. From 1984 to 1987, Gilbert continued to record more music although it wasn’t getting him an audience. In 2021, his estate released the box set Call Me Kai, which gathered recordings from the era. One disc, called Sometimes Why, assembled songs recorded by Gilbert in 1986. It included a four-part version of “Tired Old Man,” a song which had circulated as a bootleg for years amongst Gilbert’s fans, and had been first officially released on the archival set Nuts in 2009. The song is a beautiful take on the tale of Pinocchio through Gepetto’s eyes. It serves as one of the best arguments there is that Gilbert was an overlooked genius. He would go on to tour as a keyboardist with Eddie Money and release two albums with Giraffe in the late ‘80s. and collaborate with Patrick Leonard (a producer who worked for Michael Jackson and Madonna) in Toy Matinee in 1990. He was part of a collective known as the Tuesday Night Music Club which lifted Sheryl Crow to fame. He released his first solo album in 1995 and was working on the next one when he died in 1996 at the age of 29. He never did become a household name, but he left an enviable body of work more than worth exploring. Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Kevin Gilbert RB-N Richard Buskin (2002). No Fool to This Game. Billboard Books: New York. Pages 58 and 64. SD Sibyl Darter (12/88: Vol. 4, No. 12). AfterTouch – The Official Publication of the Yamaha Users Group CH Christine Holz, co-editor (11/94 – 1/95). “Toying with Kevin Gilbert.” Music News Network. TheDebster.com JS96 Joel Selvin (9/15/96). San Francisco Chronicle “More Than ‘The Piano Player’ – Dumped by Sheryl Crow after propelling her to success, brilliant musician Kevin Gilbert died before finding his own” Related Links: First posted 10/8/2022.

Kevin Gilbert Nuts and Bolts released

Nuts/Bolts Kevin Gilbert

Released: October 19, 2009 Recorded: 1984-1996 Peak: -- US, -- UK, -- CN, -- AU Sales (in millions): -- Genre: neo-progressive rock singer/songwriter

Tracks on Nuts: The World Just Gets Smaller PS While Heroes Cry Until I Get Her Back CK When Strangers Part NRG Finally Over You Circling Winds CK Shannon Elizabeth CK Tired Old Man CK Childhood’s End Joytown (acoustic version) TH, TA Kashmir (studio version) CV Tracks on Bolts: Waking the Sun LT The Ballad of Jenny Ledge (acoustic version) TM, TA Something Nice for My Dog Souvenir God’s Been Tapping My Phone CK Goodness Gracious (acoustic) TH, TA The Best of Everything Blank Page Taxi Ride CV Lonely Road Finale Other Appearances: Many of these songs appear on other Kevin Gilbert releases, although not always the same versions. NRG also on No Reasons Given CK also on Call Me Kai PS also on The Power of Suggestion TM also on Toy Matinee TH also on Thud TA also on Toy Matinee Acoustic LT also on Live at the Troubadour CV also on Covers The Players: Kevin Gilbert (vocals et al) John Cuniberti (mastering)

Rating: 3.322 out of 5.00 (average of 9 ratings) Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Albums: While Kevin Gilbert is an unknown to most, those who knew his music of the ‘80s and ‘90s before his tragic death in 1996 have become fanatics. Consequently, “the long awaited singer songwriter releases, “Nuts and Bolts,” KG will be received, if only by a small core of fans, with great enthusiasm upon their arrival in mid-September of 2009. The collections “represent the best of the unreleased singer/ songwriter material, from Kevin’s career, beginning to end.” PP That beginning, back in 1984, is represented by When Strangers Part and Tired Old Man, the latter a wonderful take on the tale of Pinocchio and Gepetto. The mid-‘80s are represented with Circling Winds, Shannon Elizabeth, The Best of Everything, While Heroes Cry, God’s Been Tapping My Phone, and Until I Get Her Back. Also from this era is Souvenir, which is also known as “Bitter Souvenir.” There’s also The World Just Gets Smaller, which Gilbert recorded with his band Giraffe on the 1988 album The Power of Suggestion, and Jenny Ledge and Blank Page from his Toy Matinee days in 1990-91. After his stints with Giraffe and Toy Matinee, Gilbert recorded his first and only solo album, Thud, released during his lifetime. Representing that period are acoustic versions of Goodness Gracious and Joytown from 1994-95. Fans are likely to be most excited by the inclusion of the studio version of Kashmir, which after its rejection from the Led Zeppelin tribute album Encomium, was bundled with the Thud album as a bonus single. The collections also feature seven songs whose origins are not known. Unfortunately, the album liner notes offer no insight as to when these songs may have been recorded. “From sentimental to cynical, happy to heartsick these collections were carefully put together and we feel something Kevin would be proud of.” PP “Every song on each disc was mastered carefully by John Cuniberti. Both packages are beautifully done Digipaks with bookending images” KG and “the insightful and witty liner notes of Cintra Wilson,” PP a former girlfriend of Gilbert’s.

Resources and Related Links: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Kevin Gilbert KG KevinGilbert.com PP PopPlusOne.com Other Related DMDB Pages: First posted 8/30/2009; last updated 11/8/2022.

NRG’s No Reasons Given released this year

No Reasons Given N.R.G.

Released: 1984 Peak: -- Sales (in millions): -- Genre: synth pop/neo-prog rock

Tracks: Song Title [time]. Click on a song title for lyrics. Morning Light [3:48] * Watching Me [4:18] Goodman, Badman [4:39] Wings of Time [4:17] * Mere Image [6:41] Welcome to Suburbia [5:39] Staring into Nothing [6:00] Frame by Frame [4:22] When Strangers Part [4:06] * Based on don.dream-in-color.net, it appears that KG wrote all of the songs except those marked with an asterisk (*), which were copyrighted by John J. Hubbard. Total Running Time: 43:40 The Players: Kevin Gilbert (Lead Vocals, Acoustic Grand Piano, Prophet 5, Gleeman Pentaphonic, Roland Vocorder+, Hammond Organ, backing vocals, 6 & 12 String Guitars, Recorders, Vocal Loop Organ, SCI Drumtracks, Pots and Pans, Production Effects) Jason Hubbard (Fender Stratocaster, Ibanez Artist EQ, 6 & 12 string guitars, Classical guitar, Roland Juno 60, Backing Vocals, Seiko Digital Percussion, backwards Satanic Messages) Mickey Sorey (Kit Drums, Simmons SDS-5, Tympani, percussion, Laugh) Bob Carroll (lead vocals, backing vocals) Kevin Coyle (sax) Greg Gilbert (bassoon) Jaque Harper (bass) Kelly and Kenny Mangini (backing vocals) Ray Otsuka (violin) Produced by Kevin Gilbert and Jason Hubbard.

Rating: 2.982 out of 5.00 (average of 9 ratings) Quotable: “Some of the cheesiest and the proggiest work [Kevin Gilbert’s] ever done” – Dan Britton, RateYourMusic.com

About the Album: NRG’s sound fit in with the keyboard-heavy new romantic sound of bands like the Human League, Thompson Twins, and Duran Duran. Still, KG’s progressive leanings were already apparent as there were songs that stretched well past the four-minute single time barrier. The band won a San Jose “Best of the Bay” radio station sponsored by KSJO with a three-song demo. “The NRG material, recorded when Gilbert was in his late teens, was never widely commercially released.” DB “This release is very interesting to hear because [it is] far away from [the] mainstream.” UZ “It’s clear that a lot of work went into the tracks, many of which feature multiple keyboard parts, great arranging, and a very wide number of instruments.” DB There are “digital synths galore, but also a lot of great proggy keyboard playing, odd time signatures, and even some lengthy songs.” DB “The main ingredient missing from the songs, though, is the preponderance of hooks.” DB “Many songs here are influenced by Synthie-Pop.” UZ “Morning Light and Watching Me [are] completely typical representatives of the ‘Plastik Pop Rock’ generation…[kind of] Survivor meets Human League…good compositions.” BB Goodman Badman “works, however atmospherically.” BB Meanwhile, Wings of Time “begins almost rocking” BB “with heavy guitar work.” UZ It is “a good, straight Neoprogger [that] delivers an ‘Aha experience,’” getting a taste at the end of Yes’ ‘Heart of the Sunrise.’” BB Mere Image is a “beautiful piano ballad…which would have fit in…easily on [Genesis’] A Trick of the Tail.” BB Welcome to Suburbia “then moves…back into the synth-pop corner, this time with sax and sound effects.” BB Staring into Nothing is “more organic; …a very beautiful, exciting track with good percussion and…very well sung.” BB It is “a great song – but in a better version appearing on The Shaming of the True,” UZ Gilbert’s posthumously released second solo album. Two more versions of the song appear on the Call Me Kai box set released in 2021. Frame by Frame also falls into the “plastic sound…somehow reminding of Elefante’s Kansas.” BB When Strangers Part features “acoustic guitar, good…keyboard and very beautiful singing.” BB Overall, “It seems like Gilbert was still honing his skills as a ‘pop songwriter,’ and the material, though very good, isn’t as immediately appealing as all his other work.” DB “It’s both some of the cheesiest and the proggiest work he’s ever done.” DB Notes: At one point, this album was available as a download via KevinGilbert.com with seven bonus tracks and a different running order: Morning Light Watching Me Wings of Time Mere Image Welcome to Suburbia Frame by Frame Mephisto’s Tarantella – Version Two * When Strangers Part Masques * Schizophrenia * Mephisto’s Tarantella – Version One * Suitcase Living * Staring into Nothing Goodman, Badman If Ever Rain Will Fall * Tired Old Man *

Resources and Related Links: DMDB encyclopedia entry for This Act BB BabyBlaue-seiten.de DB Dan Britton (aka Dnieper111), RateYourMusic.com, 5/8/06. UZ Uwe Zickel, ProgArchives.com First posted 4/2/2008; updated 6/4/2021.