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Giant Steps: My Improbable Journey From Stage Lights To Executive Heights
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 a must-read for fans of prog, rock, hip-hop, 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 a must-read for fans of prog, rock, hip-hop, and more.
304 pages, Paperback
Published December 2, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 19, 2025
A Genuine Giant.
As a long time GG fan i could not skip this read .
I was not disappointed.
Although every reader has his or her expectations or specific period that they would love the author to delve deeper in,we get a good balance between Derek’s carreer as a musician ans his later incarnation as a record executive.
The man has a good story to tell and i found the book very enjoyable.
As a long time GG fan i could not skip this read .
I was not disappointed.
Although every reader has his or her expectations or specific period that they would love the author to delve deeper in,we get a good balance between Derek’s carreer as a musician ans his later incarnation as a record executive.
The man has a good story to tell and i found the book very enjoyable.
October 19, 2025
I should start with a confession: I am a huge Gentle Giant fan, and have been for the last 45 years. Unfortunately, I discovered them just as they split up. If only I'd been born ten years earlier, eh?
There was no way I was not going to love reading this or, give it a bad review 🤣
It's often hard to be objective about something you are so invested in but this was not what I was expecting.
Obviously, I knew that Derek Shulman had become a record company man after GG had finished but I did not realise the scale of his achievements. Anyway, the first half of the book is much as you would expect, a history of the Shulman brothers, their upbringing, Simon Dupree & The Big Sound, and the Gentle Giant years, which included quite a lot of interesting information that was new to me.
The second half of the book is all about what happened after GG called it a day. Having been in the music business, and acting as the band's de facto manager following some really bad manager experiences, Derek moved into the Business of Music. His unusual approach led him to become the man that would help Uriah Heep, and AC/DC to kickstart their careers, sign Jon Bon Jovi, Cinderella, Pantera, Slipknot, and Nickelback, and put on a concert in Moscow, after the Soviet Union fell, amongst other achievements.
This is a fascinating autobiography and a terrific read for anyone into rock music. Derek's honesty and candid style make this a most engrossing and revealing memoir of a life in the music business.
There was no way I was not going to love reading this or, give it a bad review 🤣
It's often hard to be objective about something you are so invested in but this was not what I was expecting.
Obviously, I knew that Derek Shulman had become a record company man after GG had finished but I did not realise the scale of his achievements. Anyway, the first half of the book is much as you would expect, a history of the Shulman brothers, their upbringing, Simon Dupree & The Big Sound, and the Gentle Giant years, which included quite a lot of interesting information that was new to me.
The second half of the book is all about what happened after GG called it a day. Having been in the music business, and acting as the band's de facto manager following some really bad manager experiences, Derek moved into the Business of Music. His unusual approach led him to become the man that would help Uriah Heep, and AC/DC to kickstart their careers, sign Jon Bon Jovi, Cinderella, Pantera, Slipknot, and Nickelback, and put on a concert in Moscow, after the Soviet Union fell, amongst other achievements.
This is a fascinating autobiography and a terrific read for anyone into rock music. Derek's honesty and candid style make this a most engrossing and revealing memoir of a life in the music business.
October 22, 2025
Being a lifelong Gentle Giant fan, I preordered the cool as soon as I could.
It didn’t disappoint.
While the GG history was already familiar to me, there was less new there. But the stories before and after… Starting with the father’s death, then origins of Simon Dupree band, including touring with someone named Reg Dwight…
Executive years with discoveries of Bon Jovi and organising Monsters of Rock festival in Moscow…
Stories about rappers and hip hop artists sampling (and sometimes bluntly stealing) his music.
And, as a cherry on a cake, news about remixing “In a glass house” using AI to recover lost multitrack tapes…
Must read for any Gentle Giant fan, and just for anyone who deeply cares about music.
It didn’t disappoint.
While the GG history was already familiar to me, there was less new there. But the stories before and after… Starting with the father’s death, then origins of Simon Dupree band, including touring with someone named Reg Dwight…
Executive years with discoveries of Bon Jovi and organising Monsters of Rock festival in Moscow…
Stories about rappers and hip hop artists sampling (and sometimes bluntly stealing) his music.
And, as a cherry on a cake, news about remixing “In a glass house” using AI to recover lost multitrack tapes…
Must read for any Gentle Giant fan, and just for anyone who deeply cares about music.
October 30, 2025
Great to read about my absolute favorite band Simon Dupree and the Big Sound (just kidding - Gentle Giant). Derek does not shy away from sharing very personal stories and his insecurities which I found very interesting. I was surprised to find out how he reacted to Phil leaving Gentle Giant. Too bad the marketing was so bad here in the US. I would have loved them to have put out a few more albums.
September 28, 2025
Giant Steps is an honest memoir where Derek Shulman tells his music journey. From having an alter-ego as Simon Dupree, to experimenting with the music of Gentle Giant, to filling in the new role of record executive, and then full circle to seeing how the legacy of Gentle Giant is still alive today. Whether you’re intimately familiar with the lore of Gentle Giant or not, this is a fantastic read.
December 28, 2025
A book you'd only read if you are a fan of Gentle Giant (I am) or if you are interested in the cultural history of the music of the late 1960s and 1970s.
I really enjoyed the book, especially the sections dealing with the making of their albums and the state of the music business at the time. Some aspects of the lifestyle, especially whilst Derek was in the predecessor band, Simon Dupree and the Big Sound, had troubling aspects.
The change of career into the business side of music, once Gentle Giant called it a day, was less interesting. It did, however, expose the unpleasant nature of the music business, in which many of the people aren't interested in music, only in the powdery and fleshy perks and the money they can make.
Amongst the story we encounter Elton John (before he was), Black Sabbath, Jethro Tull, Bon Jovi, Pantera and NWA amongst many others. A fun read and a must-read for any fan of Gentle Giant.
I really enjoyed the book, especially the sections dealing with the making of their albums and the state of the music business at the time. Some aspects of the lifestyle, especially whilst Derek was in the predecessor band, Simon Dupree and the Big Sound, had troubling aspects.
The change of career into the business side of music, once Gentle Giant called it a day, was less interesting. It did, however, expose the unpleasant nature of the music business, in which many of the people aren't interested in music, only in the powdery and fleshy perks and the money they can make.
Amongst the story we encounter Elton John (before he was), Black Sabbath, Jethro Tull, Bon Jovi, Pantera and NWA amongst many others. A fun read and a must-read for any fan of Gentle Giant.
December 29, 2025
Without a doubt the best music autobiography I have ever read. Derek Shulman captures the sixties psychedelic era wonderfully well then on through to the prog era of the 70s and the continuous development of Gentle Giant. No TV sets being hurled out of windows but just a fantastic appraisal of the heights and numerous downfalls of a band - not particularly easy even when it involves your own siblings. Honestly written and a must have.
December 21, 2025
As a Gentle Giant superfan, I can't really talk about this book with any kind of objectivity, so I'll just say thank God for the Shulman brothers and their wonderful creation, and for providing a platform for the genius that is Kerry Minnear.
November 25, 2025
One of the best memoirs I have ever read. Very honest, sometimes funny, often sad, but full of information I did not know about Gentle Giant.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews