Trouser Press Magazine contest

Here's the story of the Trouser Press magazine Gentle Giant contest.

From: Biffyshrew@aol.com
Date: Fri, 12 Jan 1996 18:56:59 -0500

After Giant For A Day came out, Trouser Press (possibly the only US magazine of note to devote at least three separate feature articles to GG during the '70s) held a giveaway in which 10 people who answered a set of GG trivia questions correctly would win the press pack for GFAD. Well, I entered, and was among the winners. (I wonder if more than 10 people even bothered to enter!) Here's what was in the package I received, which had a Halloween theme (a little early, since the LP was released in September):

• The GFAD LP (big deal--I'd already bought it of course)
• the orange vinyl "Words From The Wise" single
• A cardboard Giant mask with an elastic band
• A trick-or-treat bag (labelled "Little Brown Bag," get the reference?)
• An orange lollipop with the giant logo on the wrapper
• Three pages of text: a hype sheet for the LP, an interview with Derek Shulman, and the following poem.

GENTLE GIANT'S TRICKS & TREATS
Goblins, gremlins, ghosts and witches
Join Gentle Giant in these Halloween wishes
With Giant For A Day leading the way
"Words From The Wise" gains widespread airplay [yeah, right!]
Five merry pranksters, their mirth world renown [sic]
The Giant's quite happy since his "words" are hit bound
As the Eve of Allhallows approaches
When the spirits do dance with glee
It's ever so ghostly appropriate
That "Spooky Boogie" fills Side-B
So as a Gentle but Giant reminder
We're sending this "Little Brown Bag"
Of tricks and treats and an orange pumpkin disc
With greetings from the whole Giant staff.

Move over, William Blake!!!

This all goes to show how elaborate the promotion for even a middle-level band could be in those days. In fact, I don't think what I received was even the COMPLETE press package: I didn't get the Giant For A Day badge (I now have two copies, thanks very much), and surely there should have been a band photo...

By the way, I tried to save all this stuff, but eventually ants attacked my closet and got the lollipop!