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Free Hand was Gentle Giant's seventh album originally released in July 1975. This album was the most commercially successful of the band's career reaching the top 40 albums in Billboard Magazine. It stands as the culmination of the band's maturity, following the successes of 'In A Glass House' & 'The Power & The Glory'. Having toured Europe & North America non-stop in the years prior to this release with artists like Jethro Tull, Yes, Zappa etc, the band had gone from strength to strength…

GG's seventh album - originally released in 1975 - Free Hand is arguably the Giant's most accessible and vibrant release and saw the band competing with the likes of Genesis, Yes and Jethro Tull on an equal footing.

Gentle Giant's fourth album has a harder, more rocking edge, making a striking contrast with their more symphonic third album. No doubt the reason was the introduction of John Weathers on drums. The album still contains a wide variety of sounds and textures, from the rocking power of The Advent Of Panurge to the vocal intricacies of Knots to the beauty of Think Of Me With Kindness.
The title was allegedly invented by Phil Shulman's wife, Roberta. It is short for "Octo Opus," or eight musical works.
Considered by many to be Gentle Giant's best album, Octopus represented a key transitional time for the group. This was simultaneously Phil's last and John's first album as members of Gentle Giant. The result is a fascinating blend of the old and the new.