Shulman first found fame as a teenager in the 1960s pop and R&B group Simon Dupree & The Big Sound, then pushed rock music to the outer edges in the 1970s as frontman of progressive rock pioneers Gentle Giant.
In the 1980s, he made a bold pivot into the record business, taking on senior roles at labels like Polygram, ATCO, and Roadrunner Records. There, he signed and developed artists including Bon Jovi, Dream Theater, Slipknot, Pantera, and Men Without Hats, while also helping to revitalize the careers of AC/DC, Bad Company, and others.
Along the way Gentle Giant would become a defining influence on hip-hop, sampled by many of the genre’s leading lights including J. Dilla, De La Soul, Run The Jewels, Travis Scott and dozens more. The band was later championed by Questlove, drummer of The Roots and acclaimed filmmaker, who named them one of his favorite rock acts of all time.
Clean-living and focused in an industry often defined by chaos and excess, Shulman offers a rare perspective on the evolution of music and culture from the 1960s to today. Giant Steps is essential reading for fans of prog, rock, hip-hop, and anyone curious about the inner workings of the music industry.
GIANT STEPS by Derek Shulman with Jon Wiederhorn
Published October 7, 2025, by Jawbone Press (www.jawbonepress.com)
304pp softcover with 3x8pp plate sections containing rare and previously unseen photos
ISBN 9781916829244 / £16.95 UK / $24.95 US / $32.95 CAN
