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. He toured with Eddie Money before winning the Yamaha songwriting competition with his progressive rock group Giraffe. Producer Patrick Leonard was impressed with Gilbert's performance at the competition and invited him to join him in forming a new band which became Toy Matinee. During this time, Gilbert worked on the projects of several established pop musicians, including Madonna, Michael Jackson and produced Keith Emerson's album Changing States.
The lone Toy Matinee album was released in 1990 but effectively shelved by the record company, so Gilbert assembled a new backing band to promote the album, eventually getting two successful singles released: "The Ballad of Jenny Ledge" and "Last Plane Out".
Later, Gilbert was part of a songwriting collective (called "The Tuesday Music Club") that met at producer Bill Bottrell's studio in Pasadena, California. After he began bringing his then girlfriend Sheryl Crow to the sessions, the result was Crow's debut album, Tuesday Night Music Club. Gilbert co-wrote many of the songs on that album, including 1995 Grammy Record of the Year "All I Wanna Do." Crow later acrimoniously split with most of the musicians in the collective and only Bottrell was involved in her follow-up album. Meanwhile the remainder of the collective worked with singer-songwriters Susanna Hoffs and Linda Perry on two more albums.
Gilbert continued to work in television and movie soundtrack work as well as studio work and producing and eventually released his first solo album Thud(1995) as well as partially reforming Giraffe to perform the Genesis masterpiece "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" at Progfest 94. Gilbert's manager sent a copy of the recording to Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford who were searching for a new Genesis front man to replace Phil Collins. His manager was coming to Gilbert's home to tell him that he had managed to get him an audition when he discovered him dead.
Gilbert's second solo album, The Shaming of the True was released posthumously. The album was largely incomplete, but Gilbert's estate asked Spock's Beard drummer Nick D'Virgilio to complete it based on the extant tapes and Gilbert's notes. A live album (composed mostly of songs from Thud), and a compilation of Giraffe material that Gilbert had been working on and an "industrial" album with Gilbert's latest group, Kaviar have also been released in the years since his death. His estate has promised two more posthumous studio albums and a live performance from Gilbert's promotional group for Toy Matinee.
Discography:
N.R.G. - No Reasons Given (1984)
Giraffe - The Power Of Suggestion (1987)
Giraffe - The View From Here (1989)
Toy Matinee - Toy Matinee (1990; remastered & rereleased 2001)
Sheryl Crow - Tuesday Night Music Club (1993)
Kevin Gilbert - Thud (1995)
Giraffe - Giraffe (1999)
Kevin Gilbert & Thud - Live at the Troubadour (1999)
Kevin Gilbert - The Shaming of the True (2000)
Kaviar - The Kaviar Sessions (2002)
Kevin Gilbert - Nuts (2009)
Kevin Gilbert - Bolts (2009)
Kevin Gilbert - Performs Toy Matinee Live (2010)
Kevin Gilbert - Toy Matinee Acoustic Rehearsal (2014)
Imagemaker
Kevin Gilbert Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Internal rhythm clocks the beat
Liquid refreshment indiscreet
Poetic license so concrete
On the way toward the light
Blind ambition blurs my sight
The hand which guides me through the night
Sitting pretty on my chair
My two way mirror shields the glare
Narcissus bows in useless prayer
This franchised ego needs repair
Imagemaker come to me
Make me things that I should be
I am only what you see
And you're wanting more
Champagne Minds and Cold Duck Hearts
And who knows where the bullshit starts
The biggest grins on the biggest sharks
In the only pond that pays
Mass distribution through master relations
Can you get a leg up on the favored nation
Can you count your long career in days
So check the odds and place your bet
Let's have some quiet on this set
Some standard moody silhouette
I'll hatch another image yet
On the way towards the lights
Blind ambition blurs my sight
The hand which guides me through the night
Has left me alone
Imagemaker come to me
Make me thing that I should be
I am only what you see
And you're wanting more
The song "Imagemaker" by Kevin Gilbert is a reflection on the superficial and often unfulfilling lifestyle of a person who desires to be popular and successful at all costs. The lyrics describe the internal struggle of a person who has become a slave to their own ego, represented metaphorically by the line "franchised ego needs repair". This is further emphasized by the line "I am only what you see, and you're wanting more", which reflects the idea that the person's identity is solely based on the way others perceive them.
The song is critical of the way in which society places an excessive value on image and material success, rather than inner fulfillment or genuine human connections. This is reflected in lines such as "Champagne Minds and Cold Duck Hearts" and "The biggest grins on the biggest sharks, In the only pond that pays". The song holds up a mirror to society's obsession with fame and fortune and questions whether it is really worth all the sacrifices that are made along the way.
Overall, the song "Imagemaker" is a poignant commentary on the emptiness of a life lived solely for the sake of image and fame. It encourages listeners to look beyond superficial appearances and to value authenticity and genuine human connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Black asphalt carpet stroke my feet
The ground beneath my feet is a dark, unyielding force that seems to guide me forward.
Internal rhythm clocks the beat
My internal sense of time keeps me in step with the world around me, giving me a sense of purpose.
Liquid refreshment indiscreet
I drink to excess, seeking to numb my pain and escape from the reality of my life.
Poetic license so concrete
My words are the only power I have over the world, and I use them to shape reality to my will.
On the way toward the light
I am constantly striving for success, hoping to achieve enlightenment and escape from my current existence.
Blind ambition blurs my sight
My desire for success is clouding my judgement, and is preventing me from seeing my true path in life.
The hand which guides me through the night
My guiding force, whether it be God or someone else, has left me in the dark and alone.
Has left me alone
I am truly on my own in this world, with no one to guide or help me.
Sitting pretty on my chair
I am comfortable in my current situation, but I am not truly happy or fulfilled.
My two way mirror shields the glare
I have created a facade that hides my true self, allowing me to hide from the world and avoid its judgement.
Narcissus bows in useless prayer
I am so focused on my own image that I have lost touch with reality and my true self.
This franchised ego needs repair
My inflated sense of self is not sustainable, and I need to work to repair the damage it has caused.
Imagemaker come to me
I am reaching out to the world, hoping someone can help me achieve the image I desire of myself.
Make me things that I should be
I want the world to shape me into the person I believe I should be, even if it is not who I truly am.
I am only what you see
My identity is based solely on the image I present to the world, and I am defined by others' perceptions of me.
And you're wanting more
Despite my efforts to create the perfect image, it is not enough for others, and they continue to demand more from me.
Champagne Minds and Cold Duck Hearts
The people around me may seem smart and sophisticated, but they are ultimately empty and unfulfilled.
And who knows where the bullshit starts
It is hard to separate truth from lies in a world where everything is a facade.
The biggest grins on the biggest sharks
The people at the top of the food chain are the most ruthless and dangerous, and they will do whatever it takes to stay there.
In the only pond that pays
Success and wealth are the only things that matter in this world, and those who have them are at the top of the social hierarchy.
Mass distribution through master relations
Success and power are often determined by who you know, and how those people can help you achieve your goals.
Can you get a leg up on the favored nation
It is difficult to succeed in a world where some people are given more opportunities and advantages than others.
Can you count your long career in days
Even a successful career is ultimately fleeting and temporary, and is not a true measure of a person's worth or value.
So check the odds and place your bet
Success and wealth are ultimately determined by luck and chance, and it is impossible to predict the outcome of any given situation.
Let's have some quiet on this set
I need a break from the constant noise and distractions of the world around me, in order to focus on my own path in life.
Some standard moody silhouette
My image may change over time, but it will always be a reflection of the current mood and trends of society.
I'll hatch another image yet
I am constantly reinventing myself, seeking to create the perfect image that will win me success and adoration.
Contributed by Nathan P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@dougcronkhite2113
Damn.. this is SO good! So happy to see Kevin's music still alive!
@laurengroves7566
PROPS! You covered it well. Very well!!!
@Jeffers0362
Awesome Tribute Guys to a Superb Musician , sadly gone but Definitely not Forgotten !!!!
@DanielVerberne
1:59 - love this transition to this rockin' section! Also, that riff just there on guitar is very cool, really comes out live! You guys performed this entire album to perfection!
@Anttikarppinen1
Yeahh!! This is awesome!! Kevin lives on :)
@TheShamingoftheTrueTribute
he truly does
@mdc53
Holy shit!
@dnashofficial
amazing the effort you put in. i wish i'd been there <3
@TheShamingoftheTrueTribute
that's why we put the whole concert on youtube, because KG fans are sprinkled all over the world. pretty hard to get all together in one place!
@julensdad
Wahnsinn. GIRAFFE könnt ihr auch. So viele Erinnerungen kommen hoch :-) KLASSE