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The Shaming of the True
Studio album by Kevin Gilbert
Released	2000
Recorded	Lawnmower And Garden Supply, Pasadena, CA
Genre	Progressive rock
Length	67:27
Label	KMG
Producer	Kevin Gilbert
Professional reviews
Allmusic link
Kevin Gilbert chronology
Live at the Troubadour (1995) The Shaming of the True (2000)

The Shaming of the True is Kevin Gilbert's second solo album. It was released posthumously in 2000.

The release appeared in two editions: a limited-edition (of 1400) hardbound book with CD edition released early in 2000, with artwork and complete libretto, and a more conventional jewel-case CD edition later in the year.

Track listing

1. "Parade" - 3:44
2. "The City of the Sun" - 5:55
3. "Suit Fugue (Dance of the A&R Men)" - 2:24
4. "Imagemaker" - 3:38
5. "Water Under the Bridge" - 5:29
6. "The Best Laid Plans" - 5:38
7. "Certifiable #1 Smash" - 7:20
8. "Staring Into Nothing" - 5:51
9. "Fun" - 5:33
10. "From Here to There" - 2:11
11. "Ghetto of Beautiful Things" - 4:53
12. "A Long Day's Life" - 7:28
13. "The Way Back Home" - 4:55
14. "Johnny's Last Song" - 2:15

Story

The album follows the career of a singer/musician named Johnny Virgil, which follows an arc common to many big rock and roll bands/stars. It starts out promisingly, but he is lured into the common trap of record-company exploitation and seduced by fame and drugs/alcohol. He becomes more and more burned out and withdrawn as his career becomes larger than life, feeling like he's losing touch with his humanity, until the whole thing culminates in a breakdown. He goes through a period of disillusionment and depression but eventually makes peace with himself. A number of clues (last song title, lyric "End of a long days life," reprise of train whistle in distance, etc..) may also indicate that Johnny dies penniless on the street or takes his own life.

Personnel

• Kevin Gilbert - vocals, guitar, bass, piano, keyboards, programming, sequencing
• Nick D'Virgilio - drums, bass, percussion, guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
• Brian MacLeod - drums
• Tommy Dunbar, Rush Parrish, David Levita, Bill Bottrell - additional guitars
• Robert Ferris, Jennifer Gross, Skyler Jett, Claytoven, Sandy Sawyer, John Rubin, Tommy Dunbar - backing vocals
• The Le Petomane Ensemble - Horns
• John H. Seabury - Illustrations (also numbered-and-signed all 1400 copies of the original limited-edition hardbound book release)
• Hugh Brown - booklet designer

External links

• The Shaming of the True on progarchives.com