s ▁first ▁concept ▁album , ▁and ▁was ▁based ▁around ▁the ▁theme ▁of ▁three ▁boys ▁who ▁are ▁" ine v it ably ▁separated ▁by ▁chance , ▁skill , ▁and ▁fate " ▁as ▁they ▁become ▁men . ▁Over ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁the ▁album , ▁the ▁three ▁friends ▁travel ▁on ▁from ▁being ▁child hood ▁school fri ends ▁to ▁become , ▁respectively , ▁a ▁road ▁d igger , ▁an ▁artist , ▁and ▁a ▁white - col lar ▁worker . ▁In ▁the ▁process , ▁they ▁lose ▁their ▁ability ▁to ▁relate ▁to ▁each ▁other ▁or ▁understand ▁each ▁other ' s ▁l ifest yles . ▁The ▁development ▁and ▁fate ▁of ▁each ▁character ▁is ▁mus ically ▁represented ▁by ▁separate ▁yet ▁integrated ▁styles , ▁from ▁hard ▁rh ythm - and - bl ues - ed ged ▁rock ▁to ▁sym ph onic ▁classical ▁st yl ings . ▁ ▁In ▁March ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁Mal col m ▁Mort imore ▁injured ▁himself ▁in ▁a ▁motor cycle ▁accident . ▁To ▁ful fil ▁tour ▁oblig ations ▁in ▁April , ▁Gent le ▁Gi ant ▁h ired ▁John ▁" P ug w ash " ▁We athers ▁( born ▁ 7 ▁February ▁▁ 1 9 4 7 ) ▁( ex - Gre ase ▁Band / W ild ▁Turkey / G raham ▁Bond ' s ▁Magic ). ▁We athers ▁was ▁a ▁harder - h itting ▁player ▁who ▁also ▁sang ▁and ▁played ▁mel od ic ▁per cussion ▁and ▁guitar , ▁further ▁expand ing ▁Gent le ▁Gi ant ' s ▁multi - inst rument al ▁performance ▁options . ▁Because ▁of