| Product: |
Peter Gabriel in general |
| Date: |
19/01/01 (146 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Peter Gabriel, former member of Genesis, founder of "Realworld" (hosting and promoting artists from all over the world, during Realworld Recording Week), co-founder of the Witness foundation (which gives camcorders etc to human rights organizations to help document abuses) and song-writer extraordinaire, is not to be confused with other former members of the aforementioned band with weaker claims to political right-on-ness.
The problem with Peter is that he comes across as just so earnest that he may seriously damage your street-cred. Also, from what I have seen of his live performances, he has a penchant for track- suit bottoms that tend to give a rather obscene outline of his manhood (not that I was looking, of course). This may be preferable, though, to the outrageous get-ups he would apparently don in the 70s: conical ultraviolet numbers, or bulbous, inflated genitals. Golly. These front-man theatrics hint at his acting talent. After Charterhouse, he turned down a place at film school to concentrate on music.
However, these superficial considerations aside, Peter Gabriel has written several of my favourite songs of all time. Solsbury Hill (PG1, 1977), In your Eyes (So, 1986), and Blood of Eden (US, 1992). Allow me to indulge myself:
Solsbury Hill.
"Climbing up on Solsbury Hill,
I could see the city light,
Wind was blowing, time stood still
Eagle flew out of the night.
He was something to observe,
Came in close, I heard a voice
Standing, stretching every nerve
Had to listen, had no choice."
This is songwriting poetry. The yearning, nostalgic, uplifting quality of the lyrics is matched by the electric melodies.
In your Eyes.
"In your eyes,
The light, the heat
In your eyes
I am complete
In your eyes
I see the doorway,
Of a thousand churches,
In your eyes
The resolution
Of all my fruitless searches."
L
yrics that start simple, and could be attributed to any old Gabrielle song, and then take on an amazing resonance are one of Gabriel's trademarks. The way his voice blasts humourously/angrily/confidently one minute (remember Big Time), then cracks huskily and whispers the next, sends shivers down my spine. He has a gift for picking accompanying vocalists that compliment his voice perfectly (Kate Bush, Sinead O'Connor), and of course, he uses electronic effects in the most emotive way, to add echo and reverb that somehow never seems naff or dated (to me anyway).
This interest in digital effects first appeared on his third solo album (he released four albums, all entitled Peter Gabriel, following his split from Genesis). It coincided with his increased vigilance over Third World issues, witness the anthem-esque "Biko", homage to anti-apartheid campaigner Steven Biko, and his initiation of the WOMAD (World of Music Arts and Dance) festival.
It was not until his 1986 incursion into pop, with "So", that he really made it big, reaching No. 1 in the UK and No.3 in the States. It was powered by the MTV award-winning, "claymation" video for Sledgehammer, and Big Time was hot on its heels.
He used his notoriety on an amnesty tour with Sting, U2, Youssou N'Dour and Tracy Chapman. And this was when he founded the RealWorld label, its first output, his score "Passion" for Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ winning a "Best New Age Recording" Grammy. "US" followed, went uber-platinum, and confirmed PG's video credentials, with more prizes for "Digging in the Dirt" and "Steam".
From rock, to digital, to pop, to new age, Peter Gabriel has always managed to cultivate his own unique sound and yet not become boxed-in, conveying an interest in universal, humanitarian issues. If you want to listen before commiting yourself to a purchase, petergabri
el.com offers Shockwave and Quicktime eartreats.
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