VIDEO'S OF THE WEEK - PETER GABRIEL Special

[Niels (Mod)]

VOTW - PETER GABRIEL Special

It wasn't my intention, to do a Peter Gabriel-special until very recently, and the reason for me to do it, is because of the cover-story from the newest edition of PROG Magazine, which is a feature about the 4 first PG-solo albums (1977-1982), I bought those 4 albums 2 weeks ago, and have practically heard nothing else since. It suited me just fine, since I was getting tired of listening to whatever music, I was listening to. My personal PG-story is, that I don't remember when I noticed him the first time, but I do remember when I got interested, and that was in 1982, when I taped the video for Shock The Monkey from the television. I though the song was great, and the video and noticed his special voice. A great voice. But I didn't buy the album for some reason (the reason being, that it was 1982, and I was only interested in Heavy Metal-albums at that time). But when SO was released in 1986, I bought it. I liked it, but wasn't THAT impressed. Since then, I had a "Greatest Hits"-cd at some point, but only a couple of tracks had my full attention (solsbury Hill and Shock The Monkey), so the cd went missing after a while. So when I saw the cover of PROG-magazine, and didn't have any music to listen to, I thought it was time to check out the first 4 solo-albums, and bought them. I then found out, that they actually were released as speciel vinyl-editons a few days ago, and that's the reason for the cover-story, but I don't buy vinyl anymore. Nevermind, as I said, I haven't been listening to anything since I bought the albums (not all true, since I've also been listening to some Kate Bush-albums on spotify, and also checking out the new Killing Joke-album), and they are all great. I don't know, if any of you've got any of those albums, or how much you know about Gabriel-solostuff? I know, that I have posted Shock The monkey in VOTW before, but that one certainly IS one of my absolute favorite videos.

SOLSBURY HILL

"Solsbury Hill" is a song by English musician Peter Gabriel about a spiritual experience atop Solsbury Hill in Somerset, England. Gabriel wrote the song after his departure from the progressive rock band Genesis, of which he had been the lead singer since its inception. The song was his debut single. The single was a Top 20 hit in the UK and reached #68 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1977. The song has often been used in film trailers for romantic comedies.Gabriel has said of the song's meaning, "It's about being prepared to lose what you have for what you might get... It's about letting go." Former bandmate Tony Banks acknowledges that the song reflects Gabriel's decision to break ties with Genesis, but it can be also applied in a broader sense.

MODERN LOVE

Peter Gabriel ("Car") is the first studio album by English rock musician Peter Gabriel and the first of four with the same eponymous title. Released on 25 February 1977, it was produced by Bob Ezrin. Gabriel and Ezrin assembled a team of musicians, including Robert Fripp of King Crimson, to record the album. Upon the album's release, Gabriel began touring with a seven-piece band under his own name.This album is often called either Peter Gabriel 1 or Car, referring to the album cover by London artist Peter Christopherson when he was associated with the London artists group Hipgnosis. The car was a Lancia Flavia owned by Hipgnosis founder Storm Thorgerson

MOTHER OF VIOLENCE

Peter Gabriel ("Scratch") is the second solo album by the English rock musician Peter Gabriel, released in 1978. The album is the second of four with the same eponymous title. Guitarist Robert Fripp served as producer, whose influence on the album is evident in the use of 'Frippertronics' on the track "Exposure". The album did not sell as well as the first Peter Gabriel, but reached No. 10 on the UK charts. "Mother of Violence" was written by Peter and his first wife Jill Gabriel.This album is often referred to as Scratch, referring to the album cover by Hipgnosis.

GAMES WITHOUT FRONTIERS

"Games Without Frontiers" is a song written and recorded by Peter Gabriel. It was released on his 1980 self-titled solo album and features Kate Bush on backing vocals. The song's lyrics are interpreted as a commentary on war and international diplomacy being like children's gamesThe single became Gabriel's first top-10 hit in the United Kingdom, peaking at No. 4, and – tied with 1986's "Sledgehammer" – his highest-charting song in the United Kingdom. It peaked at No. 7 in Canada, but only No. 48 in the United States. The B-side to the single was two tracks combined into one: "Start" and "I Don't Remember".

I DON'T REMEMBER

Peter Gabriel ("Melt") is the third album by English rock musician Peter Gabriel, released in May 1980. The album has been acclaimed as Gabriel's artistic breakthrough as a solo artist and for establishing him as one of rock's most ambitious, innovative musicians. Gabriel also explored more overtly political material with two of his most famous singles, the anti-war song "Games Without Frontiers" (which became a number four hit and remains his joint highest charting single in the UK) and the anti-apartheid protest song "Biko", which remembered the murdered activist Steve Biko. The album was remastered, along with most of Gabriel's catalogue, in 2002.This album is often referred to as Melt owing to its cover photograph by Hipgnosis.

SHOCK THE MONKEY

"Shock the Monkey" is a 1982 song by English rock musician Peter Gabriel. It was released as a single and peaked at No. 29 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and No. 1 on the Billboard Top Tracks chart. The song was Gabriel's first Top 40 hit in the U.S. In the UK, the song charted at No. 58. It was included on Gabriel's fourth self-titled album, issued in the U.S. as Security. The song has a "relentlessly repeated hook" that "sounded nothing like anything else on the radio at the time". This is probably my favorite video of all time, or Video/song, because Sledgehammer is probably a better video, but I'm pretty tired of that song. I don't think I ever get tired of Shock The Monkey.

[Scott]

SOLSBURY HILL ...  I've seen these on Amazon as well, but never given them much thought since I own "So" and kind of felt like that was enough because I'm not a Shock The Monkey fan (more on that below).  I like this opening track though I'm a sucker for some great acoustic work especially with a melodic flare to it, and that's this song on a nutshell.

MODERN LOVE ... Another melodic tune, not so much prog so far.  Maybe that's intentional for his first solo LP?  And also maybe because Ezrin is at the helm as well. 2 for 2 so far.  You have my interest ...

MOTHER OF VIOLENCE ... Definitely not as interesting as the first two tracks, kind of lacks a hook even though the acoustic work is nice.  The hints of melodic ooey-gooeyness seem to have disappeared in favor of art-rock or experimentation.  The La-La's at the end were strange and took away from the overall feel.

GAMES WITHOUT FRONTIERS ...  Here's one I've heard and seen before. Likely from some Mtv in the early days.  I do recall not feeling one way or another about this one and that kind of persists to now.  Lyrically its more interesting than I remember, but the tune isn't really as interesting as the weirdness of the video.  Certainly this achieved some US success based on the emerging Mtv exposure and an alternative counter culture which was influencing the new wave movement as well.  Still not a track I'd be interested in owning.

I DON'T REMEMBER ... Much better than the previous two.  Cant say this would be something I reach for to listen to, but I wouldn't mind it if someone else played, maybe I need to hear for of this "third" album...

SHOCK THE MONEKY ...  #29 huh...  With all the air play this video got it felt like it charted higher.  Maybe it was an Mtv favorite because they ran this all the damn time! I didn't like the song back then at all, but as you say, the video was innovative at the time and we watched it despite the song.  I must say the song is better now than back then, but still not a song that I need to own.

Nice post, that first album is very interesting...

[Niels (Mod)]

After listening to the 4 albums for a couple of weeks now (and I'm not finished, because all 4 albums interest me more, than 80% of my so far top 10-list of 2015), I would rank them like this:

1. "Melt" - It definitely is the album, where Gabriel found his sound, as a solo-artist, and it's (imo) full of good songs.
2. "Scratch" - This album needs a few listenings, but it is an ALBUM, unlike.....
3. "Car" - The best songs, or some of them, appear on Gabriels debut-album, but it's also a bit confusing, with all the different styles, and it is overproduced. Not these two songs, though.
4. "Monkey" ( or whatever it's called) - There are 3 great songs on the album, off course "Monkey", but the last two songs on the album sounds like they could had appeared on either "Melt" or So. Otherwise the album is "ruined" by the very thick 80's-production. Still, it's better than So, which I also like.

[RJhog (Admin)]

The first I remember hearing Peter Gabriel was Shock The Monkey.  I didn't like it.  He was weird.  More recently, in the last 5-10 years, I've seen a couple of clips of early Genesis and...he's weird.  I did pick up So on vinyl a couple of years ago. That's a pretty decent album, but I've just not had any interest in his other solo work.

Solsbury Hill - This song is very good.  It has an epic feel to it.  It feels like a Christmas song to me, just the feel of it.

Modern Love - Sounds decent.  The bass work is terrific.  Sounds a bit rocked up for what I'd expect from PG.  I've never heard this one before, but it's pretty good.  

Mother Of Violence - Never heard this.  Why do people name their albums the same thing?  I just don't get it.  Is it supposed to be quirky or something.  I like the acoustic work, including the piano.  This video looks like it could be a performance for MTV Unplugged.  He's still weird.

Games Without Frontiers - I remember this one.  At least I remember hearing it.  Can't say it ever made an impression on me.  I like that part that he does falsetto.  Yep, this is actually a pretty good song.  I like the guitar that runs throughout the song, underneath everything else.  It adds a great feel to the song.

I Don't Remember - Another more rocked up song.  I don't like the scat vocals at the beginning, but other than that, it's a decent song.  More unique bass work.  I didn't realize Gabriel rocked this much.  I guess he did with the next song, but I also guess I thought he was a lot more laid back with his music.

Shock The Monkey - I just realized that it was Sledgehammer that I was not a fan of.  I actually was okay with Shock The Monkey.  The video is very entertaining.  

This was an interesting post.  Can't say I'm inspired to go out and buy any PG solo stuff, but it's definitely better than I had expected.  I didn't really hear a bad or uninteresting song here.  Good job.

[Niels (Mod)]

" I didn't really hear a bad or uninteresting song here." That pretty much sums up all the songs on those first 4 solo-albums. I can't say, there are better songs than "Solsbury Hill" being my favorite Gabriel-song, but the albums are full of good songs, not just these. "Mother Of Violence" actually doesn't do any justice to his second album, which IS an album, I think both you and Scott would like, probably also the third album, but it's definitely up to you guys, what you spend your money on  Believe me, when I say, he rocks even more than these songs "hints".