Peter and bipolar

[nickm]

I heard a rumour (from a friend who works in TV in London) that Gabriel suffers, or has suffered, from bipolar disorder.

She mentioned it in an email last week. It was the first time I'd heard of such a rumour.

Has anyone heard this as well?

Fingers crossed it's a load of baloney!

[DocFeatherfield]

Actually I never heard about this. Just looking at his work over the last 35 years or so you get the impression that he is very preoccupied with everything he did - even anankastic. He may also suffer from depressive episodes given the long years he doesn't release new albums. But I don't see any indication of manic episodes at all. So I don't think he is bipolar - that's just my personal impression.

[Danlaw83]

I hope we can get an official news source to this because that doesn;t sound good??

[nickm]

Originally Posted by Danlaw83

I hope we can get an official news source to this because that doesn;t sound good??

I'll email my friend and see if she can give any more details on the rumour!

[paulo]

It is just incredible. I voted the pool about PG best album, and was thinking about how depressive his music is.
My ex-girlfriend was depressive. I introduced her to PG music and she loved it...and then she bought all albuns. And I was always saying to her: "please, do not listen to PG music, it is too depressive and you will get worse!"
As a doctor I suppose that he IS depressive.
I really think that an artist who makes such depressive music is probably depressive or bipolar.

[Danlaw83]

this has not been proven officially or non-officially, I say tis BS. Depression and Bi-Polar are SLIGHTLY different!

[martinus]

That's a rumour that surfaces every now and again. Much like the monster of Loch Ness. And there is as much truth to one as to the other, if you ask me...

[Danlaw83]

I agree, sir! Not too much validity behind the BS

[jebho62]

Originally Posted by paulo

It is just incredible. I voted the pool about PG best album, and was thinking about how depressive his music is.
My ex-girlfriend was depressive. I introduced her to PG music and she loved it...and then she bought all albuns. And I was always saying to her: "please, do not listen to PG music, it is too depressive and you will get worse!"
As a doctor I suppose that he IS depressive.
I really think that an artist who makes such depressive music is probably depressive or bipolar.

Sorry about the ex-girlfriend paolo.
But below the surface there is a lot of celebration in Gabriels music. For example (my interpretation in bold):

Growing Up for example would appear to be a downer at first but if you dig deeper you get to the beauty, it is a celebration of our humanity:
__________________________________________________ ____________
Birth

Folded in your fleshy purse
I am floating once again
While the muted sounds are pumping rhythm
All the walls close in on me
Pressures building wave on wave
til the water breaks and outside I go, oh

One dot, thats on or off, defines what is and what is not, one dot
Two dot, a pair of eyes, a voice, a touch, complete surprise, two dot

Trying to find a relatively happy existence

Growing up, growing up,
Looking for a place to live
Growing up, growing up
Looking for a place to live
Growing up, growing up,
Looking for a place to live

Ghost is Ones Spirit or Soul

My ghost likes to travel so far in the unknown
My ghost likes to travel so deep into your space

Careers

Three dot, a trinity, a way to map the universe,
Three dot
Four dot, is what will make a square, a bed to build on, its all there,
Four dot

My ghost likes to travel so far in the unknown
My ghost likes to travel so deep into your space

Marriage and Intimacy

All the slow clouds pass us by
Make the empire state look high
As you take me in your sea-stained sweetness
It spills, it tingles and it stings
All the pleasure that it brings
til the door has let the outside inside here

Destiny

Well on the floor theres a long wooden table
On the table theres an open book
On the page theres a detailed drawing
And on the drawing is the name I took

Friendship - space meaning the human mind to me

My ghost likes to travel so far in the unknown
My ghost likes to travel so deep into your space

Growing up, growing up,
Looking for a place to live
Growing up, growing up
Looking for a place to live
Growing up, growing up,
Looking for a place to live
Growing up, growing up,
Looking for a place to live

My ghost likes to travel
My ghost likes to travel
Moving inside of your space
My ghost likes to travel
My ghost likes to travel
Moving inside of your space
My ghost likes to travel
Moving inside
My ghost likes to travel
Moving inside of your space
My ghost likes to travel
Moving inside
My ghost likes to travel
Moving inside of your space

Lifes journey ending and travelling to the afterlife. Death is not depressing or the end of anything.

The breathing stops, I dont know when
In transition once again
Such a struggle getting through these changes
And it all seems so absurd
To be flying like a bird
When I do not feel Ive really landed here

__________________________________________________ ___________
I could do this with just about any Gabriel song and find the hidden happiness or at the very least acceptance of things the way they are. Peter is just not a phoney about his emotions. He wears his heart on his sleeve. When his marriage was breaking down he did not write a bunch of love songs. He wrote what he felt inside himself. (Listen to US album about this breakdown, his marriage vows, passion, his family/children, his analysis of what went wrong and then moving on to find new love). Peter is simply not a pop star. His lyrics need to be interpreted. He is a deep thinker.


Thats my take anyway.

[martinus]

Originally Posted by Danlaw83

I agree, sir! Not too much validity behind the BS

Don't you sir me. Makes me feel old...