PETER GABRIEL: Interview with Horst Königstein (from 1997) now available in English

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    Horst Königstein is the man behind the German Peter Gabriel albums - he created the German lyrics. He didn't simply translate them...


    We (the German Genesis Fanclub it) have conducted an interview with Horst Königstein back in 1997. It was first published in our printed magazine #24 (March 1998) and then later we made it available on our German website as well.

    We have now translated that interview into English language and I am sure you will find this intersting. So enjoy ...


    https://www.genesis-news.com/c…-Knigstein-1997-s789.html


  • Now that's interesting - thanks for sharing.


    But ... PG IV: Peter thought it's a weak album? At least that's what Horst says. Can't imagine Peter really thinks that (or thought that back in the days).

    ...

  • Interesting read. I've always found those German albums to be a fun secondary version of each original. Funny thinking that So was to be translated as well. I can imagine PG calling up Kate Bush and Laurie Anderson to come sing their songs again in German, and wondering if they'd gone for it.

  • Kate would have gone for it. Think of the German language interludes in Coffee Homeground and Hello Earth.

    You're right now that you mention it. She has done some French too (I think) on Joanni and perhaps a little on Get Out Of My House so yeah she probably would be up for a foreign language vocal.

  • I found Peter’s performance of the German “Flood” version in the TV show mentioned in the interview.


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    Is the other track that is mentioned also available somewhere?

    ...

  • Thanks for sharing. Fascinating interview and nice to read a completely different view on things!


    Peter also did a bit of German singing durin the warm up tou 2007 - did Konigstein also help him there? Obviously not in 2014, when he did Flood in German during the German shows ...

  • But ... PG IV: Peter thought it's a weak album? At least that's what Horst says. Can't imagine Peter really thinks that (or thought that back in the days).

    Artists' views of their own work are often coloured by circumstances that have nothing to do with the music.

    I would wonder if PG's dismissiveness stems from unpleasant feelings or memories associated with the recording of that album, with David Lord being the producer.

    • Official Post

    Artists' views of their own work are often coloured by circumstances that have nothing to do with the music.

    I would wonder if PG's dismissiveness stems from unpleasant feelings or memories associated with the recording of that album, with David Lord being the producer.

    indeed

    But in this particular context, Horst was more referring to the artistic dead end argument. I think that was it what he felt Peter thought as well: after this album he would need to change direction.

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    He died 10 years ago today. If you haven't read our interview yet, here it is.

    Genesis News Com [it]: Interview with Horst Königstein 1997 (genesis-news.com)