The PETER GABRIEL anniversary year 2022: Part 1: PG1 / Car

1st Official Post
    • Official Post


    The years that end with a two are - in Peter Gabriel's case - special years. Because in them, an astonishing number of his solo albums celebrate "round" anniversary. We have opened a continuation article on this, which will be continuously expanded throughout the year.

    Right at the beginning there is the exception to the rule - because the year in which Gabriel's first solo album came out did not have a two at the end, but a seven. It came out on 25 February 1977 - and is thus 45 years old this year. A quasi half-round birthday, but one that we also want to honour.


    You can find our thoughts in the article below. Now it's your turn in this thread to share your opinion on the album, the "half-round" anniversary, the making of the album and your memories of the release.


    https://www.genesis-news.com/c…ear-2022-albums-s834.html

    cheers

    Christian


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    For obvious reasons, this is a transitional album, with Gabriel trying to sort out his style and direction post-Genesis. I never felt that Ezrin was a great choice as producer as I (maybe unfairly) lay some of the responsibility with him for the overly bombastic production.


    Solsbury Hill is the obvious classic. The album version has the lovely acoustic guitar parts, not kept for later live version. I also love the sound of what I always thought were flutes on the verses (later replaced by keyboards). My one beef is the silly screeching and grunting at the end, which to me takes away from the poignance of the song.


    Here Comes the Flood is one of my favourite Gabriel songs and it starts off lovely. But the choruses are too over-the-top, reminding me of some of the heavy-handed sections of The Wall (another album that Ezrin produced). I far prefer the starker, more minimalist live versions and especially the version on Fripp's Exposure.


    Humdrum is my other favourite, with its quirky Latin rhythm sections and its soaring finale.


    Moribund is weird and enjoyable. Modern Love is fine, but kind of undistinctive. I don't mind Excuse Me with its barbershop, vaudevillian stylings. I find Slowburn, Waiting for the Big One, and Down the Dolce Vita forgettable.

    Hear hear. I still think the song is perfection itself, but that part is unnecessary. I pretty much agree with everything else you say here.

    I have some problems with his first album. There's no major theme, direction or sth like that. In that respect, Collins' first album was far better. Gabriel evolved and with IV he has created a real classic.


    Humdrum is my favorite from his first album, Here Comes The Flood is also great in this arrangement. But the majority of tracks don't really interest me any more.

    ...

    I guess this all comes down to personal taste but I'm one of the very few who prefers his first two solo albums, especially the 2nd. He was really into Springsteen at that time is it's not too surprising that this influence bleeds through a bit, not to mention Roy Bitan being on the 2nd album. I also love Humdrum quite a bit off of the first one in addition to the other favorites mentioned. I never could get into his "world music" direction even though this was probably the pinnacle of his commercial success.

    Quote from BassAnd12Man

    I guess this all comes down to personal taste but I'm one of the very few who prefers his first two solo albums, especially the 2nd. He was really into Springsteen at that time is it's not too surprising that this influence bleeds through a bit, not to mention Roy Bitan being on the 2nd album. I also love Humdrum quite a bit off of the first one in addition to the other favorites mentioned. I never could get into his "world music" direction even though this was probably the pinnacle of his commercial success.


    I'm with you. As undoubtedly impressive 3, 4 and So are, I don't listen to them as much as 1 or 2.


    It's not too dissimilar to my love for Kate Bush. Again, as impressive as Hounds of Love is, I listen to the early albums more.


    Funnily enough, my favourite PG album is Us, but that's partly because it has very significant emotional significance for me.

    3 is a huge album for me. I was already a fan but that album was the music equivalent of seeing new colours. Along with hearing A Day In The Life for the first time PG3 was a moment that made me think how different and exciting music could be.


    2 is one of his most interesting - transitional and something of an oddity, it always struck me as somewhat unregarded not only by the public but in some ways by its own creator who'd go on to perform very little from it on stage. I have a lot of affection for it. The dark tones of its packaging seem to match the feel of the music.


    White Shadow is a permanent occupant of my personal PG top 10 along with San Jacinto.


    By the way I'm glad it's been mentioned that the vocal mugging at the end of Solsbury Hill is annoying and superfluous - I've always thought so too but never heard anyone say it! Whereas I find it works at the end of Counting Out Time, although the live version is really naff.

    Abandon all reason

    Quote from BassAnd12Man

    ... He was really into Springsteen at that time is it's not too surprising that this influence bleeds through a bit, not to mention Roy Bitan being on the 2nd album.

    I didn't realize he was into Springsteen at the time. I always thought Perspective owed a lot to Springsteen in terms of its music.

    Love White Shadow as well; great tune.

    As much as I like PG3 onwards (it was hearing PG4 that hooked me) his first solo effort remains my favourite (the only album that runs it close is the Scorsese soundtrack). This album occupies a unique place in his career, in my view. It’s eclectic, for sure, and the places it takes the listener to were never to be re-visited. Just what is a Burgermeister when he’s at home, anyway? Where is the ‘Dolce Vita’? Who doesn’t want to find themselves atop Salisbury Hill after dark, to ruminate on where life might take them next? (I always imagine walking down hill to a pub, with a fire in the hearth, and ordering a pint, as a first move...as I await ‘the Big One’....whatever that is). Great stuff. My No. 1 for sure.

    Quote from Barrowlad

    As much as I like PG3 onwards (it was hearing PG4 that hooked me) his first solo effort remains my favourite (the only album that runs it close is the Scorsese soundtrack). This album occupies a unique place in his career, in my view. It’s eclectic, for sure, and the places it takes the listener to were never to be re-visited. Just what is a Burgermeister when he’s at home, anyway? Where is the ‘Dolce Vita’? Who doesn’t want to find themselves atop Salisbury Hill after dark, to ruminate on where life might take them next? (I always imagine walking down hill to a pub, with a fire in the hearth, and ordering a pint, as a first move...as I await ‘the Big One’....whatever that is). Great stuff. My No. 1 for sure.

    A burgermeister is a German Mayor.

    Ian


    Putting the old-fashioned Staffordshire plate in the dishwasher!

    “A burgermeister is a German Mayor.“.


    Yes, thanks Ian. I knew that, but many wouldn’t I suspect. I was trying to allude to just how strange and exotic the album appeared - to me, at least - at the time, touching on subjects that I’d never come across in popular music before. I’m off to Google ‘ Burgermeister in popular song’ and see what’s out there. Maybe something from Captain Beefheart......or XTC....? The word is long enough to appeal to Elvis Costello, come to think of it:)

    PG is one of my favorite artists but I'm happy I didn't purchase this upon release, the anticipation must have been enormous and in that sense, the album is a bit of the letdown. Apart from the obvious Solsbury Hill, only Humdrum and White shadow stand our for me, I find the rest really forgettable, luckily though, by this time I had already heard PG3 and I knew what he was capable of.

    I got this in the early '80s shortly after getting into Genesis, since I wanted to hear what the various members had done solo. I still have it, but it's the only PG album in my collection. (I do have a handful of other PG tracks acquired individually, including 3 from "So".)


    I consider it a highly uneven album, and not at all Genesis-like. For me, "Solsbury Hill," "Modern Love" and "Here Comes the Flood" are highlights. "Waiting For The Big One" and "Down the Dolce Vita" are not.