PETER GABRIEL - Olive Tree - Track discussion

1st Official Post

    BRIGHT-SIDE MIX: 2023.08.01

    DARK-SIDE MIX: 2023.08.16


    CREDITS:

    Artwork: "Chroniques Avec La Nature" by Barthélémy Toguo

    Words and Music by Peter Gabriel

    Engineering by Oli Jacobs, Katie May

    Assistant engineering by Faye Dolle, Dom Shaw

    Orchestral engineering Lewis Jones

    Orchestral assistant engineering by Tom Coath, Luie Stylianou

    Pre-production enginneering by Richard Chappell

    Produced by Peter Gabriel

    Mastered by Matt Colton at Metropolis

    Recorded at Real World Studios, Bath, The Beehive, London , British Grove, London


    Drums: Manu Katché

    Percussion: Ged Lynch

    Rhythm Programming: Peter Gabriel, Richard Chappell

    Bass: Tony Levin

    Saxophone: Evan Smith

    Trumpet: Josh Shpak

    Piano and Synths: Peter Gabriel

    Electric, Acoustic and 12 String Guitar: David Rhodes

    Mandolin: Richard Evans

    BVs: Peter Gabriel, David Rhodes

    LVs: Peter Gabriel


    Orchestral Arrangement: John Metcalfe with Peter Gabriel

    Violins: Everton Nelson, Ian Humphries, Louisa Fuller, Charles Mutter, Cathy Thompson, Natalia Bonner, Richard George, Marianne Haynes, Martin Burgess, Clare Hayes, Debbie Widdup, Odile Ollagnon

    Violas: Bruce White, Fiona Bonds, Peter Lale, Rachel Roberts

    Cellos: Ian Burdge, Chris Worsey, Caroline Dale, William Schofield, Tony Woollard, Chris Allan

    Double bass: Chris Laurence, Stacy Watton, Lucy Shaw

    Orchestra Conductor: John Metcalfe

    Orchestra Leader: Everton Nelson

    Sheet Music Supervisor: Dave Foster

    Orchestra Contractor: Lucy Whalley and Susie Gillis for Isobel Griffiths Ltd


    Hello, fellow forum members

    It seems that we already know something about the new i/o theme: OLIVER TREE.

    We have heard it on i/o's European tour.

    Rumour has it that SPRINSGTEEN will be back in Europe in 2024; hopefully PETER GABRIEL will also do it and come to Spain, among other countries he hasn't visited.

    Let's hope also that in his FULL MOON talk in August he will tell us more about i/o: release date, formats, etc...

    We must also remember that in August there is another moon at the end of the month, so in August there will be two i/o songs.

    The credits are the same or similar to other i/o tracks.

    By the way regarding the Tour Program it is sold out.

    For anyone interested in the June 2023 issue of THE STRAD magazine there is an extensive article about AYANNA WITTER-JOHNSON....

    Thanks for always posting these ahead of time. It’s interesting that Ged Lynch plays percussion on this one (even though Manu is on the drums); it must’ve been ‘cooking’ for a while. It’s nice to see Josh Shpak making another appearance on the trumpet as well — and there’s saxophone?!

    Yes, you are right that GED LYNCH appears in the first images of the recording of i/o in Bath (Real World Studios).

    I really liked GL's drum and percussion work on UP (2002).

    Also, I agree with you that it is a luxury the presence of JOSH SHPAK, who actively participates in the 2023 tour of i/o.

    Note that this song doesn't feature Ayanna, Dont-E or Marianne Moore...

    Thanks,. Probably this track, from all new ones he played live, is the most demanding for me. This will need a bit time until I can make my personal judgement ...

    ...

    Quote from Zaar

    Thanks,. Probably this track, from all new ones he played live, is the most demanding for me. This will need a bit time until I can make my personal judgement ...

    Fully agree. I heard it twice (Paris and London) and could not really make up my mind about it... PG seemed to be struggling a bit with it, vocally. I am really curious to hear how it sounds out of the recording studio...


    Am I the only one to have understood that, or did PG mention this one would not be on i/o, but on that "brain" project which will also supposedly include Road to Joy and Here Comes the Flood? Did he change his mind?

    Edited once, last by ArnaudZ ().

    • Official Post

    The brain project was frequently mentioned during his recent live shows.

    Road to joy was one example.

    And Olive tree another one.
    but both will be on i/o.

    Whether those tracks were inspired by the brain project or will be reused remains unclear.

    Quote from THOM

    Okay, he is also talking about it in the full moon video, which is just released.


    But what exactly it is - if the release of music is connected with it - does not become clear.

    I am quite sure he mentionned during some concerts that Olive Tree would not be part of i/o, but of a future project. Which would not be surprising, he introduced Animal Nation in the same way during the previous tour. I was wondering if i was the only one to have heard him say that... Apparently I am, not too reassuring for my own brain :).

    I like concerts where you get to hear songs which are not yet released nor soon to be. We had quite a few during the Back to Front tour, the Growing Up tour and its extensions (Animal Nation, Baby Man, White Ashes), and sometimes during the Secret World Tour (Lovetown).

    I just listened to Olive Tree and it's a very enthusiastic song, very joyful. If it wasn't for Pg's voice I would say it's soul music, although this genre has always been present in his music.

    Every time a new song comes out I confirm that i/o is a great album.

    Olive Tree has a very interesting groove, and I love the use of horns-reminiscent of some of his earlier material using horns (Sledgehammer and Steam come to mind). An enjoyable, upbeat sound. It draws out for a while IMO, but it retains interest with the form changes throughout.


    Not my favorite, but it's up there...

    My favorite part is the whole "Water falls on me/us" -it's so good, I wish it was longer.


    Great track, remember really liking this live. Bring in Live and Let Live, can't wait to hear the studio version!

    Très bon morceau, énergique, qui renoue avec les refrains joyeux dont PG a le secret. Un de ces morceaux (un peu à la Phil Collins, c'est vrai, mais avec plus de subtilités) qu'il s'interdisait de faire avant So. Un son à la fois très eighties et moderne, tout en étant organique (la basse, la batterie, les cuivres). Il y a comme une volonté de refuser les excès dans son interprétation vocale. Et puis, l'art de marier un morceau qui a le potentiel d'un single radio avec des paroles d'une intelligence (on retrouve une de ses thématiques préférées et récurrente, l'eau). J'attends d'entendre le mix de Tchad Blake. Aura t-il fait des choix aussi différent que Stent pour Road to joy? J'avoue que j'adore la version live qui me semble encore plus punchy mais où les choeurs féminins et les cordes apportent beaucoup respectivement sur le refrain et sur le passage 'falling on my head'.

    Edited 2 times, last by ecirb73 ().

    • Official Post

    There is also a 3:51 radio edit of the track available. Perhaps you will hear this on the radio somewhere, sometime