FEATURED CD - Peter Gabriel : So

[JJ88]

"the mature voice of concerned pop stars". That part bugs me to this day.

I personally don't find him as tiresome as Bono on this issue. He was also doing this before Live Aid, with 1980's 'Biko'.

[bob_32_116]

I personally don't find him as tiresome as Bono on this issue. He was also doing this before Live Aid, with 1980's 'Biko'.

...and I for one would say if he, or Bob Galdof, or Bono, decides to use his high profile to speak out on important issues, then go for it. I have little time for the knockers.

[Frumious B]

I was and still am a Peter Gabriel fan first mainly from hearing III and So in the 80s. I only checked out old Genesis because Gabriel was in the band.

[chalkpie]

He's pretty good, but he's no Peater Gaybreal.

[spacefreak]

It's an OK album. Has some good songs, a lot of filler and one masterpiece: "Red Rain".

[selmer]

I'm curious if there are people who don't like almost any of the classic 60's, 70's or 80's prog bands - Crimson, Yes, Giant, Rush, Genesis etc. Because sometimes when there is a discussion about some spin-off material from some band members or disussions about classic bands, I see some saying - "I don't like Yes", "I don't like Genesis" and so on.

[Casey]

I remember there was a long time between PG's solo #4 (Security) & #5 (So). When I got it, it seemed to be a bit of a letdown. Maybe the price of expectation? Anyway, the fact that his face was on the cover, in focus & not distorted, signaled (to me) a change. Was he now interested in promoting his looks as well as his music? After all, it was a very stylish photograph. And then the music… A bit too polished for my tastes. The edge he had seemed to have been sacrificed to slick production.

In retrospect, this was when the PG bus was slowing down, getting ready to let me off.

YMMV

[Dave]

I thought there was no such thing as prog pop

Don't Give Up...is a great song

[zravkapt]

I'm curious if there are people who don't like almost any of the classic 60's, 70's or 80's prog bands - Crimson, Yes, Giant, Rush, Genesis etc.

Yep, they are called THE MAJORITY.

[mozo-pg]

My favourite tunes are also Mercy Street and Red Rain. Both very evocative and textured songs. They are unique when compared to Big Time or Sledgehammer. I would rank So behind I, II,III, IV and Up. The So concert was the first time I saw a large audience at a Gabriel concert. I used to play Sledgehammer from my son was he was 3 and he'd run around the room. He loved it.

[Vic2012]

The first time a heard "Sledgehammer" I thought it was a long, lost Sam & Dave track. It's a cool song actually. I had a vague recollection of a band named Genesis in the 70s, but I didn't know that Peter and Phil were in that band back in the 70s. I never even heard of Peter Gabriel until Sledgehammer was a huge hit. Never heard this album, but I have one PG album, "Security."

[interbellum]

I would rank So behind I, II,III, IV and Up.

So do I. IV is still my favourite and I was happy to see him live doing this album. When I saw the So-show I felt a bit embarrassed when he did all those crowd-participating things, especially when people had to move their arms. It was as if "We'll Do What We're Told" wasn't a comment on society anymore, like it was during the 1983-tour.
I remember I contacted petergabriel.com when the CD-version came out, because they had changed the track-order, but didn't change the liner notes accordingly.
After this I album I stopped buying PG-LP's/CD's for a while, until Up.

[Digital_Man]

Yep, they are called THE MAJORITY.

I believe he's referring to prog fans who don't like those bands.

[selmer]

Yep, they are called THE MAJORITY.

What do you mean by majority? Majority here on this forum? Or those who don't listen to prog music or don't know about it, meaning - those who are happy to listen to radio stations playing hit singles?
Truth be told, I know a few stations who play Genesis, Yes and Floyd, the thing is they only play those more commercial songs, which is hardly a surprise. There are tons of music lovers who like Floyd, I've no idea about the other bands.
Btw, on a side note, Peter Gabriel's music clips were often played even on channels which are not music channels.

[selmer]

I believe he's referring to prog fans who don't like those bands.

Yes, that would be more correct.

[zravkapt]

What do you mean by majority? Majority here on this forum? Or those who don't listen to prog music or don't know about it, meaning - those who are happy to listen to radio stations playing hit singles?

I figured you meant ppl on this board but the majority of people don't care about any of those bands (at least not any more). There are quite a few prog fans who don't care for Yes or Genesis or [insert name here] and that's just their taste.

Don't want to derail the thread, so(ha!)...I like his first 4 much more and I understand why people would compare this with Invisible Touch. One thing I liked about the album is Tony Levin's 'funk fingers' which were only used briefly on "Big Time":

[gearHed289]

I first became aware of Gabriel by way of Games Without Frontiers. It would be a couple of years after that before I became aware of early Genesis.

I love So. Maybe a little polished, but it's just so well put together, and the songs, playing and production are solid top to bottom. Saw the tour twice, and then the Back to Front tour. TONY LEVIN!!!

[JKL2000]

I've certainly seen plenty of other popular pop albums dismissed here that should appeal if you like this one.....

With vocalists as good as Gabriel, producers as talented as Lanois, and instrumentation as interesting, and equally talented personnel? Then please give us the list.

This album got plenty of attention from the likes of MTV, and I don't think it was because of Supper's Ready.

[Steve F.]

Jed,

That is exactly my point. Tell me when else an album that got tons of attention on MTV gets a free pass here?

I am not saying it is a bad album. I am saying 'did you give it a fair chance despite the fact it got a lot of attention on MTV because the singer used to be in Genesis'?

[Nijinsky Hind]

Great album that now seems a little bit dated... Many prog guys were venturing into new wave territory then, I think peter stepped very lightly into it and managed to remain vital. I liked almost all the songs on this once, a few still, but I cringe at shock the monkey now.

[chalkpie]

Not my favorite PG by a long stretch, but damn this cat had (has?) one of the BEST voices these ears have ever heard in any genre. That trademark "raspiness" still slays me at times. I think Ian in his prime would be up there for me too. There are a ton of fine vocalists out there in prague (and a fair share of highly mediocre ones as well) , but this guy is top 5 for me. Always loved the outro to "Don't Give Up" with Levin the Stickman.

[bob_32_116]

Great album that now seems a little bit dated... Many prog guys were venturing into new wave territory then, I think peter stepped very lightly into it and managed to remain vital. I liked almost all the songs on this once, a few still, but I cringe at shock the monkey now.

Since you mention Shock the Monkey, there's an example of an unashamedly pop song that I like a lot more than PG's attempts at funk (Sledgehammer, Big Time, Steam). Digging In the Dirt is another that I quite like, and I would claim that it's a big influence on some of Steven Wilson's work, notably the song The Incident.

I don't think there is anything wrong per se with a song being "radio friendly", I just don't particularly like any of those three "funk" songs that I listed.

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Regarding Don't Give Up, I am often dismissive of drummers who don't know when to stop drumming, or when to drum a little less heavy, but this is an example of an album track that I think would have benefited from more prominent percussion.

[JKL2000]

Jed,

That is exactly my point. Tell me when else an album that got tons of attention on MTV gets a free pass here?

Kate Bush - The Hounds of Love?

But I don't think these albums are getting a free pass - they're just good, and engaged prog fans and pop fans.

[arturs]

I bought this and Paul Simon's Graceland around thec same time on CD and transferred them to a 90min cassette for my car. A great pairing actually.

The two best bazillion-sellers of the 1980s IMHO. Graceland sounds better to me today, but likely I just overplayed SO back in the day. You, of course, probably listened to both about equally...

[señormoment]

I got nuthin against P.G. or this album, but I wonder how many on this forum who love it, would love it so much (or would have even paid any attention to an album of music like this), if PG had not previously been the singer for a band mucho beloved by many on this board?

I've certainly seen plenty of other popular pop albums dismissed here that should appeal if you like this one.....

PG had been out of Genesis' system for years, but one could argue that he played a residual role in the surge in the popularity of Genesis. They didn't spring out of Zeus' forehead in the 80's. He was formative member. Maybe, at the time, I was biased in my assessment of 'So' because PG had been in Genesis. Very likely I don't give other artists a fair shake. In fact, that's for sure. Point taken. Not being facetious.