FEATURED CD - Peter Gabriel : So

[Dusty Chalk]

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'?

And I'm answering that I, for one, gave it a chance neither because he used to be in Genesis, nor because it got a lot of attention from eMpTyVee. I got it because (a) I'd been following him since ... well, alright, I skipped 2, but I'd been following him on and off since Solsbury Hill (and got the album) and Games Without Frontiers (and got the album, and got all the albums after that), which they played on 'HFS once in a while, and (b) because my circle of friends and cousins in my college youth kept me apprised of these things.

And I think I'm representative -- not of the majority, but of a not insignificant fraction of those that got that album. A combination of word-of-mouth and radio.

[Paulrus]

I was too young to know anything about Gabriel or Genesis during the early-mid 70s. I definitely knew about him solo first because he was getting played on KROQ in LA in the late 70s, alongside The Clash and Elvis Costello mind you. FM radio wasn't touching old Genesis with a 100' pole back then. I was immediately attracted to his ability to craft catchy songs that made you work to really get what was going on.

After that he was often talked about by the same people who were into Talking Heads and Discipline-era King Crimson. By the time So came along pretty much everyone knew he used to be in Genesis, but that music was still considered a curiosity at best. It was good to understand the roots of a lot of his creativity, but judging his solo work without the Genesis baggage has never been that hard.

[Halmyre]

Consistently good album but "Hear That Voice" seems out of place, unmemorable as it is.

[Rufus]

I think it's an inconsistent album as is all of Gabriel's albums but SO projected him into a global superstar!!

[battema]

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.....

Well, I was an 80's kid, so I knew about PG and PC long before I knew they were bandmates in Genesis. That said...I knew of PG and liked the songs well enough, but not enough to really explore his stuff further. I didn't really get into him until I started exploring Genesis stuff from before 1985. I actually liked PC before I knew about the whole Genesis thing; the very first cassette I owned was 'No Jacket Required.'

As for this album...I liked it but was never really my favorite PG album (that would be IV). However, the deluxe box and Back to Front tours really kind of increased my appreciation for So; especially the So DNA set.

[rottersclub]

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'?

Here's a little different story from an older progger's perspective:

I got hipped to Genesis in 71 or 72 (by John Kelman) and we saw the SEBTP tour twice. I actually lost interest in PG as I didn't much care for either of his first two solo albums. I got interested in him again with Melt and especially Security/Plays Live. When SO came out, I liked about half of it (you can probably figure out which half). These days, I find the US and Secret World Live albums to be the most satisfying (and least dated) of the bunch. Lost interest in him again with UP.

BTW, we didn't used to get MTV up here in the frozen tundra. Now that we do, they don't play music. WTF?

[Phlakaton]

I like We Do What We're Told (Milgram's 37) and This Is The Picture (Excellent Birds) --- the rest is ok for pop music although it does stand out as a bit more than pop to me.

[selmer]

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":

Yes, I rather meant people on this board. But not in the context of somebody disliking one or two particular bands as that would be normal and not unusual at all. I rather meant - are there those who don't like almost any of the big classic prog bands. That would be interesting. There could always be folks who maybe like one or two of the greats and the rest of their preferences are more obscure bands.

[yamishogun]

I was 15 in 1985 and think I knew PG was in Genesis since I had heard but didn't own The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (liked it).

But I couldn't stand Sledgehammer. Even though Big Time was similar, I actually liked that song then discovered the entire album. Favorites were
in order of like: Red Rain, Mercy Street, The Last Two and In Your Eyes.

I then bought Shaking the Tree and started going through all of his albums, liking those more than So.

I was going through a rough patch when Us came out since lonely in Japan at first. That is the one CD I couldn't listen to since it brought back depressing memories, although thought it was great later.

No interest in Steam but Come Talk to Me and Secret World along with Digging in the Dirt are Brilliant. Overall more interesting than So, for me.

I only started to like Sledgehammer on what is almost a perfect live album, Secret World.

Enough autobiography for one day...

[interbellum]

I like We Do What We're Told (Milgram's 37) and This Is The Picture (Excellent Birds) --- the rest is ok for pop music although it does stand out as a bit more than pop to me.

This Is The Picture wasn't even on the LP-version! But that was no point as it was also on Laurie Anderson's Mister Heartbreak, although in a different version and a different title (Excellent Birds). But I'm with you on these tracks plus Mercy Street.

[interbellum]

However, the deluxe box and Back to Front tours really kind of increased my appreciation for So; especially the So DNA set.

I would have bought the deluxe box if it had a 5.1 mix. But with the DVD Play The Videos that problem was solved ;-)

[battema]

I would have bought the deluxe box if it had a 5.1 mix. But with the DVD Play The Videos that problem was solved ;-)

Fair enough...I would have liked a 5.1 mix as well. But, having never seen the Live in Athens set, plus the DNA disc...it ended up being worth the bucks for me.

[selmer]

The thing which set Gabriel apart (at least some time ago) were his interesting videos which were made for some of the songs. I've no idea who made them but they were really original at the time they were shown. And to be honest, I'm also convinced they would beat most of the stuff that gets made today. I think the graphic designs of his music videos fit really well with the songs, I wonder if he himself had any input.

[selmer]

And - the question which some posters raised here - if this album would be made by somebody else, not a former Genesis singer and not a prog artist - what would be the reaction to it = that is an interesting one.

[jupiter0rjapan]

I think as poppy as the album sounds now, it wasn't as much when it came out. Peter Gabriel brought the pop music industry slowly to his door on his previous solo albums. He does go for the motown sound a bit on a few tracks, but it really sounded WEIRD to me. The horns and organ are very processed. The drums were bright and in your face. When he went for the high notes, it was still strange old Pete. After this album, everyone followed suit because they knew Peter was a leader.

Just like Bowie on Let's Dance, pop through his filter was a bit off, and damn cool imo.

[yamishogun]

And - the question which some posters raised here - if this album would be made by somebody else, not a former Genesis singer and not a prog artist - what would be the reaction to it = that is an interesting one.

My smart ass answer is "This guy is as good as Peter Gabriel!"

But I'd think it is a great debut by a real talented artist. Keep in mind, that was almost my intro to him and I hated (hated!) sledgehammer. So annoying.

[bob_32_116]

I wonder how many people were slightly put off by the cover? It's more the kind of cover you would expect from David Cassidy or Justin Bieber, rather than someone like Peter Gabriel. It's too good-looking. The studio hair stylist and makeup artist have been at work. Prog musicians seem to make a virtue of putting the music before their image, usually avoiding altogether the practice of having themselves on the cover. When they do use selfies, as on PG's earlier albums, they don't tend to be just head shots, there is usually something interesting or strange going on, as in PG2.

[mozo-pg]

I wonder how many people were slightly put off by the cover? It's more the kind of cover you would expect from David Cassidy or Justin Bieber, rather than someone like Peter Gabriel. It's too good-looking. The studio hair stylist and makeup artist have been at work. Prog musicians seem to make a virtue of putting the music before their image, usually avoiding altogether the practice of having themselves on the cover. When they do use selfies, as on PG's earlier albums, they don't tend to be just head shots, there is usually something interesting or strange going on, as in PG2.

Peter said he did the cover to make his mother happy. It's a far stretch from III.

[yamishogun]

I wonder how many people were slightly put off by the cover? It's more the kind of cover you would expect from David Cassidy or Justin Bieber, rather than someone like Peter Gabriel. It's too good-looking.

Peter Gabriel and David Cassidy (Bieber?!) shouldn't be in the same sentence unless there are a handful of negatives to throw in.

The cover is fine, and actually looks like the true Gabriel when you morph it with his melt photo

[Dusty Chalk]

I think as poppy as the album sounds now, it wasn't as much when it came out. Peter Gabriel brought the pop music industry slowly to his door on his previous solo albums. He does go for the motown sound a bit on a few tracks, but it really sounded WEIRD to me. The horns and organ are very processed. The drums were bright and in your face. When he went for the high notes, it was still strange old Pete. After this album, everyone followed suit because they knew Peter was a leader.

Just like Bowie on Let's Dance, pop through his filter was a bit off, and damn cool imo.

Nicely said!

[Trane]

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?

Indeed, not a particularly big fan of The Gabe's solo career (but I like it much better than many other "solo artistes"), though I could make an excellent CD-r compilation of his stuff - and Solsburry would NOT be on it. But this album appeared in a very bleak era of pop/rock music... Just like I might probably not like Joshua Tree if it had been released in 83 or 93 either. Both had the merit to fill the airwaves with something I liked when I had no other option but to listen to radio in the later 80's

My favorites are Don't Give Up (maybe because of my love of Kate Bush), Red Rain and In Your Eyes. Big Time and Sledgehammer - not so much.

I,n the five tracks you mention, the last four are definitively what makes the meat of the album.... However, that awful duet is simply atrocious.... I srtill don't understand what are those two very valuable, inventive (So was somewhat groundbreaking for 86) and gifted pop stars are doing on such a bad tear-jerker (except raking in the dough)

[revporl]

The problem I have with most Gabriel stuff is the lack of melodies, there's a lot of atmosphere and personality and weirdness but there aren't many tunes I can imagine belting out in the shower. It's not to say I don't like stuff on 3 and 4 but it doesn't stick in the memory for me.

So is the album with tunes on, some good ones. It's the one that sticks out. I still find it a bit overblown and over earnest in places but Sledgehamer is a great pop song and Don't Give Up is just beautiful. He got even more po faced and "atmospheric" on the albums after that, I've generally preferred Genesis' albums without PG more than his solo albums.

Talking of PG duets with Kate Bush, this Harper cover is gorgeous too http://youtu.be/Bvt5YnocRp8

[BravadoNJ]

dancing chickens....... nuff said.

[selmer]

My smart ass answer is "This guy is as good as Peter Gabriel!"

But I'd think it is a great debut by a real talented artist. Keep in mind, that was almost my intro to him and I hated (hated!) sledgehammer. So annoying.

I haven't listened to Gabriel's albums in an effort to go through them. I've heard some stuff but that's about it. I guess if you listen to them regularly or you switched on TV or radio in the 80's and some of his material was on, then it could become tiresome. It's the same as with some of the hits today which are on heavy rotation everywhere.

[Yves]

I was never a huge fan of PG solo material and this is the album where I started losing interest altogether. If I never hear Sledgehammer ever again I will be a happy man.