On a Peter Gabriel binge

**arise_shine** · 07-20-2016

After years of being a detractor of Mr. Gabriel, I've come around. At least, on his solo work. I own the "main" studio albums, and some live stuff, and I find it all mostly pretty good. I like the atmospheric esoteric stuff, and I like the radio hits.

(And my fiance got a kick out of Paula Cole's very 90s fashion in that one live concert video...)

I see that he's done a bunch of soundtrack work over the years. What's it like? Is any of it any good?

**mozo-pg** · 07-20-2016

One of his best albums, soundtrack or not, is Passion - Music from the soundtrack of the Last Temptation of Christ. I rate 1-4 as stellar - much better than just very good. Up is another excellent release.

**popeyebonaparte** · 07-20-2016

Birdy is excellent, I love it. It's ambient at it's best but it still has Gabriel all over it.

**chalkpie** · 07-20-2016

Just got the Growing Up Live DVD used from Clamazon for very cheap. Haven't watched it yet.

**JKL2000** · 07-20-2016

Originally Posted by popeyebonaparte

Birdy is excellent, I love it. It's ambient at it's best but it still has Gabriel all over it.

And it uses some of his solo work as source material.

Try this - from a tribute to Lady Diana - I didn't know Fripp was involved, if in fact he was. The video uses a couple of old photos, but this is from the 90s obviously. I've just always liked it:

**Mstove** · 07-23-2016

Agree with others: The Birdy soundtrack is fantastic.

**Polska** · 07-24-2016

Passion is one of my favorite of all his CD's and an excellent instrumental disc to listen to in general.

**ombasan** · 07-25-2016

Also good is OVO, the soundtrack of a Millenium show. Most of the tracks are not sung by PG himself, but clearly wear his mark. There was talk of a version of OVO on which PG would sing all the songs, about a decade or so ago. That would have been nice, too.
I've lost all hope that we will get some decent new recordings by the man in the future! Maybe it's time to open up the archives...

**Spiral** · 07-25-2016

Originally Posted by arise_shine

I see that he's done a bunch of soundtrack work over the years. What's it like? Is any of it any good?

All of it's very good. In my book Passion is the single greatest thing he's ever done.

What's the movie-score stuff like? Largely atmospheric and mood-setting, of course. Birdy leans dark, or at least haunting, often reusing pieces of his past recordings in new ways and to great effect. Long Walk Home is very much in the ambient vein, very Steve Roach-like and usually minimalist (though there's a great melodic finale with a familiar hook). Passion, meanwhile, embodies that simplistic term "world music" in the best way. It's an exploratory affair bridging things from all around the neighborhood the film was set in.

Ovo is sort of an odd creature. It's got some evocative instrumentals that could have fit on a score (including a killer folk reel that's essentially PG and still unlike anything else he's done), a couple so-so songs obviously tied to the stage show, and a couple songs strong enough to stand on their own with the rest of his catalogue--two of them among his finest, I say. Oh, and a godawful rap which never should have existed. It's the kind of hit-and-miss mess that's well worthwhile just for the hits.

**ProgArtist** · 07-25-2016

Another big fan of "Passion" here. Some of Gabriel's best work.

**Birdy** · 07-25-2016

Originally Posted by Spiral

All of it's very good. In my book Passion is the single greatest thing he's ever done.

What's the movie-score stuff like? Largely atmospheric and mood-setting, of course. Birdy leans dark, or at least haunting, often reusing pieces of his past recordings in new ways and to great effect. Long Walk Home is very much in the ambient vein, very Steve Roach-like and usually minimalist (though there's a great melodic finale with a familiar hook). Passion, meanwhile, embodies that simplistic term "world music" in the best way. It's an exploratory affair bridging things from all around the neighborhood the film was set in.

Ovo is sort of an odd creature. It's got some evocative instrumentals that could have fit on a score (including a killer folk reel that's essentially PG and still unlike anything else he's done), a couple so-so songs obviously tied to the stage show, and a couple songs strong enough to stand on their own with the rest of his catalogue--two of them among his finest, I say. Oh, and a godawful rap which never should have existed. It's the kind of hit-and-miss mess that's well worthwhile just for the hits.

Agree with all of this!

**JKL2000** · 07-25-2016

Gabriel's best soundtrack work:

**miamiscot** · 07-25-2016

Passion and Birdy are essential (as are the first four studio albums!)

**Mr.Krautman** · 07-25-2016

Passion and Birdy are essential... and the only P.G solo albums I kept in my collection. Passion is really outstanding and his best work ever. Maybe with some time and effort I could compile a single CD length interesting/progressive/challenging... music by carefully picking in all his remaining solo discography but not sure It will exceed 50 minutes when finished.

**JKL2000** · 12-18-2016

Happy 70th birthday Stephen Biko! It's the little Google thing today.

**lazland** · 12-18-2016

Passion is one of those albums which I consider to be utterly essential. A work of stunning power, beauty, thoughtfulness, and spiritual meaning.

**chalkpie** · 12-18-2016

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.4189...7i10000!8i5000

Sort of a bit O/T (but not really), here is the Google streetview of Gabriel's outrageous, exquisite, and beyond gorgeous Real World Studio. You can take a spin around the place, and even check out some of the guest rooms where the musicians stay. Truly incredible. Its in Box, which is just a few miles east of Bath.

**JKL2000** · 12-19-2016

Cool! I'm actually having trouble navigating it, but still cool and beautiful. Bands always seem to have a great experience there -- I can see why.

**lazland** · 12-19-2016

Originally Posted by JKL2000

Cool! I'm actually having trouble navigating it, but still cool and beautiful. Bands always seem to have a great experience there -- I can see why.

It is gorgeous there, and it certainly made a massive difference to Marillion recording and finalising the last two studio albums. In addition, the Stone and Steel set by Big Big Train there is simply wonderful.

**Udi Koomran** · 12-19-2016

I love this

**Nashorn** · 12-20-2016

Originally Posted by chalkpie

Just got the Growing Up Live DVD used from Clamazon for very cheap. Haven't watched it yet.

I much prefer the "Secret World Live" DVD. It's one of the few concert DVDs I have watched more than once or twice.

**JKL2000** · 12-20-2016

Athens is awesome.
Secret World live is also great.
Growing Up live I need to watch again, but as I recall it was a pretty good video of that In the Round tour.

**markwoll** · 12-20-2016

For something of a change of pace, New Blood is interesting. A bit self indulgent, but this is PG.

**Mstove** · 12-21-2016

Originally Posted by JKL2000

Athens is awesome.
Secret World live is also great.
Growing Up live I need to watch again, but as I recall it was a pretty good video of that In the Round tour.

I still rate the show I saw on that tour as my favorite concert experience ever. Like most here, I've seen a lot of amazing shows and performances, but that is still at the top of the list almost thirty years later. I haven't purchased the DVD but need to fix that. I have seen footage from that tour, but never the official DVD.