I know it's probably meant to be an album regarding the time of the year, the fall, but it's an American term that we do not use here in the UK so on the last day of the month I thought I'd try to be funny and clever by spotlighting an album by The Fall, one of Manchester's finest bands.
The Complete Peel Sessions comprises each of the twenty-four sessions the group recorded for John Peel's radio show (spread across 5CDs). Peel was an avid supporter of the group from early in their career, and The Fall recorded more sessions for Peel's programmes than any other artist. The set was in the process of being compiled when John Peel died in October 2004. The set charts almost all of the group's musical phases up until 2004.
The Complete Peel Sessions 1978-2004
Castle
Released June 2005
UK Chart #139
When Re-issued in 2013 it reached #97
For a comprehensive guide to the sessions, Producers and Band Line Up CLICK HERE.
Been so long since I was at school so the choice today harks back to one of the great bands that me and many other kids were excited about when we got chatting about music and listening to the charts on a Tuesday Lunchtime on a transistor radio in the playground hoping out favourite band might even get to number one...My Friend Stan and Everyday peaked at #2 and #3 but inbetween those releases was the #1 single Merry Xmas Everybody!
Click on the links to enjoy the music of Slade.
Old New Borrowed and Blue - Slade
Polydor
Produced by Chas Chandler
Released 15th February 1974
UK Chart #1
Australia #1
US Chart #168 (It was released with the title Stomp Your Hands, Clap Your Feet)
A Sentimental Album? Mmm...Not 100% sure about this because to be sentimental often means that emotionally you are attached to something, someone but it's not necessarily always based on facts! (Well at least according to a few dictionaries I consulted).
I prefer the term Nostalgia or Nostalgic, which made me think of the words of Pete Shelly, that great Romantic Poet from Lancashire, who wrote a song called Nostalgia for Buzzcocks second album Love Bites, and it was covered by the label mates of the band whose album I've chosen today Penetration on their debut album Moving Targets.
"Sometimes there's a song in my brain And I feel that my heart knows the refrain I guess it's just the music that brings on nostalgia For an age yet to come"
The choice of The Ruts album The Crack takes me right back to my teenage years in South East London, Forest Hill to be precise. It makes me think about many of the friends who I used to hang about with - the Forest Hill Punks. Some of them I know are still around, and like me have grown up, got married etc. Others I have no idea about, except the ones who are no longer with us.
Listening to the album makes me think not just about good times but bad times as well because there's lots of stuff going on lyrically that made an impact upon our young lives - the attitude of the cops toward us (Sus and Jah War), the violence of the age (Something That I Said), the bleakness (It Was Cold), the addictions (Criminal Mind), the betrayals (Backbiter), and the smell of danger (Out of Order).
It makes me remember hanging around Counterpoint Records in Forest Hill listening to the latest music when some of us should have been at school, or day trips, when we bunked off school, to go up to the Portobello Road and hang around Virgin Records' Offices hoping to scrounge new posters, badges etc of our favourite bands on that label (The Skids, The Members and The Ruts).
When I hear it now I don't, to quote another great Pete Shelly song, wish "I was sixteen again". Time has moved on but a lot of stuff that happened shaped who I am today and that's fact.
But listening to the album also makes me think of the band who made it. Segs and Ruffy lived in Forest Hill and I reckon that they are still one of the best Rhythm Sections around, only Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare are better! In 2015 they are still playing some of these songs but also writing new and performing new ones also with The Ruts DC. It makes me think of guitarist Paul Fox who was one of the most exceptional around, people always talk about the sounds that a guitarist like The Edge makes when he plays but Foxy was able to make some incredible noise without even a third of the technology that U2 have at their disposal. Sadly Foxy is no longer with us having passed away after a battle with cancer in 2007. Also it makes me think of Malcom, the volatile frontman who tragically died of a heroin overdose in July 1980 aged 26, ten months after the release of this album. It was a life snuffed out far too young! It makes me think about what could have been.
Finally it's an album that makes me remember that life goes on, inspite of all that I went through, what this band went through, there is still a life to be lived.
The Crack - The Ruts
Virgin Records
Produced by Mick Glossop
Released September 1979
UK Chart #16
Personnel
The Ruts Malcolm Owen - vocals Paul Fox - guitar, organ, backing vocals John "Segs" Jennings - bass guitar, piano on "Jah War", backing vocals Dave Ruffy - drums, backing vocals
Additional Personnel Richard Mannah - backing vocals on "S.U.S" and "Criminal Mind" Mick Glossop - synthesizer on "It Was Cold" Gary Barnacle - saxophone Luke Tunney - trumpet
An Album You Play The Loudest? Mmm...I wonder what that could be as I do play quite a few loud... Will it be a copy of Simply Red's Greatest Hits that my friend Kenny didn't send me? (Kidding, Facebook on my mobile seem to think I should have that album but I can't stand 'em, and neither can my mate Kenny!)
Will it be a copy of the latest Coldplay album that I don't know what the title is because I can't really stand them (and you were not really thinking that I had a Coldplay album were you! Oh and Kenny for the record doesn't like 'em either!)?
Or
maybe it will be something that is by nature very loud to begin with
and totally deserves to be blasted out with a volume so loud that your
ears bleed. It has to have guitars, drums, oh I guess a bassist as well
(apologies to my four stringed playing friends!). My guess is that it
can only mean...Motörhead!
Dedicated to Kenny Beaton!
The Best of Motörhead - Motörhead
Metal Is/Sanctuary
Released 26th August 2000
Motörhead
just today have released their 22nd Studio Album entitled Bad Magic,
two tracks from it had been issued as a preview, the single Electricity and track two from the album Thunder and Lightning.
How on earth do you just whittle it all down to one track when considering the Best Opening Track on an Album? There's so many to choose from! In order to combat this there's one song I'll post a video for and then a list of some of my favourites with links for them. Some of the tracks might be unknown to you but seriously check them out. Here's what came off the top of my head, could have easily posted 100 tracks if I had the time!
Surely they can't mean only one album out of the whole collection! That's way too tough to decide. If they meant one album from each of your favourite artists bands etc then that makes it slightly less complicated!
So instead of just one why not a boxset that contains six?
One of the greatest albums ever I reckon! In 2003, the album was ranked number 421 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, 421 what planet are those people on! They think The Kardashians are talented so it's not like we could trust their judgement!
My Turntable is the challenge today but seeing as I no longer have a Turntable I decided that maybe I'll post an album that used to get a lot of airplay when I did have a Record Player!
So, today's choice comes from 1978 and one of the great bands of the time...Magazine.
The album was written over the preceding year by the band, with Howard Devoto providing all of the lyrics. The two earliest songs, "Shot by Both Sides" and "The Light Pours Out of Me", were co-written with Devoto's former Buzzcocks bandmate Pete Shelley. The majority of the material on the album was written by Devoto in collaboration with guitarist and founding member John McGeoch. "Motorcade" was co-written with the group's keyboardist, Bob Dickinson, who played with the group in mid-1977 before being dismissed. The music for the album's final track, "Parade", was written by Dickinson's replacement, Dave Formula, with bassist Barry Adamson.
Having toured much of the album through 1977 and early 1978, the group's then lineup of Devoto (vocals), McGeoch (guitar and saxophone), Adamson (bass), Formula (keyboards) and Martin Jackson (drums) recorded the album in sessions using the Virgin Mobile and at Abbey Road Studios between March and April 1978. The album was produced and engineered by John Leckie.
The original artwork and monoprint for the album was designed by Linder, with photography by Adrian Boot.
Real Life - Magazine
Virgin Records
Produced by John Leckie
Released June 1978
UK Chart #29
Personnel Magazine Howard Devoto – vocals John McGeoch – guitar and saxophone Barry Adamson – bass guitar Dave Formula – keyboards Martin Jackson – drums
"no one that has the slightest interest in the present and future of rock 'n' roll should rest until they've heard Real Life"
- Melody Maker
Side A 1. "Definitive Gaze" - Devoto, John McGeoch 2. "My Tulpa" - Devoto, McGeoch 3. "Shot by Both Sides" - Devoto, Pete Shelley 4. "Recoil" - Devoto, McGeoch
5. "Burst" - Devoto Side B 6. "Motorcade" - Devoto, Dickinson
7. "The Great Beautician in the Sky" - Devoto, McGeoch
8. "The Light Pours Out of Me" - Devoto, McGeoch, Shelley
9. "Parade"- Barry Adamson, Dave Formula.
Shot by Both Sides was released as a single and reached #41 in the charts but did get them a performance on Top of the Pops.
Instrumental albums? Have to confess I don't really have that many (about 10 actually)! I had thought of including The In Sound From Way Out! by Beastie Boys or a favourite piece of Classic Music like Schubert's 8th Symphony Unfinished in B minor, or something like $1,000,000.00 Worth of Twang by Duane Eddy. Or I could have gone the Jazz route with the 1951 Debut Album from Miles Davis - The New Sounds - but I am so not beatnik or hipster enough to pull that off!
Instead it's a jump back to the 1960's and the debut album from one of the most valuable bands of the time for their contribution to the whole Stax/Volt Sound.
Green Onions - Booker T. and the M.G.'s
Stax/Atlantic
Produced by Jim Stewart
Released October 1962
US Chart #33
Personnel Steve Cropper - guitar Booker T. Jones - Hammond M3 organ, bass guitar, guitar, keyboards Lewie Steinberg - upright bass Al Jackson Jr. - drums
'Green Onions' was the fourth Stax album but the first actually released under the banner of the Stax label (the previous three, two by The Mar-Keys and one by Carla Thomas had been released on Atlantic Records).
It's an instrumental album that features the great Steve Cropper on guitar. Booker T. and the M.G.'s were infact the "house band" for Stax and would appear on recordings by Sam and Dave, Otis Redding, Albert King, Eddie Floyd, Wilson Pickett, The Staple Singers and many more.
My newest purchase is actually not going to be available until November!
Nonesuch
to Release Natalie Merchant’s "Paradise Is There: The New Tigerlily
Recordings" with Companion Documentary on DVD November 6
Nonesuch releases Natalie Merchant's Paradise Is There: The New Tigerlily Recordings on November 6, 2015. This collection of all-new recordings revisits Merchant's multi-platinum solo debut, Tigerlily.
The new release is accompanied by a documentary DVD. The memoir-style
film contains live performances, archival footage, and interviews with
musicians, friends, and fans about the influence the songs of Tigerlily have had over the past 20 years. Paradise Is There is available to pre-order at iTunes and in the Nonesuch Store.
The temptation here would be to go the easy route and post something from an American artist that I like, after all they are in a Foreign land compared to where I am at present in Wishaw, Scotland! So I thought I wouldn't got the easy route at all and begun thinking who it might be good to spotlight today.
Would it be Métal Urbain from France? Kleenex/Liliput from Switzerland? The Saints from Australia? Die Toten Hosen from Germany? None of them will do so it's off to Japan! Recorded as a celebration of 30 years as a band and a tip of the hat to one of their main inspirations for starting the band, Osaka Ramones is a 13 track tour de force through some of the finest Ramones tracks.
I could have easily gone with this choice as the final album of a band but saved it until today.
Frestonia was the sixth and final album released by Aztec Camera, Roddy Frame would release further albums under his own name.
Sun was the only single released from the album but failed to chart as infact did the album. It seemed to have been released without any fanfare and rather too low key for it ever to have made any difference.
The surprise though is that this is actually a great wee album. Of the ten songs on it there's not a single duff one present. It sounds really commercial as well so I often wonder what might have become of it had the record label really got behind it and given it a huge push as a final hurrah to one of the most underrated bands of the '80s and mid '90s. It seemed such a shame for Roddy Frame and his band to go out on such a low note commercially.
Frestonia - Aztec Camera
Reprise
Produced by Roddy Frame, Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley
Released November 1995
Personnel Roddy Frame – guitar, vocals Yolanda Charles – bass, background vocals Mark Edwards – keyboards Jeremy Stacey – drums Luis Jardim – percussion Claudia Fontaine – background vocals Audrey Riley, Chris Tombling, Leo Payne, Sue Dench – strings
An Album by a Female Artist? Do you realise how hard that is to actually pin one particular album down when there are a number of Artists from whom to choose from: Holly Williams, Mindy Smith, Yvonne Lyon (that's the second time this month she's got a mention!), Roseanne Cash, Jennifer Knapp, Crystal Lewis, Maria McKee, Alyson Moyet, Lucinda Williams, Patti Smith...and on and on we could go. So I ended up choosing Emmylou Harris and her stunningly beautiful album Stumble Into Grace. The first album I ever heard of Emmylou was Evangeline from 1981. I can remember being struck by the sheer beauty of her voice, I'm sure I had heard her before on the radio somewhere on my travels but to sit and listen to a complete album of a style of music I didn't care too much for (my how times have changed!) was an incredible experience! Over the years I have managed to collect pretty much all the albums she's released including the ones where she has been collaborating with others. Luxury Liner, Blue Kentucky Girl, Evangeline, Bluebird, Cowgirl's Prayer, Wrecking Ball, Red Dirt Girl, All I Intended To Beand her Live at The Ryman with The Nash Ramblers are among some of my favourites. I was so over the moon when I got to see her live at the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow back in 2008 when she was over promoting her All I Intended To Be album. Assuming the show to be Sold Out I ventured a chance to the Royal Concert Hall Booking Office and discovered there were some seats left and managed to get one in the fifth row! I was really hoping that Buddy Miller would be traveling with her on the tour but no such joy. Another chap that I had contact with was playing in her band though, Phil Madeira (another great musician who has been interviewed here on Soundtrack4Life before). A couple of years ago I even managed to track down a bootleg of the show from that night and it still gives me goose pimples listening to parts of the show where Emmylou's voice sounds so haunting. I've included a couple of pictures I took that night, some are just gorgeous and I didn't even have to use a flash or anything.
Stumble Into Grace - Emmylou Harris
Nonesuch Records
Produced by Malcom Burn
Released 23rd September 2003
US Chart #58
US Country #6
UK Chart #52
(Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow 2008 DMW)
All tracks composed by Emmylou Harris; except where indicated
"Here I Am" – 3:47
"I Will Dream" (Harris, Kate McGarrigle, Anna McGarrigle) – 5:00
"Little Bird" (Harris, Kate McGarrigle, Anna McGarrigle) – 3:14
"Time in Babylon" (Harris, Jill Cunniff) – 4:37
"Can You Hear Me Now" (Harris, Malcolm Burn) – 5:37
"Strong Hand" – 3:16
"Jupiter Rising" (Harris, Paul Kennerley) – 3:03
"O Evangeline" – 5:41
"Plaisir d'Amour" (Traditional) – 2:22
"Lost Unto This World" (Harris, Daniel Lanois) – 4:34
"Cup of Kindness" – 3:55
(Royal Concert Hall Glasgow 2008 DMW)
Personnel Emmylou Harris - vocals, acoustic guitar, 6-string bass guitar Tony Hall - bass, guitar, backing vocals Brady Blade - drums, backing vocals Ethan Johns - drums, electric guitar Julie Miller - backing vocals Jane Siberry - backing vocals Malcolm Burn - bass, electric guitar, piano, whistling, churanga, percussion, harmonica, Fender Rhodes, B2 organ, backing vocals Buddy Miller - acoustic guitar, electric guitar Kate McGarrigle - accordion, acoustic guitar, backing vocals Anna McGarrigle - accordion, backing vocals Daryl Johnson - percussion, bass, backing vocals Daniel Lanois - pedal steel guitar, electronic orchestra, backing vocals Bernie Leadon - electric guitar Linda Ronstadt - backing vocals Kevin Salem - electric guitar Colin Linden - electric guitar Gillian Welch - backing vocals Jill Cunniff - backing vocals.
This could be taken the wrong way but I'm guessing that what is meant is an album that has that kind of soothing effect that enables you to close your eyes at night and have a restful sleep. Mmm...this is a real challenge for me as I have been known to drift off to sleep with some crazy Metal or Punk music ringing in my ears! But I'll not trouble you with any of those titles just incase it aggravates you and you have a restless night and I don't want you blaming me!
So, I'm going with an album that has been a source of comfort and encouragement during some difficult days. Some of the tracks are a bit loudish but what's communicated lyrically has brought rest and peace.
The Eleventh Hour was the fourth album release from Jars of Clay, and in my opinion still one of their finest but I think that has a lot to do with the impact it had upon me when my Dad was in hospital and close to the end. I found a peace and a lifting of the spirit through some of the songs, especially Disappear, Fly, Silence, The Eleventh Hour and the closing track The Edge of the Water.
A final album from a band? Wow, that's a tough challenge for today, but one, my fellow lovers of all things musical, that I am perfectly willing to rise to.
Sometimes Final albums can be a bit disappointing, not only the fact that the band you like is going to be no more but sometimes they just sound tired and patchy. Our choice today is neither of those!
So, how do you follow an album like Copper Blue, or even the Mini-Album/EP Beaster? Both had been recorded at the same time but released 6 months apart but they had broke the Top Ten in the UK. Copper Blue stalled at #10 whilst it's baby brother Beaster reached #3! For their final hurrah, after a false start, they released File Under Easy Listening, it reached #7 in the UK Album Chart. It would have been hard to beat Copper Blue, which I still think sounds incredible, but F.U.E.L. came close. The band wrapped up as David Barbe wanted to spend more time with his family and Bob Mould wanted to expand his solo career (he's still out there blasting out fantastic music). Drummer Malcom Travis moved on to other projects as well.
Lots of links below, click to enjoy more Sugar.
File Under Easy Listening - Sugar
Creation Records
Produced by Bob Mould
Released 6th September 1994
UK Album Chart #7
US Album Chart #50
Original Tracklist
All Songs Written By Bob Mould unless otherwise noted.
1. "Gift" 2. "Company Book" (David Barbe) 3. "Your Favorite Thing" 4. "What You Want It to Be" 5. "Gee Angel" 6. "Panama City Motel" 7. "Can't Help You Anymore" 8. "Granny Cool" 9. "Believe What You're Saying" 10. "Explode and Make Up".
Soundtracks are not something that I'm always aware of because I'm not the worlds greatest movie buff. The ones that I know and possess are usually from films that make an impression on me in some way or another. So I could have chosen The Blues Brothers as that is probably one of my favourite films ever, or Slade in Flame because when it came out I was one of the biggest Slade fans or I could have chosen Rock 'n' Roll High School because the film featured the Ramones and had some great tunes in the soundtrack. But I have gone for the obscure and one that few people would know I would like. It's from a French film from 1981 called Diva. I'm not usually a fan of foreign language films (it's hard following subtitles whilst trying to munch popcorn and keep up with the action!) but somehow this movie struck me as something worth seeing. I trotted off to Leicester Square one night to watch and was captivated by it. Opera is not something I enjoy but in the context of the film Alfredo Catalani's La Wally sounds absolutely gorgeous. As I can't find the full soundtrack on You Tube I decided that maybe I should just post the film instead, which I happened to find on YT. Aplogies for the poor dubbing not my doing!
A Wildcard Choice Today. Oh my that leaves me wondering "Shall I add this one? No, not that one, this one will do!...Oh so many to choose from!" So, with album titles thrown into the proverbial hat and drawn randomly, today's choice goes way back some 38 years to 1977 and a brilliant band from Canvey Island!
Life on the Line - Eddie and the Hot Rods
Island Records
Produced by Ed Hollis
Released 4th November 1977 UK Chart #27
A year after their groundbreaking Debut Album Teenage Depression, Eddie and the Hot Rods had expanded to a Five Piece with the addition of former guitarist of the Kursaal FlyersGraeme Douglas.They had been excellent with just Dave Higgs on guitar and now with the inclusion of Graeme they really stepped it up a notch and whilst moving away a bit from the rhythm and blues that they had been playing since their start in 1975 they continued to create their own sound. Prior to the release of the album they had enjoyed their very first (and only) Top Ten hit when Do Anything You Wanna Do became a late Summer Smash as it peaked at #9. Whilst they were not really a Punk band they certainly gripped the mind of this young punk, and songs like Do Anything, Quit this Town, Ignore Them, Life on the Line and The Beginning of the End became part of my teenage soundtrack. Life on the Line album deserved to go higher than #27 I think. Ever since its release it has been an album that is never too far out of reach for me. If you asked me how many times I've played it in 38 years I would honestly have to say that is easily more than 500 times! Sadly Dave Higgs is no longer with us having passed away in December 2013. A couple of months ago Eddie and the Hot Rods gathered together the remains of the 1977 line up to perform a few shows and below I've included some footage from their set on the 19th June in London. I've also added some links for various TV performances between 1977-78 of the band. I do hope you take the time to enjoy all the music on today's post.
Personnel Barrie Masters - Vocals Graeme Douglas - Guitar, Backing Vocals Dave Higgs - Guitar, backing vocals Paul Gray - Bass, Backing Vocals Steve Nicol - Drums, Backing Vocals
Original Tracklist
Side A
1. Do Anything You Wanna Do 2. Quit This Town 3. Telephone Girl 4. What's Really Going On 5. Ignore Them (Still Life)
Side B 1. Life On The Line 2. (And) Don't Believe Your Eyes 3. We Sing ... The Cross 4. Beginning Of the End
American Babylon - Joe Grushecky and The Houserockers
PLR
Produced by Bruce Springsteen
Released 1995
Tracklisting: 1. Dark and Bloody Ground 2. Chain Smokin' 3. Never Be Enough Time 4. American Babylon 5. Labor of Love 6. What Did You Do in the War? 7. Homestead 8. Comin' Down Maria 9. Talk Show 10. No Strings Attached 11. Billy's Waltz 12. Only Lovers Left Alive
"My kids grew up with Bruce. When they were small, they had no idea. They just thought he was one of daddy's friends who had a bigger house."
This one was going to be a tough one, find an album with ! or ? in the title, well I had a wee trawl through my collection to see what was up for consideration and each of them was as bizzare as the next and some I couldn't find the complete album to post so I thought why not go with something that's a bit familiar but at the same time just a wee bit out there! And so Status Quo is the choice! "What?" I hear you say.
When Status Quo released their Aquostic (Stripped Bare) album back on 17th October 2014 it was a real revelation because you had never heard The Quo like this! Twenty five Quo songs given an Acoustic treatment. But the big question was, would they be able to pull this off live or would it be a total bust?
Five days after the release of the album they set up shop at The Roundhouse at Chalk Farm, London. BBC Radio 2 were on hand to broadcast the show and to film it (you can see the show below) and goodness me, they not only pulled it off but it was so much better than you honestly could have imagined.
On 13th April this year the album was released on DVD and CD and Vinyl.
Aquostic! Live @ The Roundhouse
BBC Records
Released 13th April 2015
Tracklist
1. And It's Better Now (Live) 2. Break The Rules (Live) 3. Again and Again (Live) 4. Paper Plane (Live) 5. Mystery Sog/Little Lady (Live) 6. Rock 'n' Roll (Live) 7. Caroline (Live) 8. What You're Proposing (Live) 9. Softer Ride (Live) 10. Down Down (Live) 11. Pictures Of Matchstick Men (Live) 12. Down The Dustpipe (Live) 13. All The Reasons (Live) 14. Reason for Living (Live) 15. Rollin' Home (Live) 16. Don't Drive My Car (Live) 17. Claudie (Live) 18. Rain (Live) 19. Marguerita Time (Live) 20. Nanana (Live) 21. Whatever You Want (LiVe) 22. Rockin' All Over The World (Live) 23. Rock' Till You Drop (Live) 24. Burning Bridges (Live)
I could probably think of a shelf full of albums that are Self-Titled that I could easily have posted today but I decided once again to go with something that people wouldn't necessarily expect me to have let alone like.
Peter Gabriel's Debut Album, and indeed the next three albums were all Self-Titled but over time in order to distinguish between them have been either named 1-4 or Car, Scratch, Melt and Security in reference to the Album Cover Photo.
Peter Gabriel's first solo success came with the lead single Solsbury Hill, a song about a spiritual experience atop Solsbury Hill in Somerset, England. Peter Gabriel wrote the song after his departure from the progressive rock band Genesis, of which he had been the lead singer since its inception.
Peter Gabriel has said of the song's meaning, "It's about being prepared to lose what you have for what you might get... It's about letting go." Former bandmate Tony Banks acknowledges that the song reflects Gabriel's decision to break ties with Genesis.
I can remember the first time I heard Solsbury Hill and it was Nicky Horne's show for Capital Radio, Your Mother Wouldn't Like It. He used to have some kind of chart on there, can't remember how it was put together, possibly by listeners phoning in, and the album was a mainstay in that chart for quite a number of months so pretty much each week Horne would play another track and probably over the course of its stay he must have played that album at least twice or even three times through. The second one I clearly recall was the excellent album closer Here Comes The Flood. I can remember going out to buy the Solsbury Hill single and thinking that none of my Punk mates would never understand, after all we had been told that we shouldn't be listening to this "hippy" rubbish. For me though it was nothing to do with whether I thought this inappropriate music for someone who liked Punk music to listen to. It was just a fantastic piece of music, as was the album.
The really funny thing with regard to Peter Gabriel that I remember so well was that he was second on the bill to The Stranglers at their infamous Battersea Park Concert on 16th September 1978 (where they had a bunch of strippers come on stage whilst they performed Nice and Sleazy! - if you go on You Tube you'll be able to find it). What made me laugh thinking back to it was his entrance on stage. The band came on first with no introduction and began blasting out this manic "punk" tune, Gabriel meanwhile entered the park riding on a helicopter and descended a rope ladder shaved head and wearing what looked like a white boiler suit with a bright orange bib of some kind! And he ran to the stage and performed as I say this mad almost punk sounding tune and it wasn't until he launched into Moribund the Burgermeister as the second song on the setlist that the punks present realised who he was! He also pulled off a very punky version of Whiter Shade of Pale if I remember correctly. Genius! Down through the years he has put out some pretty amazing music and there's a handful of songs that I really love but it's the debut album that still has a lasting mark on me I'm unashamed to say.
Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel
Charisma / ATCO (US and Canada)
Produced by Bob Ezrin
Released 25th February 1977
UK Chart #7
US Chart #38
Personnel Peter Gabriel – vocals, keyboards, flute, recorder Allan Schwartzberg – drums Tony Levin – bass, tuba, leader of the Barbershop Quartet Jimmy Maelen – percussion, synthibam, bones Steve Hunter – acoustic guitars on "Solsbury Hill"; lead guitar on "Slowburn" and "Waiting for the Big One"; electric, acoustic & rhythm guitars, pedal steel Robert Fripp – electric & classical guitars, banjo Jozef Chirowski – keyboards Larry Fast – synthesizer, programming Dick Wagner – backing vocals and guitar solo on "Here Comes the Flood" London Symphony Orchestra on "Down the Dolce Vita" and "Here Comes the Flood" Michael Gibbs – arrangement of orchestra
Tracklist Side One "Moribund the Burgermeister" - 4:20 "Solsbury Hill" - 4:21 "Modern Love" - 3:38 "Excuse Me" (Gabriel, Martin Hall) - 3:20 "Humdrum" - 3:25
Side Two "Slowburn" - 4:36 "Waiting for the Big One" - 7:15 "Down the Dolce Vita" - 5:05 "Here Comes the Flood" - 5:38
Singles from Peter Gabriel "Solsbury Hill" Released: 1977 UK #13 US #68 "Modern Love" Released: 1977 Did Not Chart
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