Peter Gabriel's second album is actually my favorite. It has a darker, more interesting feel to it. On the Air is a great opening song and stays at that level throughout the album. I liked the wild and woolly joke as a reference to the lamb. This is straight from Song Facts:" The song was part of a larger concept Gabriel was developing based on a character called Mozo, which he thought might become a stage production." If you listen to his second album, Mozo is a character in the previously mentioned song "On the Air".
Justin, in 1982 Genesis agreed to rejoin Peter Gabriel, for one single concert. They helped their friend pay off the debts he incurred, organizing the first WOMAD (World of Music, Arts and Dance). He was so far in debt that his life was being threatened! They performed music from both acts' catalogues, but mainly from Genesis. The show was called "Six of the Best". I bought the three-record live bootleg as soon as it was available. $75.00 and the sound quality was unlistenable. But the photographs, by Armando Gallo, made the package worthwhile. BTW, I worked for years for a pro photo lab in L.A., whose clientele included the venerable Italian photographer. I had told him that he was my inspiration as a concert shooter, so every visit, he would show me his latest slides of Peter Gabriel in the studio or in rehearsals for a tour. In 2002 he even described some of the new songs from the album "Up", which nobody else had heard yet. He is a really sweet fellow.
I would 'Scratch' the person who dislikes the second album! Produced by Robert Fripp, Frippertronics gets 'Exposure'. 'Mother Of Violence' is a standout with Roy Bittan shining on the piano. To la dolce vita and Peace.
It’s not a bad album. It’s just his weakest album, which is still stronger than most artists’ best, for sure. Past DIY and Mother Of Violence, it’s kinda forgettable. It also has the unfortunate placement between the fun, quirky Car, and the excellent Melt.
2 is a good album but has the highest proportion of weak tracks of any PG album. Mother of Violence is brilliant and DIY is good. But a pretty mixed bag beyond that. All those other tracks have their charm, but they are not great.
Peter Gabriel 2 is great. For some reason many don't consider it amongst his best work. I do. It is probably my favorite album of his but that might be due to being more familiar with it than some of the others.
PG2 78' Tour was my first Taste of Pete's Live Concerts. That Album, that Tour, will forever be ingrained within me. Here are Captures of that very Concert. ua-cam.com/video/yYg60zc9m1Q/v-deo.html
My favourite track from this album, it’s like a widescreen movie experience. Love the musical reference to Auld Lang Syne during the ticking clock sequence.
Peter Garbriel _2_ or _Scratch_ is well worth a listen. It was produced by Robert Fripp and contains many good tracks, such as "Exposure", "Mother of Violence", "On the Air" and "White Shadow". It is not everyone's cup of tea but I really like it. As for "Down the Dolce Vita", this is a very dynamic and exciting track and very powerful with the full orchestra. And the segue into "Here Comes the Flood" is so good that the two tracks should be inseparable. Nice reaction as always, Justin. Have a pleasant day.
Personally, I love Gabriel’s second album ‘Scratch’ but Gabriel has stated that it’s his least favourite of his solo catalogue. Scratch contains many catchy songs, with more of a pop slant. I especially love the song ‘White Shadow’, which on the vinyl contained a novelty, because the song carried on playing on the record’s exit groove until the needle lifted. Thanks for the video JP 😁
Peter Gabriel's 2nd album is arguably his most experimental album, as much Fripp's album as Gabriel's due to his production and ideas. It's worth listening to because it's so daring in it's experimentalism, commerciality be damned. It certainly has some great songs that worked well live, and two of which appears on Fripp's solo album Exposure (namely the song "Exposure" and "Here Comes The Flood", with different arrangements. Fripp's album is worth exploring as well). It also has a great album cover, which captures the album's feel very well. This was another enjoyable reaction and analysis!
Gabriel's second album is so often overlooked. Mother of Violence is one of my favorite songs, and Wonderful Day is a hilarious take on a trip to the supermarket. Flotsam & Jetsam, Perspective...
This may not help much on PG II as I pretty well love everything PG has done, in all mediums, as it is PG - honest, muse driven art of its/his time and place. He is an awesome creative force. I will never tire of nor get too much of his music. It is. My only regret is that he was was not such a polymath and we had more music from him. Slow and scattered that man is - haha. All his stuff will take you to that place. PG is a rarified talent that happens upon us so rarely. I look forward to going through the sound tracks, rest of his albums on this channel with this group. It gives/ has given me a first listen feel/vibe which is well, transcendental at times and it is always magic. Haha Thx JP. Good channel. Great group. Love of music and respect. Cheers
Not entirely sure about the specificity of the song's lyrics and characters, but I always see mariners going off to sea from New York harbor in an unknown time period and there's something apocalyptic about it as if the answer to everything must be found across dangerous waters. It definitely has atmosphere and swells like a grey stormy ocean, doesn't it? I like Peter Gabriel II (Scratch) quite a lot. Produced by Robert Fripp it has a much more scaled down sound like a garage band with a mad scientist in the shadows and still full of fierce nuance with a couple of songs aimed at FM radio and the rest for atmospheric lyrical expression. At this time Fripp gave himself a 3 album project producing his own solo work Exposure (one of the greatest albums ever), Gabriel II and Sacred Songs with Daryl Hall, officially being on both sides if the studio. I think you'll really like it as well, Justin.
Whatever the merits of "Scratch", the LP cover was cool when back as a kid I saw it in the cut-out bin for $1.99. I bought it and as a result went on to immerse myself in prog rock, and that was a good thing.
2nd Peter Gabriel album is WELL WORTH checking out. "On The Air," "DIY," "Mother of Violence" (One of his greatest songs!), "Wonderful Day In A One-Way World," "White Shadow," .... the entire first side of the album is brilliant. Side two is more hit and miss to me... but again... it's GABRIEL... so worth checking out. LOVE Down The Dolce Vita, btw... A real barn-burner. Cheers, Justin!
IMHO one of the best songs on this album. As far as his second album goes, though I still love it, it probably is his weakest album. I think most fans would agree. It seems at one point you started Security, but never finished it. That’s probably my favorite album of his, but it’s hard to choose. I know you’re getting tired of me, but PLEASE do some Todd Rundgren. I highly recommend to start with Utopia Theme from Todd Rundgren’s Utopia. You just have no idea of the genius that Todd is. As I’ve said before, Todd, Peter Gabriel, Roger Waters, Pete Townshend and Joe Jackson are my five “musical geniuses.” Begging you Justin. 😜
I got to see Utopia as well ("as well", in reference to other post). Great show. It was "An Evening with Utopia", as they were to only band......which was fine with me. Half way through the show, they took a little intermission. All of a sudden I see the crew tear down the stage. I'm thinking, "Oh great, it's gonna take a good time to re-set up everything". Boy, was I wrong. All the equipment for the second set was modular (drum set, keyboards.). Everything was on platforms, and they just plugged it into holes on the stage. Wham, bam, boom....all set to go again. lol
I couldn't agree more! I used to work concert venue security in the late 70s and early 80s. So I've seen tons of concerts. There are only two artists I've bothered to see perform more than twice. And paid admission. One was Phil Keaggy and the other is Todd Rundgren. With and without Utopia. A fantastic catalog, sorely ignored.
Wow! This is one I haven't listened to in a long time. All those orchestrations are something I totally forgot about. With regards to Two or "Scratch," I think you gotta hear it. As others here point out, each successive album built upon P.G.'s body of work. I like the second album and it's got a lot of gems on it you'll never have heard. None of the songs are long (5.5 mins Max). *AND* Peter's catalogue isn't huge so enjoy it. I wish he was still popping out an album every five years.
Your wish for one last gathering to record a classic song had already happened. In 1999, all 5 reunited to re-record "Carpet Crawlers" for a compilation album. "Carpet Crawlers 1999" Both Peter and Phil share lead vocals.
I think he meant a new song. Something like how Queen and Bowie did Under Pressure. Crawlers is fine, but too sedate to be a ‘fun’ song. If they wanted to do an old Genesis tune, could you imagine what Pete would sound like on a tune like Turn It On Again?
This album is a masterpiece from beginning to end. This is an amazing song that brilliantly leads into "Here Comes The Flood". Just imagine what Genesis could have become with these great songs. What you must listen to from this period is Bob Fripp's "Breathless". It is an arpeggio-based piece like "Larks Tongues In Aspic" but even better.
This album had heavy production from Bob Ezrin, a producer who leaned toward the bombastic and theatrical, who had obvious effects on this one and on albums like Alice Cooper's School's Out and Pink Floyd's The Wall. That may have been a bit much for Gabriel, because for his second album he turned to Robert Fripp, who characteristically produced it in a very raw fashion, perhaps too raw from a commercial standpoint. That album has good songs, but not as many standouts, and was not quite as diverse as most Gabriel albums, though still pretty diverse compared to the average act. Gabriel's third album, produced by Steve Lilliwhite, though not a commercial blockbuster, was an artistic breakthrough for Gabriel and did sell pretty well.
On the Turn It On Again 'greatest hits' cd there is a version of Carpet Crawlers re-recorded in1999, with Gabriel, Collins, Banks, Hackett, and Rutherford, which gives a hint of the direction they might have gone in if they had decided to get back together.
found this .... "La dolce vita" is Italian for "the sweet life." It refers to an indulgent lifestyle. The song is mostly dialogue between the characters Aeron and Gorham, who set out on a journey across the sea. The song was part of a larger concept Gabriel was developing based on a character called Mozo, which he thought might become a stage production. Mozo gets more of a showcase in "On The Air," a track from Gabriel's next album. These kind of songs with narrative that string together are typical of what Gabriel did with Genesis. I remember back in the day waiting for PG to do something with the character MOZO
To add .... Genesis did reunite somewhat for one song "carpet crawlers" which had been released back in 1999 with members of each band recorded their parts separately and edited together and was in the charts for a short while
I’m biased. But all of Peter’s music is worthy of exploration. There are no losers here. He is an all-time great. His music contributions to film are also excellent. Especially Birdy (great movie can’t recommend enough) and the Last Temptation of Christ. I would love to see some reviews of his last original LP, “Up”. Spectacular. All of his albums though… spectacular.
There was a concert back in 1982 at the Milton Keynes Bowl England which reunites Genesis with Peter Gabriel .. though not televised nor recorded for live album release at the time, there is audio documented work on that show which is kinda sounded bootlegged but i think on sale for general release on CD called "six of the best" which in turn kicked off the first WOMAD festival with Genesis themselves helped out and also contributed financially.
Love your videos as expected. As others have commented, Peter Gabriel 2 is very, very good; just maybe not as phenomenally great as 1, 3, 4 and So, and maybe even Us and Up. So, if I had to pick my least favorite of his 7 studio albums, it would by default be 2. But it’s still very, very good; I own three copies of it on vinyl. There’ also a German version of Here Comes the Flood by Gabriel which you might want to check out; it’s easily found on UA-cam. It’s called “Jetzt Kommt Die Flut”.
Blame it on the chair....come on JP. lol I was lucky enough to have seen PG live twice in the early days (also got to see Genesis's first tour w/o Gabriel. The "Trick" tour.), The first time i sew him, he made his way to the stage through the crowd. Waiting for the concert to begin, I saw the people seated to the right of me start to stand up. Looked over and it was Peter Gabriel making his was down the isle towards the center else and towards me. Walked right in front of me with a smile the entire time I saw able to see him. Must have been looking forward to doing the show.
Somehow I don't think this song would fit in with his later albums, but seems so right for this album. Great production and dramatic feel to it, Here Comes the Flood continues in the same vein, and a fantastic finish to the album.
Peter Gabriel 1 was a a matter of the record company saying here's your (American Bob Ezrin) producer, and here's the session musicians he wants to work with. Gabriel asked if he could recruit someone as well (upstart!), and he chose Robert Fripp. The main good thing that came out of PG 1 was the introduction of Tony Levin to Gabriel and Fripp (and the rest is history). PG 2 is essentially Gabriel and Fripp going off into a corner to do it their way. I think Fripp was also working with Daryl Hall on Hall's "Sacred Songs" at that time. PG 2 is very much of its era, and for better or worse encapsulates Robert Fripp's stylistics of the late 1970s. On PG 3 we start to hear an aesthetic that is generated by Peter Gabriel, rather than other producers.
Excellent analysis! I love the dramatic highs and lows and Peter’s different expressive voice colors he uses and the instrumentation is unique in PG’s catalog. The whole album is great. I’m not sure where I’d rank this one among all the PG albums if I had to, but it would definitely be in the top 5.
In the Netherlands we say: clothes make the man (literally translated) but in your world, a chair does 😄 Nothing wrong with his second album. D.I.Y is a nice song.
I saw Peter Gabriel perform this album live back in 77. I didn't know what to expect. How could he do an entire concert with just one album out? He did do one Genesis tune, "Back in NYC", as well as killer cover of The Kink's "All Day and All of the Night", in addition to performing the entire album.
"Peter Gabriel 2" or "Scratch" as it's called is a fine album, not as over-dramatic as parts of "Car" or as dark and scary as "Melt". Don't ignore it. It's like how everyone praises Joni's 4th and 6th albums but ignore the 5th which I love even more. Sure the others are great, classic, must-own but not my favorite.
I love it when they talk about that clock sounding at midnight when you hear that bill and it's in an odd meter cuz it hits on the downbeat and then it hits on a syncopation cuz it's in a different Temple then the actual beat itself that's kind of like what happens on Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon with the song time you know it's not hitting always on the beat because it's in a different tempo I'm not too sure but I guess that was like a London Philharmonic Orchestra
More great analysis - thanks! A couple of years ago I read a piece by Steve Hunter about this recording. He said that in the section just after the orchestral percussion break (how often does a melody get played on wood blocks in a rock song?) when the guitar comes back in producer Bob Ezrin told him to play Auld Lang Syne (which is in 4/4 against the 3/4 part being played by the orchestra). I don't hear it but perhaps others do??
I won't be much help here because I'd like your reactions to everything PG, I'm also a fan of his soundtrack for the Ovo performance at the Millennium Dome in London (was there with my kids twice but couldn't get them to stay in one place long enough to really take it all in) and I'm even a fan of about half the Big Blue Ball tracks - maybe more than half because I do like a few that don't include Peter in their credits too as well as the half of them that do credit Peter.
Great song and review. Dolce Vita sets the song in Italy for me. Maybe Roman Italy... maybe at some other point in time. Chilling after work is a great idea. Hopefully something you listened to was cool enough to chill to.
Always loved that one, orchestra + funk, great mix 😉 PG's second album is great too, unfortunately underrated. But hey, even a "weak" Peter Gabriel album is still a stunning piece of art.
Just listened to Dikajee's 'Forest'. Wonderful, expressive voice. The music reminds me of Genesis with their chord changes and use of acoustic guitar with a movement into dense layers of sound and rockin' drums, but returns to the acoustic soft openness for her voice to shine through. She is like a female Peter Gabriel!
Yes you must do PG2, got some great little gems on it and one of favourites "Mother Of Violence" the album is the link between 1&3, starker and darker feel to it than "Car" Fripps production and playing is very prominent on the "Scratch" album.
I think Peter Gabriel's first 5 solo albums are all very similar in quality. He never released a perfect masterpiece, but it's an extremely solid run. Peter Gabriel II is the least commercially successful of the five - it was the only one not to spawn a major hit - and perhaps it's in some sense a lesser work because it doesn't pop with an iconic, desert island song like "Solsbury Hill" or "Biko". But listened to as an album, I think it holds up against the others.
Always liked this song. It’s a typical Peter mix of ideas. The title, literally means loving a life of heedless pleasure and luxury. And that theme is perfectly represented by the funky riff. But there’s also something darker and more sinister. The suspenseful, deep tones of the orchestra, and lines like “waiting for the midnight bell to sound”. So there is a sense of foreboding. Something awful is coming, something deadly. So I always pictured young men going off to war, living for the now, because there may be no tomorrow. The other thought I had is perhaps it represents how society is destroying nature, and how a dreadful price is to be paid for our wastefulness.
This is a highlight of the album. I love the way it dovetails into "Here Comes The Flood". You should absolutely do the second album. Fripp produced it, and interestingly went for a more stripped down sound. But the songwriting is impeccable and I think some of Gabriel's finest songs are on it.
"So" is definitely his most historic and popular album. It's merits are obvious when you listen to it. So many great songs NOT just good ones. "In Your Eyes" is one of the BEST songs, let alone love songs EVER!! If you don't have this album in your arsenal you are brain dead.
I might be wrong but I've always thought that Down The Dolce Vita and Peter's cover of Strawberry Fields Forever must have been recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra during the same session in 1976. There's a cover worth checking out Justin!
Wow, I had forgotten about this greatest of songs, even though that clock sound at the end has gone though my head all my life, and I can do a phonoreal version of it using my tongue. Doesn't win me any dates, but wtf.
I always enjoyed letting this last track of the album play out in its grandiose style, backed by the London Symphony Orchestra. The LSO were used in lots of recordings by rock artists - 1972's classical version of Tommy, and 1974's Journey to the Center of the Earth by Rick Wakeman, for example.
Hey JP, where can we suggest songs to you? What platform would be best? I'd like to request you consider doing some themed reactions next month in celebration of Halloween?! Songs like Frankenstein by Edgar Winter Group, or Warren Zevon - Werewolves of London, Seasih of the Witch by Donovan, or maybe some Ghost or White Zombie or the like? I think that'd be really fun and cool! Anywhoo, thanks for the vids and stuff, man! You da best!
Yeah it's a great album it's just so underappreciated there are really great songs on it and of course it has to be good it's going to Fripp on it it even has a reggae tune which is quite unconventional but you would expect that from Peter Gabriel you know what's funny there's a swan song called White Shadow she comes down like a white shadow and I remember my good friend had this turntable I think it was a Phillips and and it would go into the inner groove it would turn off and the funny thing is Larry fast had this synthesized are going so if you had an old style turntable that would just go into the inner Groove and keep playing you would just keep hearing that note that frequency put on my friends turntable when it got to the end of the song and went into the groove the turntable turned off and it was slow down so that was really cool because then the frequently you would just slow down I mean it starts off with on the air great great great song DIY what up brilliant tune that is and the reggae song I mentioned was having a wonderful day and a one-way World great hilarious lyrics maybe that record just didn't sell as much but then I guess Peter Gabriel had a mental breakdown and his third record really took off because he was so transformed into this other world I think the original label that didn't release this record he had to go to Mercury to get it released butts record executive asked somebody after you heard the record speaking of the third record specifically, he asked if Peter Gabriel was committed to a mental institution or at least rehab I guess but anyway yeah you'll like the second album it'll grow on you it's maybe not as good as the first album but I'm telling you man there are some gems in there there's even kind of a little country tune that's hilarious as well well not like you would normally think of as a country tune I guess maybe I think it's country cuz it has a steel guitar in it all right my man I'm going to check out your reaction to this next to last song on the first album
When i first heard this, i thought the production wasn't Gabriel-like at all, but rather, that it sounded a bit like what Ezrin (who actually produced this) did for Alice Cooper's Welcome to my Nightmare two years before. As much as i like some of the songs on his first two albums, Melt was where he found his path - and sorry, but in 1980, what he did on that album was so experimental that his record company dropped him! It was picked up by Mercury and, on the strenght of Games Without Frontier, became his biggest hit.
Thanks for the review. A fantastic debut album. I remember being slightly disappointed in PG2 when I first bought it, but it grew on me quite quickly. I think he was still looking for a style to latch onto but was still being very progressive in production. Fripp's input is quite noticeable and there are a couple of really great tracks. For me, Exposure, Mother of Violence, White Shadow and Indigo are the ones to listen to. 😎
Hi JP. DP from UK. A bit of a mish mash of styles but, When All Is Said And Done, the way Peter blends them works for me. You asked about PG2; I was disappointed after his superb debut, with the exception of the excellent White Shadow (Frippertronics and all). My favourite album is PG4, where Peter's world music influences are at their peak, and the songs are some of his most heartfelt and dramatic. Yes, it would be brilliant if Peter got back with Genesis one last time. Seems very unlikely, but then no-one thought Abba would ever return, and they just have (hence my song ref above, When All Is Said And Done, from my favourite album of theirs, The Visitors).
More Sandy Denny and Moody Blues, pls! Oh, before I forget, I'd like to add 2 suggestions: The Book of Invasions (A Celtic Symphony) by Horslips (1976), and Lord Of The Ages by Magna Carta (1973). Both great albuns but Lord Of The Ages is a must, imho ☺️ Edit: Moody Blues, whole albums, of course!
Gabriel 2 or Scratch is a more experimental album, it is also a search for a direction in which to take his solo career. Because of that it's uneven, but there are still some great tracks on it and nothing that I would call bad.
Gabriel Il is great! Don't pass it up. It's quirky, experimental and a little darker than the first one, imo. Gabriel had much more cred with the punks and new wavers. I mean he even has DIY as a song, DIY was a battle cry for the changing of of guard in music. Please do the Fripp version of "Here Comes The Flood". And while your there, check out Daryll Hall's collaboration on Exposure, North Star - beautiful!
You mention ‘it’s Peter Gabriel’s production’ - and I know how you meant it (contrasting his work with Genesis) - but my kind screamed “it’s Bob Ezrin’s production.” Ezrin did some Alice Cooper, Lou Reed’s Berlin. The SECOND album, as well as the other version of “Here Comes the Flood” were produced by Robert Fripp. You couldn’t get too much farther apart production style-wise. At the time Fripp produced a few other artists - the Roche Sisters, Daryl Hall, and he called his production style “audio verite” (borrowed from ‘cinema verite’) Some gel the 2nd album was ‘underproduced’ and some thought the 1st album was ‘overproduced’ I loved them both. And there’s a few Fripp solos on the second that are lovely.
I'll say this, I generally put PG3, PG4, and So above PG1 and/or PG2. But weirdly, when I start listening to PG2 (Scratch), im like, oh yeah, I like this song, and this song, and that's great, and so one and so forth. I just forget how much I enjoy it, and as much as Bob Ezrin impacted this album, Fripp can felt on the next album. That's how I compartmentalize it, PG1 is the experimental album, where PG does every genre of music. PG3, is the dark album, PG4 is brighter and is the transition from Indie Gabriel into Rock Star Gabriel (where he'd go with So and Up and US). PG2 is the Fripp album to me. But as others have said, it is really kinda integral. As all his albums are, they lead one into the next, building up, one upon another. Also, so glad you liked Down the Dolce Vita! It's one of my favorite songs by Gabriel, in spite of the disco, funk, or maybe even because of the dissonance between the epic orchestra and the disco? Either way, it's great!
The other version of Here Comes The Flood is off the Robert Fripp album Exposure though still with Gabriel on vocals. Personally I far prefer the version on Exposure. If you decide to do it can I suggest you do Water Music 1 as well. The song leads into Here Comes The Flood both musically and thematically. It also gives you a nice example of Frippertronics.
Are you kidding me. PG2 is an awesome album. Yes it has a pretty strong progressiveness to it and at the time most new listeners were drawn to new wave synth anyway. Mother of Violence is my long time favorite 🙂.
The problem was that 2 was really nothing like the first lp. No big epic productions. It was half ‘new wave’ Art Rockers like On the Air and DIY, and half slightly weird but sensitive songs like Mother of Violence and White Shadow. It’s more basic but also more experimental. Not terribly commercial at all. “When things get so big, I don’t trust them at all” he sang. “Best to keep it small”. No orchestral arrangements on PG2. You’ll either love it or be underwhelmed, but it’s worth doing 🤔
It is precisely all these reasons that I much prefer PG2 to PG1. I've always struggled with the bombastic and overloaded productions of Bob Ezrin so for me the more basic and dry production of Robert Fripp suits me perfectly. Also, I enjoy a lot more songs on PG2 compared to PG1 but I can understand that this colder and experimental aspect may not appeal to everyone.
Justin - In a lot of your most recent videos (this song, Bella Lugosi's Dead, Nick Heyward, Hang on to Yourself, Listening Wind to name a few), the music is mostly coming out of the left speaker. Is anyone else noticing that? Maybe there's an issue with the wire for your right speaker that is making the volume lower? Just wanted to let you know so you can fix it. By the way, Big Yellow Taxi did not have that problem - the music was equal in both speakers.
I do love 2. Some of my favorite songs are there. But also a couple that I'm not so into. Love "On the Air," "D.I.Y.," and "Mother of Violence." But "White Shadow," not so much. It's a sibling album to Robert Fripp's "Exposure" and Daryl Hall's "Sacred Songs." The third may sound like the odd duck out in that trio, and his record company felt that way too. Daryl was pretty much told to stop playing around with those bad boys and play nice with the industry folks. I completely understand why Gabriel and Genesis didn't get together for new material - it wouldn't help Genesis pop career any and Gabriel is done with all that. But creatively, I always felt there was room for some creative side projects that wouldn't take away from either. BTW, Gabriel did show up onstage for the encore at MSG for Gensis' "And Then There Were Three Tour." I can confirm b/c I was there. I believe they were trying to help Peter push out #2 (did I say that?). I think they may have gotten together once for a special performance of the Lamb to help Peter out of straights when he lost a ton of money on one of his world music projects.
S’ok. Just a little too much for me this morning going back to work. Ughh. S’fine. Nice idea to sample Fripp’s Exposure with Flood. All for it. I’ll take what I can get. Like to nominate a long song Saturday suite. Todd Rundgren’s Treatise On Cosmic Fire from the Initiation album… fun time had for all. … and of course Utopia theme, and if you have time, The Seven Rays on Another Live. Play on brother, Peace and working Music
PG II has some great songs, in many ways I enjoy it more than the first solo album. But, it can be a bit of a mixed bag, maybe more a collection of songs than a whole album? It swings about a lot, definitely not a cumulative experience IMHO. But, there are definitely a few songs to catch, Mother of Violence is my favorite.
The first 3 Peter Gabriel albums are my favorite.
Love this track.
Peter Gabriel's second album is actually my favorite. It has a darker, more interesting feel to it. On the Air is a great opening song and stays at that level throughout the album. I liked the wild and woolly joke as a reference to the lamb. This is straight from Song Facts:" The song was part of a larger concept Gabriel was developing based on a character called Mozo, which he thought might become a stage production." If you listen to his second album, Mozo is a character in the previously mentioned song "On the Air".
I'd love to see a cross-album review of the full Mozo cycle, including "That Voice Again" and "Red Rain".
I like the second as much as the first, maybe a little less then his third…
Love the disco bits.
Justin, in 1982 Genesis agreed to rejoin Peter Gabriel, for one single concert. They helped their friend pay off the debts he incurred, organizing the first WOMAD (World of Music, Arts and Dance). He was so far in debt that his life was being threatened! They performed music from both acts' catalogues, but mainly from Genesis.
The show was called "Six of the Best". I bought the three-record live bootleg as soon as it was available. $75.00 and the sound quality was unlistenable. But the photographs, by Armando Gallo, made the package worthwhile.
BTW, I worked for years for a pro photo lab in L.A., whose clientele included the venerable Italian photographer. I had told him that he was my inspiration as a concert shooter, so every visit, he would show me his latest slides of Peter Gabriel in the studio or in rehearsals for a tour. In 2002 he even described some of the new songs from the album "Up", which nobody else had heard yet. He is a really sweet fellow.
I would 'Scratch' the person who dislikes the second album! Produced by Robert Fripp, Frippertronics gets 'Exposure'. 'Mother Of Violence' is a standout with Roy Bittan shining on the piano. To la dolce vita and Peace.
Well, I feel scratched right now! ;-)
It’s not a bad album. It’s just his weakest album, which is still stronger than most artists’ best, for sure. Past DIY and Mother Of Violence, it’s kinda forgettable. It also has the unfortunate placement between the fun, quirky Car, and the excellent Melt.
"Mother of Violence" is one of his best songs ever.... and that's saying a LOT.
2 is a good album but has the highest proportion of weak tracks of any PG album. Mother of Violence is brilliant and DIY is good. But a pretty mixed bag beyond that. All those other tracks have their charm, but they are not great.
I think in retrospect it's in his top 5, but his first four albums or so were so strong, that it didn't rise to the top until years later.
Peter Gabriel 2 is great. For some reason many don't consider it amongst his best work. I do. It is probably my favorite album of his but that might be due to being more familiar with it than some of the others.
PG2 78' Tour was my first Taste of Pete's Live Concerts. That Album, that Tour, will forever be ingrained within me. Here are Captures of that very Concert. ua-cam.com/video/yYg60zc9m1Q/v-deo.html
My favourite track from this album, it’s like a widescreen movie experience. Love the musical reference to Auld Lang Syne during the ticking clock sequence.
I had never picked up the reference to "Auld Lang Syne" before you mentioned it. By golly, there it is! Thanks for pointing it out!
Peter Garbriel _2_ or _Scratch_ is well worth a listen. It was produced by Robert Fripp and contains many good tracks, such as "Exposure", "Mother of Violence", "On the Air" and "White Shadow". It is not everyone's cup of tea but I really like it. As for "Down the Dolce Vita", this is a very dynamic and exciting track and very powerful with the full orchestra. And the segue into "Here Comes the Flood" is so good that the two tracks should be inseparable. Nice reaction as always, Justin. Have a pleasant day.
Personally, I love Gabriel’s second album ‘Scratch’ but Gabriel has stated that it’s his least favourite of his solo catalogue. Scratch contains many catchy songs, with more of a pop slant. I especially love the song ‘White Shadow’, which on the vinyl contained a novelty, because the song carried on playing on the record’s exit groove until the needle lifted. Thanks for the video JP 😁
HP SOS Yeah that’s about right! 😁
@@HippoYnYGlaw Definitely your stereo, try it in mono!
White shadow !!
I'm sorry, but that was hardly a novelty. The Beatles beat him to it with Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band in 1967.
Peter Gabriel's 2nd album is arguably his most experimental album, as much Fripp's album as Gabriel's due to his production and ideas. It's worth listening to because it's so daring in it's experimentalism, commerciality be damned. It certainly has some great songs that worked well live, and two of which appears on Fripp's solo album Exposure (namely the song "Exposure" and "Here Comes The Flood", with different arrangements. Fripp's album is worth exploring as well). It also has a great album cover, which captures the album's feel very well. This was another enjoyable reaction and analysis!
Gabriel's second album is so often overlooked. Mother of Violence is one of my favorite songs, and Wonderful Day is a hilarious take on a trip to the supermarket. Flotsam & Jetsam, Perspective...
This track. Goosebumps since 1977. Every time.
Peter Gabriel 2 was the first Gabriel album I bought with my hard earned cash, so I have a soft spot for it
This may not help much on PG II as I pretty well love everything PG has done, in all mediums, as it is PG - honest, muse driven art of its/his time and place. He is an awesome creative force. I will never tire of nor get too much of his music. It is. My only regret is that he was was not such a polymath and we had more music from him. Slow and scattered that man is - haha. All his stuff will take you to that place. PG is a rarified talent that happens upon us so rarely. I look forward to going through the sound tracks, rest of his albums on this channel with this group. It gives/ has given me a first listen feel/vibe which is well, transcendental at times and it is always magic. Haha
Thx JP. Good channel. Great group. Love of music and respect. Cheers
PG1 is good, PG2 is even better - my favourite PG album.
"I want everyone to know, Mozo is here!"
My fav song off the album
Not entirely sure about the specificity of the song's lyrics and characters, but I always see mariners going off to sea from New York harbor in an unknown time period and there's something apocalyptic about it as if the answer to everything must be found across dangerous waters. It definitely has atmosphere and swells like a grey stormy ocean, doesn't it?
I like Peter Gabriel II (Scratch) quite a lot. Produced by Robert Fripp it has a much more scaled down sound like a garage band with a mad scientist in the shadows and still full of fierce nuance with a couple of songs aimed at FM radio and the rest for atmospheric lyrical expression. At this time Fripp gave himself a 3 album project producing his own solo work Exposure (one of the greatest albums ever), Gabriel II and Sacred Songs with Daryl Hall, officially being on both sides if the studio. I think you'll really like it as well, Justin.
Whatever the merits of "Scratch", the LP cover was cool when back as a kid I saw it in the cut-out bin for $1.99. I bought it and as a result went on to immerse myself in prog rock, and that was a good thing.
Such a powerful track. Fun watching you enjoy it.
PG4 is, in my opinion, one of the most groundbreaking and impressive albums ever. Should be next.
I like the chair. It gives you an air of knowledge and Authority which conveys a sense of comfort in your viewers.
Ty!🪑
🪑
Love PG2 some brilliant songs 👊
2nd Peter Gabriel album is WELL WORTH checking out. "On The Air," "DIY," "Mother of Violence" (One of his greatest songs!), "Wonderful Day In A One-Way World," "White Shadow," .... the entire first side of the album is brilliant. Side two is more hit and miss to me... but again... it's GABRIEL... so worth checking out. LOVE Down The Dolce Vita, btw... A real barn-burner. Cheers, Justin!
Where as Peter Gabriel tried his hardest to separate himself from Genesis in his solo career I can definitely see this being a Genesis track.
The reunion idea sounds intriguing. 'Anyway' Thanks for another fun review of another fine song.
PG 2 is actually my favorite of his solo albums. A lot of Fripp on it.
Mother of violence and Home sweet home are my favorites on PG2
Fripp produced it, so it makes sense that he's all over it. Love PG2 as well, my favourite is White Shadow.
It's my fave too, but not because of Fripp.
Manly comfort is never ridiculous. Keep the chair.
IMHO one of the best songs on this album. As far as his second album goes, though I still love it, it probably is his weakest album. I think most fans would agree. It seems at one point you started Security, but never finished it. That’s probably my favorite album of his, but it’s hard to choose. I know you’re getting tired of me, but PLEASE do some Todd Rundgren. I highly recommend to start with Utopia Theme from Todd Rundgren’s Utopia. You just have no idea of the genius that Todd is. As I’ve said before, Todd, Peter Gabriel, Roger Waters, Pete Townshend and Joe Jackson are my five “musical geniuses.” Begging you Justin. 😜
I second.
I got to see Utopia as well ("as well", in reference to other post). Great show. It was "An Evening with Utopia", as they were to only band......which was fine with me. Half way through the show, they took a little intermission. All of a sudden I see the crew tear down the stage. I'm thinking, "Oh great, it's gonna take a good time to re-set up everything". Boy, was I wrong. All the equipment for the second set was modular (drum set, keyboards.). Everything was on platforms, and they just plugged it into holes on the stage. Wham, bam, boom....all set to go again. lol
@@gog583 I’ve seen Todd a few times. Saw Utopia double bill with The Tubes for the POV tour. One of my top 5 concerts
@@courtneywallace871 Yeah, that was one of the more memorable concerts I went to. Great show!
I couldn't agree more! I used to work concert venue security in the late 70s and early 80s. So I've seen tons of concerts. There are only two artists I've bothered to see perform more than twice. And paid admission. One was Phil Keaggy and the other is Todd Rundgren. With and without Utopia. A fantastic catalog, sorely ignored.
Wow! This is one I haven't listened to in a long time. All those orchestrations are something I totally forgot about. With regards to Two or "Scratch," I think you gotta hear it. As others here point out, each successive album built upon P.G.'s body of work. I like the second album and it's got a lot of gems on it you'll never have heard. None of the songs are long (5.5 mins Max). *AND* Peter's catalogue isn't huge so enjoy it.
I wish he was still popping out an album every five years.
PG2 more insular but has some gems. "Indigo" is my favorite here. Very raw, emotional.
Great album, great songs, and great reactions, Thanks much!!!
"So" or "Us" next please ✌️
0nly familiar with his 80s hits... wow, love this!
PG 2 is great. Very Fripp-inspired which is of course a good thing.
Your wish for one last gathering to record a classic song had already happened. In 1999, all 5 reunited to re-record "Carpet Crawlers" for a compilation album. "Carpet Crawlers 1999" Both Peter and Phil share lead vocals.
I think he meant a new song. Something like how Queen and Bowie did Under Pressure. Crawlers is fine, but too sedate to be a ‘fun’ song. If they wanted to do an old Genesis tune, could you imagine what Pete would sound like on a tune like Turn It On Again?
@@illegal_space_alien "...reunite one last time in producing one last classic Genesis song..."
Interesting! I didn't know about that. There was also a reunion concert (here on UA-cam somewhere) a few years down the road of Peter's split.
This album is a masterpiece from beginning to end. This is an amazing song that brilliantly leads into "Here Comes The Flood". Just imagine what Genesis could have become with these great songs.
What you must listen to from this period is Bob Fripp's "Breathless". It is an arpeggio-based piece like "Larks Tongues In Aspic" but even better.
PG 1-4, they are all great.
This album had heavy production from Bob Ezrin, a producer who leaned toward the bombastic and theatrical, who had obvious effects on this one and on albums like Alice Cooper's School's Out and Pink Floyd's The Wall. That may have been a bit much for Gabriel, because for his second album he turned to Robert Fripp, who characteristically produced it in a very raw fashion, perhaps too raw from a commercial standpoint. That album has good songs, but not as many standouts, and was not quite as diverse as most Gabriel albums, though still pretty diverse compared to the average act. Gabriel's third album, produced by Steve Lilliwhite, though not a commercial blockbuster, was an artistic breakthrough for Gabriel and did sell pretty well.
He can make the orchestra sound like a rock band and vice versa.
Love any and all from Peter just like divine TARJA does. She does a exquisite cover of his song Darkness 💘
A curious feeling, el primer album de Tony Banks, otra excelente obra de un Genesis.
I've always loved the song "For A While" by Tony Banks from 1979. I wonder how it would have sounded if it had been used by Genesis.
Love the album cover to that. The Wuluwait (Boatmen of the dead).
On the Turn It On Again 'greatest hits' cd there is a version of Carpet Crawlers re-recorded in1999, with Gabriel, Collins, Banks, Hackett, and Rutherford, which gives a hint of the direction they might have gone in if they had decided to get back together.
found this .... "La dolce vita" is Italian for "the sweet life." It refers to an indulgent lifestyle.
The song is mostly dialogue between the characters Aeron and Gorham, who set out on a journey across the sea. The song was part of a larger concept Gabriel was developing based on a character called Mozo, which he thought might become a stage production. Mozo gets more of a showcase in "On The Air," a track from Gabriel's next album.
These kind of songs with narrative that string together are typical of what Gabriel did with Genesis.
I remember back in the day waiting for PG to do something with the character MOZO
I love PG2. I think it was necessary for him to pass from PG2 to be able to make PG3. Part of his evolution as a solo artist.
To add .... Genesis did reunite somewhat for one song "carpet crawlers" which had been released back in 1999 with members of each band recorded their parts separately and edited together and was in the charts for a short while
I’m biased. But all of Peter’s music is worthy of exploration. There are no losers here. He is an all-time great. His music contributions to film are also excellent. Especially Birdy (great movie can’t recommend enough) and the Last Temptation of Christ.
I would love to see some reviews of his last original LP, “Up”. Spectacular. All of his albums though… spectacular.
There was a concert back in 1982 at the Milton Keynes Bowl England which reunites Genesis with Peter Gabriel .. though not televised nor recorded for live album release at the time, there is audio documented work on that show which is kinda sounded bootlegged but i think on sale for general release on CD called "six of the best" which in turn kicked off the first WOMAD festival with Genesis themselves helped out and also contributed financially.
Love your videos as expected.
As others have commented, Peter Gabriel 2 is very, very good; just maybe not as phenomenally great as 1, 3, 4 and So, and maybe even Us and Up. So, if I had to pick my least favorite of his 7 studio albums, it would by default be 2. But it’s still very, very good; I own three copies of it on vinyl.
There’ also a German version of Here Comes the Flood by Gabriel which you might want to check out; it’s easily found on UA-cam. It’s called “Jetzt Kommt Die Flut”.
Blame it on the chair....come on JP. lol
I was lucky enough to have seen PG live twice in the early days (also got to see Genesis's first tour w/o Gabriel. The "Trick" tour.), The first time i sew him, he made his way to the stage through the crowd. Waiting for the concert to begin, I saw the people seated to the right of me start to stand up. Looked over and it was Peter Gabriel making his was down the isle towards the center else and towards me. Walked right in front of me with a smile the entire time I saw able to see him. Must have been looking forward to doing the show.
Somehow I don't think this song would fit in with his later albums, but seems so right for this album. Great production and dramatic feel to it, Here Comes the Flood continues in the same vein, and a fantastic finish to the album.
Thank you !
Favorite Gabriel album.
Peter Gabriel 1 was a a matter of the record company saying here's your (American Bob Ezrin) producer, and here's the session musicians he wants to work with. Gabriel asked if he could recruit someone as well (upstart!), and he chose Robert Fripp. The main good thing that came out of PG 1 was the introduction of Tony Levin to Gabriel and Fripp (and the rest is history). PG 2 is essentially Gabriel and Fripp going off into a corner to do it their way. I think Fripp was also working with Daryl Hall on Hall's "Sacred Songs" at that time. PG 2 is very much of its era, and for better or worse encapsulates Robert Fripp's stylistics of the late 1970s. On PG 3 we start to hear an aesthetic that is generated by Peter Gabriel, rather than other producers.
Excellent analysis! I love the dramatic highs and lows and Peter’s different expressive voice colors he uses and the instrumentation is unique in PG’s catalog. The whole album is great. I’m not sure where I’d rank this one among all the PG albums if I had to, but it would definitely be in the top 5.
In the Netherlands we say: clothes make the man (literally translated) but in your world, a chair does 😄
Nothing wrong with his second album. D.I.Y is a nice song.
I saw Peter Gabriel perform this album live back in 77. I didn't know what to expect. How could he do an entire concert with just one album out? He did do one Genesis tune, "Back in NYC", as well as killer cover of The Kink's "All Day and All of the Night", in addition to performing the entire album.
"Peter Gabriel 2" or "Scratch" as it's called is a fine album, not as over-dramatic as parts of "Car" or as dark and scary as "Melt". Don't ignore it. It's like how everyone praises Joni's 4th and 6th albums but ignore the 5th which I love even more. Sure the others are great, classic, must-own but not my favorite.
I love it when they talk about that clock sounding at midnight when you hear that bill and it's in an odd meter cuz it hits on the downbeat and then it hits on a syncopation cuz it's in a different Temple then the actual beat itself that's kind of like what happens on Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon with the song time you know it's not hitting always on the beat because it's in a different tempo I'm not too sure but I guess that was like a London Philharmonic Orchestra
You should do Peter Gabriel 2 or Scratch!! To fill out the gaps between 1 and 3. It’s pretty good. And also listen to security or PG4
More great analysis - thanks! A couple of years ago I read a piece by Steve Hunter about this recording. He said that in the section just after the orchestral percussion break (how often does a melody get played on wood blocks in a rock song?) when the guitar comes back in producer Bob Ezrin told him to play Auld Lang Syne (which is in 4/4 against the 3/4 part being played by the orchestra). I don't hear it but perhaps others do??
I won't be much help here because I'd like your reactions to everything PG, I'm also a fan of his soundtrack for the Ovo performance at the Millennium Dome in London (was there with my kids twice but couldn't get them to stay in one place long enough to really take it all in) and I'm even a fan of about half the Big Blue Ball tracks - maybe more than half because I do like a few that don't include Peter in their credits too as well as the half of them that do credit Peter.
Great song and review. Dolce Vita sets the song in Italy for me. Maybe Roman Italy... maybe at some other point in time.
Chilling after work is a great idea. Hopefully something you listened to was cool enough to chill to.
I’ve always imagined that the lyrics describe the allied invasion of Italy during WW2.
@@mrwomby5007 Hmmm.... Maybe Sicily as the landing were opposed, though not strongly. The landings on the mainland were basically unopposed.
They did do a new version of "Carpet Crawlers" back in 1999 with the classic five piece. You should check it out
Always loved that one, orchestra + funk, great mix 😉 PG's second album is great too, unfortunately underrated. But hey, even a "weak" Peter Gabriel album is still a stunning piece of art.
Just listened to Dikajee's 'Forest'. Wonderful, expressive voice. The music reminds me of Genesis with their chord changes and use of acoustic guitar with a movement into dense layers of sound and rockin' drums, but returns to the acoustic soft openness for her voice to shine through. She is like a female Peter Gabriel!
Yes you must do PG2, got some great little gems on it and one of favourites "Mother Of Violence" the album is the link between 1&3, starker and darker feel to it than "Car" Fripps production and playing is very prominent on the "Scratch" album.
I think Peter Gabriel's first 5 solo albums are all very similar in quality. He never released a perfect masterpiece, but it's an extremely solid run. Peter Gabriel II is the least commercially successful of the five - it was the only one not to spawn a major hit - and perhaps it's in some sense a lesser work because it doesn't pop with an iconic, desert island song like "Solsbury Hill" or "Biko". But listened to as an album, I think it holds up against the others.
Well put. 👍🏼
Always liked this song. It’s a typical Peter mix of ideas. The title, literally means loving a life of heedless pleasure and luxury. And that theme is perfectly represented by the funky riff. But there’s also something darker and more sinister. The suspenseful, deep tones of the orchestra, and lines like “waiting for the midnight bell to sound”. So there is a sense of foreboding. Something awful is coming, something deadly. So I always pictured young men going off to war, living for the now, because there may be no tomorrow. The other thought I had is perhaps it represents how society is destroying nature, and how a dreadful price is to be paid for our wastefulness.
This is a highlight of the album. I love the way it dovetails into "Here Comes The Flood". You should absolutely do the second album. Fripp produced it, and interestingly went for a more stripped down sound. But the songwriting is impeccable and I think some of Gabriel's finest songs are on it.
"So" is definitely his most historic and popular album. It's merits are obvious when you listen to it. So many great songs NOT just good ones. "In Your Eyes" is one of the BEST songs, let alone love songs EVER!! If you don't have this album in your arsenal you are brain dead.
I agree with Lemming 998: Peter Gabriel 2 (Scratch) is a great album, certainly some of his best songs are on there: Indigo, On the Wire, etc...
PG 2 definitely is worth a listen. Heavy on the Fripp, it's a solid album but no particular highlights.
Mother of Violence is a stunning piece, don't you think?
@@robertjewell9727 I do - and EVERY other song on this great album.
I don't. It is a strong track, as are others on this album. But I wouldn't call it stunning. It's OK if you do, I am fine with that.
@@robertjewell9727
Mother of violence is an incredible song !!!
I might be wrong but I've always thought that Down The Dolce Vita and Peter's cover of Strawberry Fields Forever must have been recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra during the same session in 1976. There's a cover worth checking out Justin!
Wow, I had forgotten about this greatest of songs, even though that clock sound at the end has gone though my head all my life, and I can do a phonoreal version of it using my tongue. Doesn't win me any dates, but wtf.
I always enjoyed letting this last track of the album play out in its grandiose style, backed by the London Symphony Orchestra. The LSO were used in lots of recordings by rock artists - 1972's classical version of Tommy, and 1974's Journey to the Center of the Earth by Rick Wakeman, for example.
Hey JP, where can we suggest songs to you? What platform would be best? I'd like to request you consider doing some themed reactions next month in celebration of Halloween?! Songs like Frankenstein by Edgar Winter Group, or Warren Zevon - Werewolves of London, Seasih of the Witch by Donovan, or maybe some Ghost or White Zombie or the like? I think that'd be really fun and cool! Anywhoo, thanks for the vids and stuff, man! You da best!
Yeah it's a great album it's just so underappreciated there are really great songs on it and of course it has to be good it's going to Fripp on it it even has a reggae tune which is quite unconventional but you would expect that from Peter Gabriel you know what's funny there's a swan song called White Shadow she comes down like a white shadow and I remember my good friend had this turntable I think it was a Phillips and and it would go into the inner groove it would turn off and the funny thing is Larry fast had this synthesized are going so if you had an old style turntable that would just go into the inner Groove and keep playing you would just keep hearing that note that frequency put on my friends turntable when it got to the end of the song and went into the groove the turntable turned off and it was slow down so that was really cool because then the frequently you would just slow down I mean it starts off with on the air great great great song DIY what up brilliant tune that is and the reggae song I mentioned was having a wonderful day and a one-way World great hilarious lyrics maybe that record just didn't sell as much but then I guess Peter Gabriel had a mental breakdown and his third record really took off because he was so transformed into this other world I think the original label that didn't release this record he had to go to Mercury to get it released butts record executive asked somebody after you heard the record speaking of the third record specifically, he asked if Peter Gabriel was committed to a mental institution or at least rehab I guess but anyway yeah you'll like the second album it'll grow on you it's maybe not as good as the first album but I'm telling you man there are some gems in there there's even kind of a little country tune that's hilarious as well well not like you would normally think of as a country tune I guess maybe I think it's country cuz it has a steel guitar in it all right my man I'm going to check out your reaction to this next to last song on the first album
PG 2 opens with, “On The Air”, as close to “The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway” as you’ll get.
Even the song structures are close. :)
PG II (Scratch) is a superb album. How can you doubt it? 😂
I always took the story behind Dolce Vita as a group of soldiers on their way to a war.
You need to listen to the slow version of Here Comes the Flood...unbelievable...my favourite song of all time.
Peter Gabriel 2 is a great album. The one single that came from it is DIY. It was produced by Robert Fripp.
When i first heard this, i thought the production wasn't Gabriel-like at all, but rather, that it sounded a bit like what Ezrin (who actually produced this) did for Alice Cooper's Welcome to my Nightmare two years before. As much as i like some of the songs on his first two albums, Melt was where he found his path - and sorry, but in 1980, what he did on that album was so experimental that his record company dropped him! It was picked up by Mercury and, on the strenght of Games Without Frontier, became his biggest hit.
They did get back together one time, for: "The Carpet Crawlers 1999"
Thanks for the review. A fantastic debut album. I remember being slightly disappointed in PG2 when I first bought it, but it grew on me quite quickly. I think he was still looking for a style to latch onto but was still being very progressive in production. Fripp's input is quite noticeable and there are a couple of really great tracks. For me, Exposure, Mother of Violence, White Shadow and Indigo are the ones to listen to. 😎
Hi JP. DP from UK. A bit of a mish mash of styles but, When All Is Said And Done, the way Peter blends them works for me. You asked about PG2; I was disappointed after his superb debut, with the exception of the excellent White Shadow (Frippertronics and all). My favourite album is PG4, where Peter's world music influences are at their peak, and the songs are some of his most heartfelt and dramatic.
Yes, it would be brilliant if Peter got back with Genesis one last time. Seems very unlikely, but then no-one thought Abba would ever return, and they just have (hence my song ref above, When All Is Said And Done, from my favourite album of theirs, The Visitors).
More Sandy Denny and Moody Blues, pls!
Oh, before I forget, I'd like to add 2 suggestions: The Book of Invasions (A Celtic Symphony) by Horslips (1976), and Lord Of The Ages by Magna Carta (1973). Both great albuns but Lord Of The Ages is a must, imho ☺️
Edit: Moody Blues, whole albums, of course!
Yes! “In Search Of The Lost Chord” by The Moody Blues should be the next album so he can move chronologically to their second album.
If we’re adding Horslips then The Tain is a must.
Gabriel 2 or Scratch is a more experimental album, it is also a search for a direction in which to take his solo career. Because of that it's uneven, but there are still some great tracks on it and nothing that I would call bad.
PG2 has it's moments like On The Air and Mother of Violence, but is much less memorable than 1 or 3.
Ps this song is fantastic, still holds up.
Gabriel Il is great! Don't pass it up. It's quirky, experimental and a little darker than the first one, imo. Gabriel had much more cred with the punks and new wavers. I mean he even has DIY as a song, DIY was a battle cry for the changing of of guard in music. Please do the Fripp version of "Here Comes The Flood". And while your there, check out Daryll Hall's collaboration on Exposure, North Star - beautiful!
You mention ‘it’s Peter Gabriel’s production’ - and I know how you meant it (contrasting his work with Genesis) - but my kind screamed “it’s Bob Ezrin’s production.” Ezrin did some Alice Cooper, Lou Reed’s Berlin.
The SECOND album, as well as the other version of “Here Comes the Flood” were produced by Robert Fripp.
You couldn’t get too much farther apart production style-wise. At the time Fripp produced a few other artists - the Roche Sisters, Daryl Hall,
and he called his production style “audio verite” (borrowed from ‘cinema verite’) Some gel the 2nd album was ‘underproduced’ and some thought the 1st album was ‘overproduced’
I loved them both. And there’s a few Fripp solos on the second that are lovely.
I'll say this, I generally put PG3, PG4, and So above PG1 and/or PG2. But weirdly, when I start listening to PG2 (Scratch), im like, oh yeah, I like this song, and this song, and that's great, and so one and so forth. I just forget how much I enjoy it, and as much as Bob Ezrin impacted this album, Fripp can felt on the next album. That's how I compartmentalize it, PG1 is the experimental album, where PG does every genre of music. PG3, is the dark album, PG4 is brighter and is the transition from Indie Gabriel into Rock Star Gabriel (where he'd go with So and Up and US). PG2 is the Fripp album to me.
But as others have said, it is really kinda integral. As all his albums are, they lead one into the next, building up, one upon another. Also, so glad you liked Down the Dolce Vita! It's one of my favorite songs by Gabriel, in spite of the disco, funk, or maybe even because of the dissonance between the epic orchestra and the disco? Either way, it's great!
its all good
yep, as far as i know, PG2 isn't liked so much as 1, 3, 4 and So, i rarely listen to it. Right now PG4 is my fav.
The other version of Here Comes The Flood is off the Robert Fripp album Exposure though still with Gabriel on vocals. Personally I far prefer the version on Exposure. If you decide to do it can I suggest you do Water Music 1 as well. The song leads into Here Comes The Flood both musically and thematically. It also gives you a nice example of Frippertronics.
Are you kidding me. PG2 is an awesome album. Yes it has a pretty strong progressiveness to it and at the time most new listeners were drawn to new wave synth anyway. Mother of Violence is my long time favorite 🙂.
The problem was that 2 was really nothing like the first lp. No big epic productions. It was half ‘new wave’ Art Rockers like On the Air and DIY, and half slightly weird but sensitive songs like Mother of Violence and White Shadow. It’s more basic but also more experimental. Not terribly commercial at all. “When things get so big, I don’t trust them at all” he sang. “Best to keep it small”. No orchestral arrangements on PG2. You’ll either love it or be underwhelmed, but it’s worth doing 🤔
It is precisely all these reasons that I much prefer PG2 to PG1. I've always struggled with the bombastic and overloaded productions of Bob Ezrin so for me the more basic and dry production of Robert Fripp suits me perfectly. Also, I enjoy a lot more songs on PG2 compared to PG1 but I can understand that this colder and experimental aspect may not appeal to everyone.
Justin - In a lot of your most recent videos (this song, Bella Lugosi's Dead, Nick Heyward, Hang on to Yourself, Listening Wind to name a few), the music is mostly coming out of the left speaker. Is anyone else noticing that? Maybe there's an issue with the wire for your right speaker that is making the volume lower? Just wanted to let you know so you can fix it.
By the way, Big Yellow Taxi did not have that problem - the music was equal in both speakers.
Hmm, I think I may have accidentally adjusted something; hopefully itll be fixed in upcoming vids.
The t is actually pronounced as a t like in most of the world, since you asked. Some London dialects leave the mid sounding t entirely, rendering vi’a
I do love 2. Some of my favorite songs are there. But also a couple that I'm not so into. Love "On the Air," "D.I.Y.," and "Mother of Violence." But "White Shadow," not so much. It's a sibling album to Robert Fripp's "Exposure" and Daryl Hall's "Sacred Songs." The third may sound like the odd duck out in that trio, and his record company felt that way too. Daryl was pretty much told to stop playing around with those bad boys and play nice with the industry folks.
I completely understand why Gabriel and Genesis didn't get together for new material - it wouldn't help Genesis pop career any and Gabriel is done with all that. But creatively, I always felt there was room for some creative side projects that wouldn't take away from either. BTW, Gabriel did show up onstage for the encore at MSG for Gensis' "And Then There Were Three Tour." I can confirm b/c I was there. I believe they were trying to help Peter push out #2 (did I say that?). I think they may have gotten together once for a special performance of the Lamb to help Peter out of straights when he lost a ton of money on one of his world music projects.
S’ok. Just a little too much for me this morning going back to work. Ughh. S’fine.
Nice idea to sample Fripp’s Exposure with Flood. All for it.
I’ll take what I can get.
Like to nominate a long song Saturday suite.
Todd Rundgren’s Treatise On Cosmic Fire from the Initiation album… fun time had for all.
… and of course Utopia theme, and if you have time, The Seven Rays on Another Live.
Play on brother,
Peace and working Music
PG II has some great songs, in many ways I enjoy it more than the first solo album. But, it can be a bit of a mixed bag, maybe more a collection of songs than a whole album? It swings about a lot, definitely not a cumulative experience IMHO. But, there are definitely a few songs to catch, Mother of Violence is my favorite.