Peter Gabriel, one-time member of Genesis, is an English musician who is renowned for powerful, innovative, "intelligent" music.
When Gabriel left Genesis in 1975, after the album The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, he stunned fans and critics alike by teaming up with Bob Ezrin (Lou Reed, Pink Floyd, Kiss, Alice Cooper) to produce the album known as “Car”, a disparate collection of songs – including “Solsbury Hill” - with strong riffs, great guitar work, a variety of styles, to establish his solo credentials.
His 3rd album, known as “Melt”, broke Peter Gabriel as a world phenomenon. It received great reviews (mostly 5-star) and was much more rhythm-focussed, with songs like “Games without Frontiers” and “Biko”. The album has a lot of “strange” sounds on it, and introduced Kate Bush on backing vocals. It was a high point for Peter Gabriel, who has made other great albums after this but never anything better!
Our album to “Hear before You Die” this week is “1999”, Prince’s 5th studio album from 1982.
This album contains songs that have since become standards - “1999” and “Little Red Corvette” - and highlight his obsession with sex. Prince influenced so many people – as songwriter, musician and studio experimenter. His sound was a key influence on R & B music through to the 90’s.
“1999” is not the type of album we would normally listen to, but it’s just so damn good!
References: Prince, “1999, Steve Lillywhite, Hugh Padgham, XTC - “Drums & Wires”, “Black Sea”, “War”, U2, Kirsty MacColl, “An Assassin’s Diary”, Arthur Bremer, George Wallace, JFK, Steve Biko, Polaroids, Lewis Morley, Ahmet Ertegun, Jerry Marotta, “Ein Deutsches Album”, Johnny Warman, “Walking into Mirrors", “Sledgehammer”, “The Book of Love”, Alan Parker, Hipgnosis, Peter Gabriel.com