Between his years as a strange first man in Genesis and his early solo outings, Peter Gabriel was already a rock star before he made the song “So.” But the 1986 album turned it into something completely different and completely unexpected: a complete pop star.
After leaving Genesis in 1975, Gabriel reinvented his approach to rock art in a new context. He amalgamated influences from the burgeoning new wave and international music scene across four self-titled albums between 1977 and 1982. But while the unconventional single “Shock the Monkey” from his fourth album made it to the Top 40 chart, he hadn’t yet prepared it. To the heights he will reach next time.
Peter Gabriel and the first album of his name
This was the first album that Peter Gabriel presented Official address. But it gave people a lot more to hold on to. Gabrielle’s fifth solo album turned out to be the most accessible and radio compatible. And without sacrificing a grain of art that he had shown on his previous outings. Not only has he won the admiration of fans and critics, but he also has four singles.
Gabriel has been a fan of the soul since his youth, but this was the first time he had brought R&B influence to his music in an open way. “Sledgehammer,” the first single from “So,” is a bold and poignant mainstay that finds Gabriel introducing a series of inaccurate sexual metaphors. Influenced by his love for Otis Reading, Gabriel recruited former trumpeter, Wayne Jackson of Memphis Horns, to add old-school spirit to the track. But it still looks totally contemporary. In addition to the song being a huge hit, it also had a featured video from Claymation. This became one of the most played music tracks on MTV.
“Big Time”, another ironically ironic song, deals with materialistic philosophy and acquisitions of more than that of the mid-1980s. He is less reactionary than “The Hammer,” and has more in common with Prince or Robert Palmer than anyone else in Stax. The vibrant and funky rhythm is driven by guitarist Tony Levine, “Drum Bass”.
Star collaborators for “So”
During an exclusive interview with Ultimate Classic Rock, Tony Levin discussed how Peter Gabriel’s collaborators and his openness to new ideas contributed to the delivery of the “So” sound. “Adding Daniel Lanoa to the production led to a more focused approach than we had been before, and adding Manu Cachi to the drums was also a major change in the music,” Levine said. “Peter was always venturing into new music regions, and that was one of his major steps.”
In addition to his band and co-producer, Peter Gabriel brought in two major guest singers on “So,” whose contributions made a huge impact. Gabriel has always been an advocate of world music (in 1989 he would start Real World, one of the leading providers of Global Voices), and for “In Your Eyes”, Senegalese singer Yosu Ndour added a passionate bagpipe to the sweep of the epic romantic tune.
“In Your Eyes” in “Say Anything …”, a fascinating moment in history
In addition to becoming another great single from “So,” the song became part of the collective consciousness of pop culture when it was performed by John Cusack’s character in “Say Anything …”, Cameron Crowe’s first directing. 1989, Who built the radio from the window of his true love.
El aporte de Kate Bush the paragraph “Do not give up”
Peter Gabriel’s rock art partner in UK, Kate Bush, was his singing partner for the song Never Give Up. Initially inspired by images of Americans fighting in the Dust Bowl era, the song is written in a way generic enough to resonate in Thatcher-era England as well, with Bush chanting in a beautiful voice to Gabriel, who expresses the plight of the oppressed. Factor. In 2005, the no less respected duo of Bono and Alicia Keys covered the song.
Although Peter Gabriel will never repeat the massive success of “So” in any of his subsequent albums, the album transformed him from a somewhat cultured rock star into a true celebrity. In addition to occupying the pages of music magazines, he began to appear in celebrity rumors that published details of his romantic relationship with actress Rosanna Arquette. The media suddenly noticed that when he wasn’t hiding behind weird makeup and creepy album covers, Gabrielle was a very charismatic character.
Ultimately, none of the album’s commercial impact outside of Peter Gabriel’s bank account does not matter. What makes “So” important is the way he seamlessly combined unparalleled pop music skill with the adventurous artistic instincts of an icon warrior. Slightly twisted pop songs contain enough emotional punches, sonic surprises, and catchy melodies to make it one of the most rewarding albums of the day.
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