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January 23, 2009
Peter Gabriel
It doesn't seem like this has completely saturated the Interwebs yet, so here's an interesting treat, a cover of a Vampire Weekend song (yes, it's the one where the lyrics name check Peter Gabriel):
Hot Chip & Peter Gabriel - Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa
It's not surprising that PG is once again intersecting with interesting indie music culture. In fact, on one CD single, PG introduced me to both The Polyphonic Spree and Elbow:
Peter Gabriel - More Than This (The Polyphonic Spree Remix)
Peter Gabriel - More Than This (Elbow Remix)
And this cover tune is how I learned about Joseph Arthur, who recorded his first two albums on the Real World label:
Way back before I ever paid serious attention to music, this remix was how I learned about Massive Attack:
Peter Gabriel - Games Without Frontiers (Massive/DB Mix)
I'm sure a few people learned about William Orbit via PG as well, before Orbit became huge producing Madonna etc:
Peter Gabriel - Mercy Street (William Orbit Mix)
He's obviously a fan of remix culture in general, hosting remix competitions on his web site and allowing Hardage to completely revisit one of his older tunes recently:
Hardage - Big Time (feat. Peter Gabriel)
Of course, he's had his missteps (memo: a duet with Shaggy is in no one's interest, really), but overall, PG has regularly chosen interesting collaborators throughout the years. Meanwhile, just to cap this post off, here's a slick little mash-up I came across on Hype Machine recently (via Are You Embarrassed Easily Too?):
Bobby Martini - Crazy In Your Eyes (Peter Gabriel vs. Gnarls Barkley)
I'm actually surprised at my own restraint in waiting 4.5 years to devote a post on this blog to my favorite musician. My wife and I spent our honeymoon following PG up the west coast, seeing him six times from San Diego up to Vancouver. I think I always imagined that some quarters would view a post on PG as "jumping the shark" - but then, a day after I heard the old classic "Biko" on KEXP, a different DJ played this new Hot Chip collab, and it made me realize what a tremendous influence PG continues to have. This post has been a damn long time in the making!
Recently on Comfort Radio:
J. Boogie's Dubtronic Science - You're the Murdera
23 Degrees - Born Of Earth's Torments
DJ Muggs vs. The GZA The Genius - those thats bout it
Posted by Scotto at January 23, 2009 08:00 AM
Comments
Thanks for this wonderful post. I'm a fan of Peter Gabriel, and I hadn't heard several of these tracks. I don't think you've jumped the shark.
Posted by: Baal of Confusion at January 23, 2009 03:48 PM
Ah, lots of lovely PG goodness. His stuff introduced me to Laurie Anderson, for which I will be forever grateful.
Posted by: james h at January 27, 2009 05:50 AM
Thanks Scotto -- I'm really digging the Hardage remix of Big Time, and the Gnarls Barkley mashup is cool too.
Posted by: Noah at January 29, 2009 02:34 PM
Thanks, great stuff, I am sure you also know this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Y5KELHc0Hw
Anne Sexton's reading of her poem "All my Pretty Ones" mixed with Peter Gabriel's "Mercy Street - For Anne Sexton"
One of my favorites!
Posted by: Oliver at March 9, 2009 02:19 PM
Yes! Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa! I've been looking for this version forever! Thanks a million!!
Posted by: Anitsirhc at May 8, 2009 11:18 AM
Any way you could repost the More Than This remixes?
Posted by: Robb at May 22, 2009 08:56 PM