John Peel Wiki

Changes to the look of John Peel Wiki will take place in the near future due to a new skin being rolled out over Oct/Nov across Wikia. Please see the Wikia Staff Blog for further details. On this site, the changes will affect the navigation from the left menu, as well as introduce a fixed page width with narrower content space. Please be patient while adjustments are made for the switch to the new system.

UPDATE: As the change is now in force for some users, I have switched the navigation to the simplified one for the new system. Please check Navigation in the Help section if you can't find things. I also initially made small adjustments to the front page layout, but have now reverted to the old look until all users are on the new system.

COUNTDOWN: Just a reminder for people still using Monaco that the final switch to the new skin is due on Nov. 3. After that, it will no longer be offered as an option. Sorry. Nothing to do with me.

Steve W

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John Peel Wiki
in: Artists, Record Labels, Compilations

Peter Gabriel

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Peter Gabriel collage

Peter Gabriel (b. 1950) is a British singer, songwriter, musician and producer. He first became famous as a member of Genesis before leaving the group in 1975 and embarking on a solo career, releasing his first eponymous album in 1976. He achieved mainstream success from 1980 onwards with chart hits such as 'Games Without Frontiers', 'Shock the Monkey' and most notably 'Sledgehammer', 'Don't Give Up' (with Kate Bush) and the album So in 1986. His interest in world music also began around 1980, founding the WOMAD (World of Music, Arts and Dance) project with the first festival in 1982. He also established the Real World studios and record label to promote world music artists. He has also been active in the Amnesty International movement and other humanitarian causes. In 2010, he joined a campaign to stop an agricultural development of the Wooley Valley, near Bath which had inspired his first solo single 'Solsbury Hill' in 1977. (Read more on Wikipedia).

Links to Peel[]

Aside from early sessions by Genesis, with Gabriel contributing vocals and flute, Peel showed little interest in Gabriel's work either with the group or as a solo artist. He did in fact only seem to promote Genesis records from A Trick of the Tail onwards, recorded when Gabriel had left. As a promoter of world music, however, Peel has featured various artists who have recorded for Real World (Ashkhabad, Tenores Di Bitti), or the WOMAD (Muzsikás, Amayenge, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan) labels. During the 1987 Whistle Test special "87 Whistle Test 88" Peel interviewed Gabriel about world music, while featuring Zimbabwe's the Bhundu Boys who had previously recorded two sessions. Robert Wyatt recorded a cover version of Gabriel's song 'Biko', which recounts the assassination of South African anti-apartheid activist which made the 1984 Festive Fifty.

Like Peel, Gabriel also publicly declared his support for the Labour Party prior to the 1997 elections and was named as one of the biggest private financial donors to the party. Gabriel subsequently distanced himself from the Labour government following Tony Blair's support for George W. Bush and Britain's involvement in the Iraq War.

Despite his apparent lack of promotion of Gabriel's solo work, his first three albums (all entitled Peter Gabriel) as well as the German language Ein Deutsches Album are to be found in Peel's Record Collection.

Peel introduced Gabriel's Sledgehammer twice on Top of the Pops in 1986, including the TOTP debut of the iconic video for the song.

Shows played[]

Peter_Gabriel_–_Sledgehammer_(Video,_TOTP)

Peter Gabriel – Sledgehammer (Video, TOTP)

  • None.

Top Of The Pops[]

Compilations[]

WOMAD[]

(Peel plays of various artist (v/a) releases on the WOMAD record label founded by Peter Gabriel.)

(LP- Raindrops Pattering On Banana Leaves And Other Tunes - A WOMAD Benefit LP))

(LP - Womad Talking Book Volume One: An Introduction)

(LP - Womad Talking Book: Volume Two - An Introduction To Africa)

(v/a LP - Womad Talking Book Volume Three: An Introduction To Europe)

(LP - WOMAD Talking Book: Volume Four - An Introduction To Asia 1) WOMAD

(LP - Shani! The Sounds Of Zambia) WOMAD

(cassette - The Pocket Womad)

(CD - Football Africa) WOMAD Select

Real World[]

(Peel plays of various artist (v/a) releases on the Real World label founded by Peter Gabriel.)

(CD - Voices Of The Real World)

(CD - Music At Matt Molloy's)

  • 07 November 1992: Various Artists: Killmavee Jig / The Maid Of The Well / The Old Geese On The Bog
  • 14 November 1992: Various Artists: Over The Moor To Maggie / Fred Finn's / The Hunter's House (Reels)

Covered[]

Listing taken only from the Cover Versions page of this site. Please add more information if known.

Performing Artist | Song | First Known Play

See Also[]

External links[]

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