Gabriel Goldmine on YouTube

I'm a sucker for musical "behind the scenes" stories when it comes to albums. Part of it's peeling away the layers of a song and discovering that really cool fifth guitar riff buried in the mix. Part of it's the welcome knowledge that lots of my favorite artists jam aimless for hours in search of material, just like I do (if Marillion produces only 55 minutes worth of album-worthy material from 6 months of constant jamming, what chance do I have?).

Over the weekend, somebody on the Genesis newsgroup posted a link to a YouTube video (in five parts) of an episode of the British TV series The South Bank Show from 1982 about Peter Gabriel's fourth self-titled album (aka Security). The show followed him for about 18 months during the writing, recording, and mixing of the album as Gabriel built several songs from world-music rhythmic bases into full songs. Footage includes Gabriel's band in the studio and on stage. It's really interesting, particularly if you have an interesting in Gabriel's music. But even if not, it's a cool insight into a very creative mind.

At the very end of part 5, Gabriel discusses the mixed critical reaction to the album (I prefer the third one, aka Melt, personally) and is pleased to note the positive reactions to the "black music" press, including this beaut:

. . . Sadly, the honkie poseurs of the rock press don't agree . . .

Links here: parts 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5.

On a sadder note, either A&E or Bravo used to show episodes of The South Bank Show back in the day when they actually showed something other than the reality TV crap everybody else peddles. Ah, those were the days.