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[correctiveshoes621]

Of little interest to anyone but me: MSN Chat - January 24, 2005

'My favorite past time was damming up the water and then letting it go. I still do it with my 3 yr. old.'

'Lyrics I often have to go away to write. If I'm at home I have 1,001 distractions. Washing machines to fix, groceries to buy. So I have to shut myself off in either a bed and breakfast or hotel. Or drive off into the woods. After a while you see animals become non threatening. I also have a theory of motion and creativity from when we were hunted or hunting in forests. When you see trees moving past with peripheral vision. . . I get the best ideas on trains and in cars because of that-- peripheral visual stimulation.'

'I have tried a different approach on that song but it didn't connect properly. Kevin Godley suggested to me that I just hold Kate through the whole song. I thought there are worse things to do to make a living.'



Digital Dish Diva says:
Welcome to MSN Live! Today we are pleased to welcome legendary artist, Peter Gabriel whose latest project is "Play" a collection on Gabriel's 18 most mind blowing videos.

Digital Dish Diva says:
Peter, welcome to MSN Live! It is so great to have you here!

Peter Gabriel says:
Good evening.

DoonaFairy in Onstage_1 asks:
Are your videos a representation of what goes on in your head? Oz

Peter Gabriel says:
Sometimes and sometimes they are the ideas of people I work with. With everything I do I try to collaborate. There are some songs where the director has an idea and I don't have much input. Other songs I have a lot of input.

StacieDee-DRFan in Onstage_1 asks:
Happy Birthday, Mr. Gabriel (a bit early)! The GUL tour was wonderful!! Have you any plans to tour again soon?

Peter Gabriel says:
Currently, no plans. I'm trying to get back in the studio and get some stuff written. I'm also discussing a couple of films at the moment. There are also a few extra-curricular activities, but I can talk about those later, baby.

kidthesun in Onstage_1 asks:
Hi, Peter, how do you think your own spiritual search has affected your work over the last 3 decades?

Peter Gabriel says:
I blow through hot and cold with a spiritual sense. When I was quite young I felt that there was something more to life. Although I don't always focus or concentrate on it all the time it does affect me to know there is something more than we see or feel.

PParkerRN in Onstage_1 asks:
Considering that visual effects have always played such an important role in your work, how has that influenced your writing style. Do you write a song based on a visual idea or do you think about the visuals after you have written the song? Thanks.

Peter Gabriel says:
More often then not it's afterwards. Occasionally I will think of an idea and present it. There's a bit of both. Songs evolve in ways I wouldn't have been able to predict at the onset.

thunkrock in Onstage_1 asks:
I really enjoy "Play". I've also seen a video with you and Joni Mitchell. Any chance that any old Genesis videos to be released?

Peter Gabriel says:
One of the things that I was maybe a little anal about was video making in Genesis time. Sadly there are a couple of substandard television performances and the rest are bootlegs. However when we liked the song, we mixed video from the time. There have been a few new remixes like "Lamb Lies Down on Broadway."

toftheLurker in Onstage_1 asks:
Are the rumors of an acoustic album true?

Peter Gabriel says:
It's an idea I've been thinking about for a while and I would like to try that in the future. You react to material in a different way when it's stripped like that. I think it would be an interesting challenge. Whether I do it, we'll see, but it is appealing.

atvcommunications in Onstage_1 asks:
After hearing her album I am glad you have brought Melanie into the performances. Is she staying as part of your troop permanently now?

Peter Gabriel says:
She has been working with a Belgian producer on some music which includes some Siberian music with Mayan and Mexican musicians.

Peter Gabriel says:
She's doing work with the Yehudi foundation in Brussels. She was part of a concert to benefit the Yehudi Foundation.

Kristythelass in Onstage_1 asks:
Were you raised around water? (i.e lakes, river, ocean) I notice many of your songs have reference to water.

Peter Gabriel says:
I think it's one of my obsessions. I have always liked to live by it. I grew up on the farm where there was a small river running through it. My favorite past time was damming up the water and then letting it go. I still do it with my 3 yr. old.

Peter Gabriel says:
Water is always moving and I think there is a lot of instinctive and intuitive connections we have with water.

canoist in Onstage_1 asks:
Why did you choose an old water mill next to a railroad as your studio? Only an airfield could have been worse?

Peter Gabriel says:
This is addiction to water versus practical reality.

Digital Dish Diva says:
Melanie is here. We have some questions about an upcoming album for her.

Peter Gabriel says:
Thierry Van Roy has produced other records with us and with Abdelli. He is working on Melanie's album that has no name yet. The album came at her sister's encouragement.

_-2112-RUSH-_ in Onstage_1 asks:
Bob Graham.. Ocala Florida.. ask and comments.. In my opinion Secret World Is the most awesome ever concept rock video ever made... and I ask if you have any plans of such investment of soul and production to ever surpass the video... would love to see it

Peter Gabriel says:
Thanks for your enthusiasm. I guess we keep on trying different things and try different visual ideas with different visual people. Robert La Page is great and is working on Ka in Las Vegas.

ian-onedot in Onstage_1 asks:
I work in lighting and video. I think your music provides a great canvas on which to paint. Do you have more plans to explore such things?

Peter Gabriel says:
I would love to really have visual interpretations of everything I've done. I think we'll try and expand as time and budget will allow.

Elfie2060 in Onstage_1 asks:
Do you believe that humanity is globally evolving to the best?

Peter Gabriel says:
I'm not sure it's an upward path. I think it may be cyclic. I am however a great believer in technology as an empowering tool. For example, the mobile phone could in the future provide a cheap way to educate people by letting them be part of the wide world in developing countries. That will be an example of what man has created that can be put to more uses than it is currently.

Peter Gabriel says:
At the same time if I look at what is happening in politics and what is done in the name of freedom and democracy I feel quite depressed. Lots of the problems are people generated and slowly I think education can work positively. But religious fanaticism can often work against that.

Sheila302_ in Onstage_1 asks:
Dear Peter, thank you for this on line chat. I love your music, since some musician don't listen to their own, what type of music do you listen to, when you might feel down or out of sorts? If you ever feel that way. Your faithful fan, Sheila

Peter Gabriel says:
I listen to what is called World Music. Rhythmic music which can be anything from African to rap or funky things that lift me up and dance energy and soulful music. Generally I would rather watch a film than listen to music. When you're working with music this much, when you have a few hours a day, you tend to want to do something else.

Digital Dish Diva says:
Do you have a favorite film you turn to again and again?

Peter Gabriel says:
I like some of the great directors like Scorsese, Kubrick, Fritz Lang and Fellini. I wanted to go to film school when I was 17. It was a toss up between film and music for me. I have lived vicariously through them.

Digital Dish Diva says:
It seems with your videos and "Play" it is almost a combination of both.

QuotedShayah in Onstage_1 asks:
When you are writing new material do you have a place/setting, such as near a river or pond, as water seems to be a very important element in your creativity.

Peter Gabriel says:
Music tends to be written in the studio because I've got the stuff there. Lyrics I often have to go away to write. If I'm at home I have 1,001 distractions. Washing machines to fix, groceries to buy. So I have to shut myself off in either a bed and breakfast or hotel. Or drive off into the woods. After a while you see animals become non threatening. I also have a theory of motion and creativity from when we were hunted or hunting in forests. When you see trees moving past with peripheral vision. . . I get the best ideas on trains and in cars because of that-- peripheral visual stimulation.

anastasiabeaverhowsen in Onstage_1 asks:
Which of your videos was the most interesting to make and which has the best end result for you? Darcey USA

Peter Gabriel says:
I think "Sledgehammer" has to be a peak. It was at a time when we were all hungry. We had a wonderful director named Steven Johnson and the Quay Brothers and I brought in Arden and Animation. It took us about a month to make it and it was an interesting mix bag of talent. The process was exhausting but entertaining.

Irto4 in Onstage_1 asks:
Hi Peter! This is Ben from New York. I was wondering about your experience in making the video for 'Don't Give Up', especially for the fact that the whole video is a single shot. It is really a great video. You and Kate really bring this amazing song to life.

Peter Gabriel says:
I have tried a different approach on that song but it didn't connect properly. Kevin Godley suggested to me that I just hold Kate through the whole song. I thought there are worse things to do to make a living. It was hard proposing this to Kate but it was fun to do.

Karin_Woywod in Onstage_1 asks:
Hi Peter! It's Karin from Berlin, Germany. I enjoyed Anna´s "Growing Up On Tour" video very much, especially the Newport Film Festival bit - could you PLEASE do more piano performances like that?

Peter Gabriel says:
I like to try. I'm not a natural piano player so it's something I have to work at. I have thought about doing a tour either as a one man or three man tour. I don't know if it will happen, but hopefully at one point.

Digital Dish Diva says:
Peter, can you tell us a little bit about the Witness Project?

Peter Gabriel says:
The Witness Project is something we set up 12 years ago to give video cameras to activists. It's amazing to see how cameras have changed things. You can find out more at Witness.org. There was a man in the Philippines named Joey Lozano who used his camera in land rights disputes. When they went out there with no camera quite a few people were shot. They realized that when they had the camera they were protected because no one wanted to get caught on film.

Peter Gabriel says:
The same with hospitals in Paraguay. Also as we see now with the torture photographs makes it easier to pursue against people.

Phaedra_C in Onstage_1 asks:
My all-time favorite video is the one for "Steam." In retrospect, what is your opinion of it?

Peter Gabriel says:
Steven Johnson helped with that and every time I came back through where he lives I would pop back in. I think it's got humor and each time we learned a little more.

Bonobowoman1 in Onstage_1 asks:
Hi Peter, thanks for joining us tonight. My question is: how do you feel after one of your shows? I cannot tell how I do feel.

Peter Gabriel says:
Mostly exhilarated. We come off stage and we would usually rush off to the next destination right after a show. So in the cars or planes we talk about what happened. Often have a beer and often a fun time.

Peter Gabriel says:
It's a great group experience hanging out with the band going to the next gig.

aquicoles in Onstage_1 asks:
Pierre-Alexandre, Montreal, I want to send you my thanks for Witness, it keeps my mom busy. She doing translation and she enjoys it.

Peter Gabriel says:
That's great. Thank her very much. Witness benefits greatly from the support we get from people around the world.

laure-m in Onstage_1 asks:
Not a question, Peter-just a "thank you" deeper than these words can possibly convey for the decades of music and inspiration. Your music has enriched my life immeasurably . . . and I know I speak for your fans worldwide when I say that!

Peter Gabriel says:
Very nice.

diveorfloat in Onstage_1 asks:
Simone in OZ: What was the most memorable concert ever you can remember giving?

Peter Gabriel says:
Sometimes you remember the negative ones. When you first go to places it's exciting. We played with Genesis in Scotland where there were more people on stage than in the audience. After a few songs we decided to just buy them all drinks instead. (laughs)

Moonbear411VBrad in Onstage_1 asks:
Did you work with Melanie in developing that beautiful angelic voice?

Peter Gabriel says:
Very little. She worked quite a lot with Joy Askew who was a vocal coach. Mostly she did it herself.

JeffJoplin in Onstage_1 asks:
Peter - Always admiring your work, in your opinion what is the single most impactful song you have written and why?

Peter Gabriel says:
Probably "Biko" because it was adopted as an anthem and was of use in that struggle.

Digital Dish Diva says:
Peter, thanks for joining us tonight on MSN Live! From all of your fans here on MSN Live, best of luck with "Play" and the Witness Program.

Peter Gabriel says:
It's been a pleasure interacting. Thanks as always for the support.