Tag Archives: Peter Gabriel

Top Ten Memorable Moments of the 2014 R & R Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

R&R HOF P Gabriel Induction
Chris Martin Inducts Peter Gabriel. (Crappy Photos By Gail’s iPad!)

The Class of 2014 entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last night and it was an evening full of magical moments, even for jaded, old-school, Rock Curmudgeon like me. The show went on for over 5 hours – and 90 minutes of that was just the E Street Band members giving their individual ‘Thank You’ speeches! A televised version of the ceremony will air on HBO on May 31st and I’m guessing that, to get it edited down to two hours, they’ll cut out all of the juiciest parts (Courtney Love being booed in front of her dead husband’s family, that was painful to experience). But I got see it all from a comfy seat in the Barclay’s Center. Here are a few moments that stand out.

Listed in the order they occurred:

That Peter Gabriel introductory montage was something else. He’s always been a musical genius (Six Words: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway), but the reminder of how much he’s done in his career was almost jarring. Because, wow. Peter Gabriel is awesome.

Chris Martin’s Induction speech for Gabriel was absolutely hilarious and man, does Martin look happy to be getting divorced.

After talking non-stop shit about each other in press for the past few months (it seems) all four original members of Kiss managed to not be total dicks to each other while accepting their awards (they were the only band to not have any kind of associated performance). I know that Gene thinks that Peter and Ace have no business being inducted along with him and Paul, but if he doesn’t understand that without those two that band would be residing in Nowheresville, he needs to pull his huge, ego-swollen head out of his ass.

I am pretty sure I had seen printed reports that Yusef Islam (FKA Cat Stevens) would not be appearing at the event, so no one was more blown away than me when he not only showed up, looking and sounding great, but also performed three of his classic songs including – wait for it – “Wild World” and “Peace Train”! Holy Effing Ess, “Peace Train.” I can’t even think about that song without losing my shit, so imagine what it was like to hear CAT FUCKING STEVENS perform it flawlessly, live in front of thousands of people. That’s a once-in-a-lifetime moment that you’ll never see again. I still can’t believe it happened, and I was there!

This out of chronological order, but it was so great to see Art Garfunkel induct Stevens. I love that guy.

Linda Ronstadt is an artist whose music I grew up loving back when AM Radio was a thing you listened to. Ronstadt is now retired and no longer travels due to symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease, but many talented ladies of rock were there to pay her tribute including Bonnie Raitt, Emmy Lou Harris, Stevie Nicks and Sheryl Crow. Carrie Underwood also performed a stunning version of “Different Drum” (written by Mike Nesmith of The Monkees. Way.) that knocked my socks off. She may have the stage presence of a shoe, but her voice has gotten completely insane since she won American Idol.

I was charmed by Bruce Springsteen’s Induction speech for his longtime musical companions, The E Street Band. They seem like a great family of musicians. Also, Max Weinberg is hot. Also, thank you E Street Band acceptance speeches for providing an excellent opportunity for me to make a much-needed trip to the Ladies Room.

My fondness for the music of Hall and Oates is pretty much restricted to “War Baby Son of Zorro” and, if forced to cite a more recent title, “Method of Modern Love,” on which I enjoy the part where Daryl Hall spells the song’s title. The thing is, despite the fact that songs like “Maneater” and “Sara Smile” serve as very, very effective emetic, their band is one of the tightest live bands I’ve ever seen, and Daryl Hall still ranks among the best voices in rock. I really enjoyed their performance.

I can’t even remember who said in their speech that the “Greatest pop song ever written was Beethoven’s 9th,” but that person was 100% correct.

Joan Jett Performs with Nirvana
Joan Jett Performs with Nirvana

Nirvana’s Induction started at 11:45 PM, but it was so worth waiting for, not only to see Joan Jett front the band for “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and the surprise performance of “All Apologies” as sung by teen singing sensation, Lorde, but also to hear David Grohl drop the F-Bomb at least four times. He is my new Hero.

Joseph Arthur Solo Exhibition at Able Fine Art

Joseph Arthur with Art
Artist/Musician Joseph Arthur with his Art (All Photos By Gail)

I first heard the name Joseph Arthur over 13 years ago, when he was recording for Peter Gabriel’s Real World label (then distributed by Virgin). What I discovered closely in tandem with his music is Joseph’s distinctive, almost primitive Picasso-esque style of abstract drawing, which you could see adorning his album covers and T Shirts. Continue reading Joseph Arthur Solo Exhibition at Able Fine Art

Lyrics of The Day: Peter Gabriel’s “Here Comes The Flood”


“Or Not”

When the night shows
The signals grow on radios
All the strange things
They come and go, as early warnings
Stranded starfish have no place to hide
Still waiting for the swollen Easter tide
There’s no point in direction we cannot
Even choose a side.

I took the old track
The hollow shoulder, across the waters
On the tall cliffs
They were getting older, sons and daughters
The jaded underworld was riding high
Waves of steel hurled metal at the sky
And as the nail sunk in the cloud, the rain
Was warm and soaked the crowd.

Lord, here comes the flood
We’ll say goodbye to flesh and blood
If again the seas are silent
And any still alive
It’ll be those who gave their island to survive
Drink up, dreamers, you’re running dry.

When the flood calls
You have no home, you have no walls
In the thunder crash
You’re a thousand minds, within a flash
Don’t be afraid to cry at what you see
The actors gone, there’s only you and me
And if we break before the dawn, they’ll
Use up what we used to be.

Lord, here comes the flood
We’ll say goodbye to flesh and blood
If again the seas are silent
And any still alive
It’ll be those who gave their island to survive
Drink up, dreamers, you’re running dry.

Happy Birthday, Peter Gabriel!


Image Source

Peter Gabriel  was born on this day, February 13, in 1950! How awesome is this photo that I was able to find from the sleeve for the single “Solsbury Hill” (b/w “Moribund The Burgermeister,” one of my favorite Petey songs, ever)! Happy Birthday, Peter!

Lyrics Of The Day: “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway” By Genesis

Lamb Lies Down

And the lamb lies down on Broadway

Early morning Manhattan
Ocean winds blow on the land
The Movie-Palace is now undone
The all-night watchmen have had their fun
Sleeping cheaply on the midnight show
It’s the same old ending, time to go
Get out!

It seems they cannot leave their dream
There’s something moving in the sidewalk steam
And the lamb lies down on Broadway

Nightime flyers feel their pains
Drugstore takes down the chains
Metal motion comes in bursts
but the gas station can quench that thirst
Suspension cracked on unmade road
The truckers eyes read Overload

And out on the subway
Rael Imperial Aerosol Kid
Exits into daylight, spraygun hid
And the lamb lies down on Broadway

The lamb seems right out of place
Yet the Broadway street scene finds a focus in its face
Somehow its lying there
Brings a stillness to the air
Though man-made light, at night is very bright
There’s no whitewash victim
As the neon dims, to the coat of white

Rael Imperial Aerosol Kid
Wipes his gun, he’s forgotten what he did
And the lamb lies down on Broadway

Suzanne tired her work all done
Thinks money-honey-be on-neon
Cabman’s velvet glove sounds the horn
And the sawdust king spits out his scorn
Wonder women draw your blind!
Don’t look at me! I’m not your kind
I’m Rael!

Something inside me has just begun

Lord knows what I have done

And the lamb lies down on Broadway

On Broadway
They say the lights are always bright on Broadway
They say there’s always magic in the air