Uploaded July 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Peter Gabriel has inhabited many roles. From a costumed prog poet in Genesis to a conservationist balladeer on the Wall-E soundtrack. However his run of self-titled albums are where he found himself as a musician.
On his third album in 1980, he took all the post punk, synth pop and world music happening around him and blended it into his twitchy lopsided art rock. Gabriel spun tales of mental health disarray and anthems of dissatisfaction, and, with help from a French game show and Kate Bush, whistled his way to one of his biggest hits. This is New British Canon and This is the Story of “Games Without Frontiers.”
#petergabriel #postpunk #musicdocumentary
Fact-checking and Additional Writing by Chad Van Wagner.
00:00 Introduction
00:44 Leaving Genesis & Taking a Leap of Faith
07:47 The Recording of Peter Gabriel 3
14:04 A One, Two, Four... - "Games Without Frontiers"
20:42 "Biko" - It Was Business as Usual
27:20 The Legacy & Influence of Peter Gabriel 3
Bibliography
Experiencing Peter Gabriel: A Listener's Companion by Durrell Bowman, 2016, Rowman & Littlefield
Without Frontiers: The Life and Music of Peter Gabriel by Daryl Easlea, 2013, Omnibus Press
Peter Gabriel: In His Words by Mick St Michael, 1994, Omnibus Press
The Story of... Peter Gabriel (2002) prod. Bill Welychka for MuchMoreMusic
Genesis - The Story So Far Documentary (1991) prod. Robert Sidaway
"Genesis: Peter Gabriel Talks" by Barbara Charone, NME, Oct 1973
"Peter Gabriel Quits Genesis" by Chris Welch, Melody Maker, Aug 1975
"Peter Gabriel: Behind Peter Gabriel's Mask" by Chris Welch, Melody Maker, Dec 1975
"The Ghost That Haunts Genesis" by Harry Doherty, Melody Maker, Feb 1976
"Peter Gabriel: Toronto Tales Of The Overkill Kid" by Barbara Charone, Sounds, Oct 1976
"The Re-Genesis Of Peter Gabriel" by Tony Stewart, NME, Oct 1977
"Peter Gabriel: Say Goodbye to the Bubble Creature" by Barbara Charone, Circus, Mar 1977
"Peter Gabriel: The Lamb Stands Up" by Barbara Charone, Sounds, Apr 1977
"Peter Gabriel" by Caroline Coon, Sounds, June 1978
"Mr. Clean: Peter Gabriel" by Phil Sutcliffe, Sounds, Jun 1980
"The Evolution Of Peter Gabriel – Why He Believes In Taking Risks With His Music" by Jim Sullivan, The Boston Globe, Jul 1980
"Gabriel on Gabriel or Man vs. Record" by Jim Sullivan, Trouser Press, Oct 1980
"Peter Gabriel: Don't Touch Me There" by Hugh Fielder, Sounds, Oct 1982
"Rhythm Of The Pete" by Richard Cook, NME, Oct 1982
"Peter Gabriel: Tales Of The Gold Monkey" by Phil Bell, Sounds, Oct 1983
"Peter Gabriel: Can I Get a Witness?" by Jay Sweet, Paste, Jun 2007
"Peter Gabriel 3: Melt 40 Years On" by Chris Roberts, The Quietus, Oct 2010
"An Invasion Of Privacy: Peter Gabriel Interviewed" by John Doran, The Quietus, Sep 2011
"Cash for questions: Peter Gabriel" by Mark Blake, Q Magazine, Dec 2011
"Peter Gabriel on 30 years of Womad – and mixing music with politics" by Dorian Lynskey, The Guardian, Jul 2012
"Genesis: 10 of the best" by Stevie Chick, The Guardian, Sep 2014
"Genesis interviewed: “We ended up as a three-piece because we had too many ideas for a five-piece…”" by Michael Bonne, Uncut, Sep 2015
"Peter Gabriel – 10 of the best" by John Doran, The Guardian, Nov 2016
"10 Reasons Peter Gabriel’s ‘Solsbury Hill’ Is One of the Greatest Songs of All Time" by Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, Feb 2017
"The 200 Best Albums of the 1980s 125" by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Pitchfork, Sep 2018
"40 Years of ‘Melt’: Peter Gabriel’s catalytic third album" by Paul Pearson, Treble, May 2020
"No Self Control: An Oral History Of 'Peter Gabriel III'" by Ryan Reed, Grammys, May 2020
"Geopolitical Jams and No Cymbals: Peter Gabriel (3) at 40" by Jim Allen, Rock and Roll Globe, May 2020
"Peter Gabriel: Unmasked" by Michael Bonner, Uncut, Sep 2020
"Without Frontiers" by Graeme Thomson, Uncut, Sep 2020
"FEATURE: A PERFECT PARTNERSHIP: KATE BUSH ON PETER GABRIEL’S MELT" by Music Musings and Such, Jun 2021
"The stories of Peter Gabriel's solo albums, told by his collaborators" by Sid Smith, Prog Magazine, Jun 2022
Soundtrack
Luar - Citrine (soundcloud.com/luarbeats)
Jesse Gallagher - The Golden Present
Luar - Into (soundcloud.com/luarbeats)
Luar - Anchor (soundcloud.com/luarbeats)
You can also follow me here:
Twitter: twitter.com/TrashTheory
Facebook: facebook.com/TrashTheoryYT
Instagram: instagram.com/theorytrash
Or support me on Patreon:
patreon.com/TrashTheory
Peter Gabriel has inhabited many roles. From a costumed prog poet in Genesis to a conservationist balladeer on the Wall-E soundtrack. However his run of self-titled albums are where he found himself as a musician.
On his third album in 1980, he took all the post punk, synth pop and world music happening around him and blended it into his twitchy lopsided art rock. Gabriel spun tales of mental health disarray and anthems of dissatisfaction, and, with help from a French game show and Kate Bush, whistled his way to one of his biggest hits. This is New British Canon and This is the Story of “Games Without Frontiers.”
#petergabriel #postpunk #musicdocumentary
Fact-checking and Additional Writing by Chad Van Wagner.
00:00 Introduction
00:44 Leaving Genesis & Taking a Leap of Faith
07:47 The Recording of Peter Gabriel 3
14:04 A One, Two, Four... - "Games Without Frontiers"
20:42 "Biko" - It Was Business as Usual
27:20 The Legacy & Influence of Peter Gabriel 3
Bibliography
Experiencing Peter Gabriel: A Listener's Companion by Durrell Bowman, 2016, Rowman & Littlefield
Without Frontiers: The Life and Music of Peter Gabriel by Daryl Easlea, 2013, Omnibus Press
Peter Gabriel: In His Words by Mick St Michael, 1994, Omnibus Press
The Story of... Peter Gabriel (2002) prod. Bill Welychka for MuchMoreMusic
Genesis - The Story So Far Documentary (1991) prod. Robert Sidaway
"Genesis: Peter Gabriel Talks" by Barbara Charone, NME, Oct 1973
"Peter Gabriel Quits Genesis" by Chris Welch, Melody Maker, Aug 1975
"Peter Gabriel: Behind Peter Gabriel's Mask" by Chris Welch, Melody Maker, Dec 1975
"The Ghost That Haunts Genesis" by Harry Doherty, Melody Maker, Feb 1976
"Peter Gabriel: Toronto Tales Of The Overkill Kid" by Barbara Charone, Sounds, Oct 1976
"The Re-Genesis Of Peter Gabriel" by Tony Stewart, NME, Oct 1977
"Peter Gabriel: Say Goodbye to the Bubble Creature" by Barbara Charone, Circus, Mar 1977
"Peter Gabriel: The Lamb Stands Up" by Barbara Charone, Sounds, Apr 1977
"Peter Gabriel" by Caroline Coon, Sounds, June 1978
"Mr. Clean: Peter Gabriel" by Phil Sutcliffe, Sounds, Jun 1980
"The Evolution Of Peter Gabriel – Why He Believes In Taking Risks With His Music" by Jim Sullivan, The Boston Globe, Jul 1980
"Gabriel on Gabriel or Man vs. Record" by Jim Sullivan, Trouser Press, Oct 1980
"Peter Gabriel: Don't Touch Me There" by Hugh Fielder, Sounds, Oct 1982
"Rhythm Of The Pete" by Richard Cook, NME, Oct 1982
"Peter Gabriel: Tales Of The Gold Monkey" by Phil Bell, Sounds, Oct 1983
"Peter Gabriel: Can I Get a Witness?" by Jay Sweet, Paste, Jun 2007
"Peter Gabriel 3: Melt 40 Years On" by Chris Roberts, The Quietus, Oct 2010
"An Invasion Of Privacy: Peter Gabriel Interviewed" by John Doran, The Quietus, Sep 2011
"Cash for questions: Peter Gabriel" by Mark Blake, Q Magazine, Dec 2011
"Peter Gabriel on 30 years of Womad – and mixing music with politics" by Dorian Lynskey, The Guardian, Jul 2012
"Genesis: 10 of the best" by Stevie Chick, The Guardian, Sep 2014
"Genesis interviewed: “We ended up as a three-piece because we had too many ideas for a five-piece…”" by Michael Bonne, Uncut, Sep 2015
"Peter Gabriel – 10 of the best" by John Doran, The Guardian, Nov 2016
"10 Reasons Peter Gabriel’s ‘Solsbury Hill’ Is One of the Greatest Songs of All Time" by Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, Feb 2017
"The 200 Best Albums of the 1980s 125" by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Pitchfork, Sep 2018
"40 Years of ‘Melt’: Peter Gabriel’s catalytic third album" by Paul Pearson, Treble, May 2020
"No Self Control: An Oral History Of 'Peter Gabriel III'" by Ryan Reed, Grammys, May 2020
"Geopolitical Jams and No Cymbals: Peter Gabriel (3) at 40" by Jim Allen, Rock and Roll Globe, May 2020
"Peter Gabriel: Unmasked" by Michael Bonner, Uncut, Sep 2020
"Without Frontiers" by Graeme Thomson, Uncut, Sep 2020
"FEATURE: A PERFECT PARTNERSHIP: KATE BUSH ON PETER GABRIEL’S MELT" by Music Musings and Such, Jun 2021
"The stories of Peter Gabriel's solo albums, told by his collaborators" by Sid Smith, Prog Magazine, Jun 2022
Soundtrack
Luar - Citrine (soundcloud.com/luarbeats)
Jesse Gallagher - The Golden Present
Luar - Into (soundcloud.com/luarbeats)
Luar - Anchor (soundcloud.com/luarbeats)
You can also follow me here:
Twitter: twitter.com/TrashTheory
Facebook: facebook.com/TrashTheoryYT
Instagram: instagram.com/theorytrash
Or support me on Patreon:
patreon.com/TrashTheory
