Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel [3]

Generally regarded as Peter Gabriel's finest record, his third eponymous album finds him coming into his own, crafting an album that's artier, stronger, more song-oriented than before. Consider its ominous opener, the controlled menace of "Intruder." He's never found such a scary sound, yet it's a sexy scare, one that is undeniably alluring, and he keeps this going throughout the record. For an album so popular, it's remarkably bleak, chilly, and dark -- even radio favorites like "I Don't Remember" and "Games Without Frontiers" are hardly cheerful, spiked with paranoia and suspicion, insulated in introspection. For the first time, Gabriel has found the sound to match his themes, plus the songs to articulate his themes. Each aspect of the album works, feeding off each other, creating a romantically gloomy, appealingly arty masterpiece. It's the kind of record where you remember the details in the production as much as the hooks or the songs, which isn't to say that it's all surface -- it's just that the surface means as much as the songs, since it articulates the emotions as well as Gabriel's cubist lyrics and impassioned voice. He wound up having albums that sold more, or generated bigger hits, but this third Peter Gabriel album remains his masterpiece. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Name Credits Albert Lawrence Equipment Technician Armando Callo Photography Armando Gallo Photography Brad Owen Photography Dan Blore Sleeve Restoration Dan Roe Assistant Engineer David Gregory Guitar, ? David Price Equipment Technician David Rhodes Vocals (Background), ?, Guitar Dick Morrissey Saxophone, ? Edel Griffith Assistant Engineer Gail Colson Management George Chambers Assistant, Assistant Engineer Hipgnosis [Design Group] Design, Photography, Original Sleeve Design, Cover Design Hugh Padgham Whistle (Human), Engineer Ian Cooper Mastering, Original Mastering Jerry Marotta Drums, ?, Percussion John Giblin ?, Bass Kate Bush Vocals (Background), ? Larry Fast Electric Bagpipes, Photography, Producer, Processing, Synthesizer Bass, ?, Synthesizer Les Krims Inspiration Marc Bessant Graphic Design Marlis Duncklau Assistant, Assistant Engineer Mekon Artwork Mic Smith Research, Introduction Morris Pert Percussion, ? Nick Thomas Assistant, Assistant Engineer Paul Weller Guitar, ? Peter Gabriel Vocals (Background), Piano, Synthesizer Bass, Whistle (Human), Percussion, Drums, Vocals, Synthesizer Phil Collins Surdo, Drums, Drums (Snare) Phil Kamin Photography Richard Chappell Engineer Robert Fripp Guitar, ? Steve Lillywhite Producer, Whistle (Human) Steve Prestage Assistant, Assistant Engineer Susie Millns Design Coordinator Tony Cousins Remastering Tony Levin Stick, ? Tony Smith Management