Thoughts on Peter Gabriel Then and Now?

Once Jill, his ex-wife, watched Peter Gabriel while performing macho Rael in his leather jacket during The Lamb, she cried "I wish he was that macho at home"  .. because Peter Gabriel private was usually a tea drinking vegetarian ... .. Later she betrayed Peter with one person of the road crew, finally they divorced and Peter went into psycho-therapeutical help. But nowadays he's happy  and I still enjoy his early Genesis live video/dvd footage, magical and the best progrock ever delivered!

Gabriel's solo output is outstanding!

In the late Eighties when Peter his passive-agressive behaviour became a problem, many upper-middle-class UK suffer from that too. A few years ago some famous and successfull were on BBC TV and told in tears that they, despite their success, never had felt happy because of their up-bringing to hide emotions and to show you are superior and do not allow any weakness.

Thats unfortunate because you are denying yourself some great music.PG was one of the first artists to embrace the world music sounds.He introduced some great percussion sounds and the wonderful singer Yousou N'dour for example.By the way PG is a diagnosed bi-polar sufferer.To really experience his world music composing I would recommend his album "Passion" which was the soundtrack to The last temptation of christ movie.Brilliant.

LOVE his 1st and 2nd albums then nothing does much for me until Us and Up, which are also brilliant.

I know I must be wrong (cos everybody raves about it) but he lost me on 3.

It's hard for me to name that many artists who have kept the quality of their work at such a high level for so many decades like Peter has.  He has stayed true to himself all the way through.  I recently re-viewed a concert that aired on the Disney Channel from his "US" tour in the late 80s and it still holds up extremely well.  He is one of a kind and we have been fortunate to have had his music enlighten us for so long.  I hope someday to see him in person.

Of his solo material, I only have III, So, Us, and Up, but I must say that Us and particularily Up are absolutely stunning albums. Us is almost world music at times featuring Manu Katche on percussion and is an album about relationships according to the liner notes. It has a lot of beautiful songs, but a couple of turds (Namely Steam) IMO, the best song on it is Only Us (with TL putting his very magical touch of gold on bass)
Up is just as beautiful, but in a different way. It is his best album and also almost stands up to his 70's era Genesis periood (but not quite) The best songs on it for me are Darkness, My Head Sounds Like That, Signal To Noise, and The Drop (the latter being the most beautiful song PG has ever written)
PG as an artist has covered a massive range of sounds and styles and kept the quality up throughout 4 decades

A true artist.

Peter Gabriel took the necessary step to avoid finding himself doing the same thing over and over again. I respect that, since a true artist is always questioning the meaning of Art. On the other hand, mr. Banks...