Friday August 15 2008 Robin Denselow from the Guardian interviewed Peter gabriel about what's new with his life. Peter has just had his fourth son at the age of 58. Yet he still has time to do politics and music. He speaks openly about the Elders, the 12 people including Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu and this time himself. http://theelders.org/ - The Elders is a group of retired politicians and influental people who "can speak freely and boldly, working both publicly and behind the scenes on whatever actions need to be taken. Together we will work to support courage where there is fear, foster agreement where there is conflict, and inspire hope where there is despair." Says Mr. Mandela. Peter Gabriel says also, that being called to this meeting was one of the reasons  why he didn't join the Genesis reunion.

Mr. Gabriel appears on a new Real World release, for which he was co-curator. It's called Big Blue Ball, and consists of collaborations by artists from around the world who came together for what Gabriel called Recording Weeks, held at Gabriel's studios in Wiltshire in 1991, 1992 and 1995, with extra vocals added to one song last year. The Big Blue Ball is out now on Real World Records via Proper.

The interview with Mr. Denselow also states, and I quote:

So what next? He says there will be a new album soon, possibly next year. And he's recorded for an album called Scratch My Back, in which artists cover each other's songs. And then there's his involvement with the Elders, the concept of which sprang from a conversation with Richard Branson in 1999.

So aside from working on the renewed Womad festivals he says he's got time to get a new album done. Of course this is just great, and I really hope he gets it done. Though I really appreciate his work with the Elders too.

My personal favourite is the ending paragraph:

And did he really have to make the choice between meetings with Mandela, Tutu and co and singing The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway? It seems so. The Elders, said Gabriel "was a once-in-a lifetime opportunity and more pressing for me than a Genesis reunion, even though it could be fun to do some time. But it's not necessarily something I would want to live in." Meaning? "It's a nice place to visit but not somewhere you want to move back to necessarily." It's not, perhaps, the Real World.

Well, we forgive you, at least I do. There's more important matters in the world than the Genesis reunion... The new Peter Gabriel album promised for next year for example!!!

The whole article can be found at http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/aug/15/worldmusic.popandrock - http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/aug/15/worldmusic.popandrock