Peter Gabriel 3 Melt

Peter Gabriel’s Best Album: Peter Gabriel (1980)

Before going solo, Peter Gabriel fronted the progressive rock band Genesis for six albums. His theatrical flair, croaky voice, and creative wordplay were all important ingredients in the the group’s artistic success.

Only 25 years old, Gabriel announced his departure from Genesis in 1975, but it took Gabriel time to find his footing as a solo artist. His 1977 debut featured the much loved ‘Solsbury Hill’, but it’s a dizzily eclectic record, a man liberated from the confines of a group, and trying out everything from progressive rock epics to slick modern rock and a barbershop quartet. Gabriel’s second album was a collaboration with King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp. It’s an unsatisfying effort from a pairing that sounds interesting on paper.

When Gabriel started work on his third album, he was yet to fulfill his potential on record. This all changed with a visionary record that introduced sonic innovations that would help to define the course of 1980s music and the rest of Gabriel’s career.

XTC Drums and Wires

Unlike his first two albums, Gabriel’s third album started from rhythm – keyboard player Larry Fast gave Gabriel one of the first programmable drum machine. Gabriel later said “I felt that I wanted to write music for the eighties and that the place to begin was with a rhythm track”. To freshen his sound, Gabriel hired young producer Steve Lillywhite, who’d scored new wave hits like XTC‘s ‘Making Plans For Nigel’.

Another innovation was the drum sound – Peter Gabriel was recorded in Virgin Records’ Townhouse studios. Studio Two has stone walls that exaggerated the resonance of the cymbals. Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel’s former band-mate in Genesis, was recording drum tracks, and Gabriel announced that he didn’t want cymbals and hi-hats because they were “too normal”. Because of this, Lillywhite and engineer Hugh Padgham created a big, ambient sound by placing the microphones further away from the kit.

While Collins was playing around with his re-configured kit, Lillywhite and Padgham were experimenting with a gate compressor unit, that shut the sound off and squashed it. When applied to Collins’ drums, it created an enormous sound, later termed as “gated reverb”. Gabriel wrote opening track ‘Intruder’ around Collins’ drum track, while Collins would use the same sound on his solo work, notably ‘In The Air Tonight’. Gated reverb had previously appeared on 1979 albums by XTC and Yellow Magic Orchestra, but it was very prominent on ‘Intruder’ and became a defining feature in 1980s pop music. Lillywhite later stated that “It’s been used so much that I’ve gone off it a little bit”.

The African rhythms and social justice lyrics on ‘Biko’ were new territory for Gabriel, and both would often reappear on his later work. Gabriel also pioneered of the use of marimbas on a pop record, inspired by Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians. He was also the first person to use a Fairlight synthesizer in a UK recording studio.

Demonstrating that he had his finger on the pulse of popular music, Gabriel collaborated with new talent; The Jam’s Paul Weller plays guitar on ‘And Through The Wire’, as does XTC’s Dave Gregory on ‘Family Snapshot’. Kate Bush provided backing vocals on ‘Games Without Frontiers’ and ‘No Self Control’. Robert Fripp’s avant-garde guitar returns from the previous record, and shines on ‘I Don’t Remember’.

Recording an album with a plethora of sonic innovations, Gabriel had to deal with record company interference. Atlantic A&R man John Kolodner infamously offered suggestions on how Gabriel could make ‘And Through The Wire’ sound like The Doobie Brothers. Gabriel and his team refused to compromise the modern, ground-breaking sounds of Peter Gabriel, and Gabriel was dropped by the label. They were ultimately vindicated with the record’s success – it topped the album chart in the UK, and sold 250,000 copies in the USA.

Peter Gabriel viewed his early albums like magazines, naming them all Peter Gabriel, but his third album is commonly referred to as Peter Gabriel III or Melt. The melting effect on the album’s cover was created by rubbing the emulsion on a Polaroid before it was dry.

Why Peter Gabriel III (Melt) is Peter Gabriel’s Best Album

Peter Gabriel’s third album is his most innovative effort – many of the new ideas that Gabriel introduced would continue to be used over the rest of his career. He established himself as a major creative force as a solo artist. Lyrically III is a series of portraits of psychological disturbance – an intruder, an assassin, and the portrait of mental illness on ‘Lead A Normal Life’. The decision to end the album with the empathy of ‘Biko’ gives the record a warmth that would otherwise be lacking.

Since Peter Gabriel III (Melt), Gabriel’s been far from prolific, only releasing four further studio albums:

Peter Gabriel 4 Security

Peter Gabriel IV (Security) (1982): Gabriel’s fourth album is a more difficult listen, insular and synthetic, but it’s a worthy followup to III, with standout tracks like ‘San Jacinto’ and ‘Wallflower’.

So (1986): So is Gabriel’s best known record, but for me at least, it loses some of Gabriel’s identity with its mainstream sound. It’s understandable that it was his best selling record, with hit singles like ‘Sledgehammer’, ‘Big Time’, and ‘In Your Eyes’.

Peter Gabriel Us

Us (1992): Us is often overlooked, but for me it’s a deeper, more interesting version of So. ‘Steam’ is a great, funky single, while albums tracks like ‘Secret World’ and ‘Blood of Eden’ are gorgeous.

Up (2002): Gabriel’s perfectionism resulted in an overworked album with great moments like ‘Signal To Noise’ and ‘Growing Up’.

Along with his studio albums, some of Gabriel’s best work is on soundtracks. His most highly regarded is 1989’s Passion (Music for The Last Temptation of Christ), which explores Middle Eastern sounds among other world music textures. I only recently discovered OVO, Gabriel’s soundtrack to London’s millennium exhibition.

Key Tracks

Family Snapshot

‘Family Snapshot’ starts slowly, with Gabriel accompanying himself on electric grand piano. Its multi-part structure might invite comparisons with Genesis, but with its saxophone it’s also comparable in tone to Bruce Springsteen’s 1970s epic album tracks. Thematically it’s right in tone with the psychologically disturbed themes that run through Melt – it’s a portrait of an assassin and their need for attention, inspired by Arthur Bremer’s account of his attempt to assassinate Alabama Governor George Wallace.

Games Without Frontiers

The album’s lead single, ‘Games Without Frontiers’ paved the way for the album’s success. Its peak chart position of #4 ties it with ‘Sledgehammer’ as Gabriel’s most successful single, but it’s an oddball record. Kate Bush repeatedly sings the phrase ‘Jeux Sans Frontières’, the long-running TV show that inspired the song’s title, while Padgham, Lillywhite, and Gabriel’s whistling part is also prominent. The lyrics equate world politics with a children’s game, and on the single release the line “Whistling tunes we piss on the goons in the jungle” was replaced by “Whistling tunes we’re kissing baboons in the jungle.”

Biko

Steve Biko was a South African anti-apartheid activist. He died in 1977, after beaten by state security officers after his arrest. Peter Gabriel’s memorial to Biko wasn’t the first to protest apartheid, but was one of the most well known – U2’s Bono later stated that he was unaware of apartheid until he heard the song. The synthesised bagpipes are an unusual sonic touch. Gabriel would go on to collaborate with Amnesty International, and 1982’s ‘Wallflower’ is another excellent protest song.

Do the Experts Agree?

Peter Gabriel III was very successful for such a ground-breaking album, topping the charts in the UK.

Dave Marsh wrote in Rolling Stone: “Lucid and driven. Peter Gabriel’s third solo album sticks in the mind like the haunted heroes of the best film noirs.”

On the website Rate Your Music, Peter Gabriel (1980) is ranked as Gabriel’s best album, with a average rating of 3.92/5.

On the website Acclaimed Music, Peter Gabriel (1980) is ranked as Gabriel’s second best album, as the 611th best album of all time, behind So at #230.

Peter Gabriel (1980) is included in the original edition of 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, along with Peter Gabriel (1977) and So.


What’s your favourite Peter Gabriel album?

Read more:
Peter Gabriel album reviews
Genesis album reviews
The Best Album By series

27 Comments

  1. The only one I’ve heard is “So” because of the heavy airplay and a buddy with the album… I’ve listened to Genesis Foxtrot when you featured some songs off it and liked it but that is it on Peter Gabriel. I have heard Biko before.
    The So album was very different musically and even video wise compared to his peers at the time… I have to admire his ambition.

    • I like So, but it kind of takes the ideas from this record and presents them in a more commercial context. I find it pretty funny how Genesis went from a kind of fringe progressive act in the early 1970s to world domination by the mid 1980s – Phil Collins, Mike and the Mechanics, Gabriel, and Genesis were all having enormous hits in the era.

      • I guess you can only go so far out until you start to recycle some…I did say something wrong…the first song I remember from Gabriel was Shock The Monkey on the Security album. It was played on MTV over and over.

        I was talking to someone else about Genesis. They went from progressive to a pop hit machine… but I will say this. When I started to listen to Foxtrot I was surprised on how there were catchy pop melodies in there.

  2. Great piece Graham. And although I respect and appreciate your arguments, ‘Melt’ comes in at #2 for me.

    That’s because I find ‘Us’ exceptional–a ‘rating’ that has lasted many years now. I cannot think of a rock album that captures the nuance of modern life (particularly relationships) better. It is thematically ‘Adult’ in the best possible way and sounds super. I love it so much I’ve never been able to write about it. 🙂

    • Us is my second favourite, actually – I think it gets very overlooked. If you look at RateYourMusic, it’s rated 6th out of his 7 studio albums, even behind Up. I think it suffers a little from CD era bloat – the running times are a little long and I don’t like 14 Black Paintings much – but there are some amazing songs. ‘Secret World’ is incredible – might be my favourite Gabriel song.

  3. Nice review – always interesting to learn more about the process of creating an album. I had a friend in college who loved Peter Gabriel and first exposed me to him. First songs I can remember really liking was Shock the Monkey and Biko. I’m assuming your reference to Little Steven in a different comment thread had to do with his involvement in the anti-apartheid movement Artists United Against Apartheid?

      • I’m seeing Little Steven in concert later in July – he is playing Sun City this time around which I am really looking forward to

  4. I went through Peter Gabriel’s solo albums a while back, and his 1980 album (aka Melt) I agree is up there with his best work. I love the layers of sound and an album to listen to with a high-quality sound system! “So” is the singer’s most popular and accessible album but Melt has more experimentation.

  5. Again we have had our PG talks. I’m a big fan of these early albums and was a big fan of his music so I have a hard time rating them. This is a very good album (and will be getting the CB treatment) but I found so much in all those records. He certainly wasn’t setting the commercial airwaves on fire but he did start getting some play wit this one. I got a kick out of the guy wanting more of a ‘Doobie” sound.I love those money guys.

    • It went to number one in the UK which is pretty crazy for such an innovative record. Apparently the guys changed record companies after the album was a hit in the UK and tried to buy back Gabriel for his new label after firing him from the old one.

      • You know I keep it positive on my side Aph but it really his hard when you hear shit like that. It is bad but not as bad as the guy that dropped Cash from Columbia. Johnny was in his latter years and just the thought of it makes my head jam up. All about $$$signs huh?
        But you’re right this album is special bunch of music.

  6. I agree. Melt (III) is Gabriel’s best album. However, for me, it’s tied with his first album (Car). His first contains Solsbury Hill, Humdrum, and Here Comes The Flood, three of his strongest songs, in my opinion. He never topped his wonderful debut album.

  7. Can’t argue with that pick for best album by PG.

    However, I don’t understand why So’s commercial appeal or “mainstream” sound is such a knock against it.

    First of all, it’s not really a very commercial album in total. Sure, it’s got Sledgehammer & Big Time, but those tracks found mainstream success without being completely mainstream. Are they catchy? Certainly. But catchy does not necessarily equal commercial. Much of Gabriel’s work is catchy: he’s got a good ear for melody and rhythm. Secondly, the interesting flourishes in those songs (like the flute and fretless bass in Sledgehammer) and the clever indirect lyrics keep those from being cookie-cutter commercial singles. There is too much non-conventional instrumentation and virtuoso-level playing, together with Gabriel’s unusual (for mainstream) thematic choices to call this collection mainstream.

    • Thanks for writing in! I guess it depends on context – I find it pretty straightforward compared to Gabriel’s previous two records (III and Security), but it is pretty out there compared to Genesis’ Invisible Touch from the same year, I do find a lot of the album tracks pretty bland – but he does a pretty good job of making a mega-popular album without losing his creative essence.

  8. That was interesting to read about how they did that Phil Collins In the Air Tonight drum sound. I never knew it was called that or how they did it. I always loved it. Especially on Something’s Going On, the ’80s hit by Frida from Abba. I think Phil Collins also wrote and produced it, besides drums. The drum sound is amazing. I think Solsbury Hill and Games Without Frontiers are Peter Gabriel’s best. I never get tired of those. I actually think he had more good songs with Genesis. Or at least as many. Steve Lilywhite was really great at that time, up until he got with the later U2 or Simple Minds albums. He did especially great job on the Psychedelic Furs’ amazing Talk Talk Talk.

    • I’ve never heard that Frida song. I’m pretty amazed how gated snare changed from experimental to mainstream so quickly.

      I think Gabriel’s strongest era is his last three albums with Genesis, but his solo career is long enough that it outweighs his Genesis work overall. I have a lot of time for Us from 1992, even though it suffers from CD bloat. Secret World is my favourite solo Gabriel song.

      • That Frida record is amazing. It’s like a real extreme example of that sound. If Phil Collins would have sang it instead of her it would have been his biggest hit. It’s one of the coolest records of the ’80s. Carpet crawlers is Peter Gabriel’s best record I think. Or at least the best Genesis song. Along with Wardrobe.

        • I’m not so keen on the 1999 remake of Carpet Crawlers, but the original is great.

          I just listened to that Frida song too – I was out and about when I was commenting yesterday. That drum sound is huge, but it works with her voice.

          • I checked and Phil Collins only produced the Frida record and played drums but didn’t write it. Russ Ballard wrote it, who I think also wrote a bunch of cheesy ’80s big ballads. I think.
            I don’t even know the remake of Carpet Crawlers. I’ve gotta see what that’s all about

    • It seems like a point of debate for music historians.

      It says on the Wikipedia article for the 1979 song ‘Behind the Mask’ that “Yellow Magic Orchestra made use of synthesizers for the melodies and digital gated reverb for the snare drums.”

      But the source it cites isn’t particularly explicit about it: https://daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2014/11/yellow-magic-orchestra-gear/

      Yellow Magic Orchestra seem super-underrated in general – I only really caught up with them in the last couple of years.

  9. Great post, man – I couldn’t argue with III being the best. I would likely go for this or IV. I like both of them a helluva lot. I’ve been getting into So a fair bit more over the last year or so, too.

    • Security is great too – Wallflower and San Jacinto are some of my favourite Gabriel songs.

Leave a Reply

About

Aphoristic Album Reviews is almost entirely written by one person. It features album reviews and blog posts across a growing spectrum of popular music.

Default image
Aphoristical View Profile
Graham Fyfe has been writing this website since his late teens. Now in his forties, he's been obsessively listening to albums for years. He works as a web editor and plays the piano.

Review Pages

Read about the discographies of musical acts from the 1960s to the present day. Browse this site's review archives or enjoy these random selections:

Blog Posts

I add new blog posts to this website every week. Browse the archives or enjoy these random selections: