Customer Reviews

Peter Gabriel: An Authorized Biography

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Mr. Bright has created a work that is readable and insightful about a man whose creativity and experimentation with rock sounds and textures is extraordinary. Especially interesting to this reader are the artist's own explanations of his lyrics, which are sometimes obscure (deliberately) but always interesting. Mr. Gabriel doesn't talk down to his listeners; he has matured and assumes we are maturing along with him. A definite must-read for anyone who is a fan of this long-term rock legend.

For years I searched store shelves in vain looking for a quality book on Peter Gabriel. When I at last looked online, I thought I had found what I needed. However, this biography reads more like a textbook than a warm or interesting biography. The author spliced the book together using available quotes and interviews, and seems to never have talked to Peter himself. And while there are many interesting tidbits, such as the fact that a schoolboy Gabriel once made a hat worn by Keith Richards of the Stones on TV, it really drags. Even I, a serious fan, found myself skipping through many sections. Worth the read? Yes. If you think of yourself as a serious fan. An enjoyable read? Not really. In fact, you may be disappointed in your hero when you learn how distant he was from his wife and family.

Unlike some other reviewers, I found this book to be highly readable and very informative. I think Bright does a great job getting into Gabriel's motivations and interests and this makes for a very good biography.

Gabriel has so many interests outside of his own music and it's especially nice to get these viewpoints in the biography. He is involved in human rights, world music, multimedia, alternative health, and psychological therapies. These other interests do tell you more about the man than just a standard "Gabriel-released-this-album-and-toured" work.

The only complaint I have is about the some of the extremely long chapters. The book could be logically broken in better places to make keeping your place easier!

A welcome update to his previous work, Bright's new book still has the same positive and negative sides of the first edition. Excellent research is his finest point (he talked to people who knew the subject well and did give great insights), but the stress on all matters personal and private seems to me a bit over the top. Sure we want to know what kind of a person Peter is besides his rock-star persona, but the text doesn't always succeed in connecting this with Gabriel's musical output.

This is definately the best biography about Peter Gabriel that exists. I was surprised at how intimate it was especially in a sexual way, but PG himself I believe advocates openness. So... He also appears to have endorsed this book about himself. I was glad also to come to the positive ending aswell. May happiness continue... A satisfying read all round and best piccies.