Secret World Live [Live]

Peter Gabriel | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 13, 1994)
• Original Release Date: September 13, 1994
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Live
• Label: Geffen Records
• ASIN: B000000OTY
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (83 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #23,131 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Out-of-print in the US! An aural postcard of Gabriel's 1993-1994 "Us World Tour", SECRET WORLD LIVE is demonstrative of this studio perfectionist's ability to produce singular, textured works in any setting. He has always surrounded himself with first-class players who shared his vision of incorporating world music into the Western pop vocabulary (guitarist David Rhodes, bassist Tony Levin and drummer Manu Katche have been with Gabriel thebetter part of ten years). To expand the music's breadth, for the "Us" tour he added noted jazz violinist Shankar and vocalist Paula Cole to the band and restructured the songs toreflect the more celebratory aspects of live performances. This mix provides SECRET WORLD LIVE with its world-beat meets new age jazz meets English art-soul sound. Created in the wake of U2's extravagant "Zoo TV", the "Us" shows were also multi-media blow outs, thematically connected to Gabriel's then-current explorations of psychotherapy. In fact, the second half of the album incorporates previous hits--the sexually charged "Sledgehammer", the elegiac "Don't Give Up" (with Cole playing Kate Bush's part), and the anthemic "In YourEyes"--into a song-cycle that explores the consequences of the inner fears of youth and love's ability to insulate one from that pain. It all makes Gabriel's SECRET WORLD LIVE addup to a musical stew that is equal parts William Gibson, Carl Jung and Fela Kuti. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A concert larger than life: keeping the Gabriel flame burnin, September 6, 2001

By 

Manny Hernandez "@askmanny" (Bay Area, CA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Secret World Live (Audio CD)

Back in 1993, the world tour following the release of the long-awaited "US" album by Peter Gabriel came in three different 'flavors' (just like with Pizzas): Large, Medium and Small. The small flavor would occur in places where Peter and his band would happen to play some of the songs from the track list, with any available instruments. The medium flavor would be like concert I had the opportunity of seeing in my home country (Venezuela): the band with their own instruments, playing the entire set, and using some of the visual effects that the larger production boasted (I have to say this 'mid-sized' version of the concert almost got me killed of a heart-attack -I'm not joking- due to all the emotions I experienced throughout it). The large 'flavor' was the one most northern hemisphere countries had a chance to enjoy, and what ended up registered in the video and the live album you're reading about here.

The band lineup is just as good as the one in Peter's previous live album 'Plays Live.' The drums, previously played by Jerry Marotta, are played by Mounsieur Manu Katche (also played with Sting, Eric Clapton and others); Jean Claude Naimro took the place of David Sancious (from the live So period); David Rhodes, Tony Levin, and -of course- PG were still part of the line-up; and Paula Cole (now famous for her albums Harbinger, This Fire and Amen) did beautiful backing vocals.

Particularly amazing are: the opening 'Come Talk to Me,' a true display of musicianship meant to get the crowd off their feet; ' the sinplicity and beauty of the rendition of 'Red Rain' and the musical strength of 'Digging in the Dirt,' 'Secret World' and 'In your Eyes,' bound for making the hairs in the back of your neck stand up.

Whether you've been following Peter Gabriel for his theatricals (when performing), his lyrics, his music, or a combination of all of the above, this concert simply belongs in your collection; no questions asked. Once you have it, you'll thank yourself for getting it!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A spiritual journey of healing, May 26, 2004

By 

Sheldon Starr (Happily remarried, Ontario) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Secret World Live (Audio CD)

Peter Gabriel's Secret World came at the right time for a lot of people who came to the age when spiritual and personal questioning begins. For me, I went through an ugly divorce and self-imposed isolation far from home in the far reaches of Northern British Columbia. I needed to reconsider my life and discover truths from within my past experiences. While going through my healing path I discovered this CD in the town's only music store. I liked Peter Gabriel and this new release was about his latest concert tour, the one I missed, so I bought it and gave it a listen to.
From the beginning it is a cracking and dissolving of hard protective layers and outer shell revealing the joyous and celebratory musical expressions within. I have never been so touched and fullfilled by a simple CD recording. Throughout Secret World I found anguish and release, "Digging in the Dirt", "Blood of Eden", "San Jacinto" and hope and celebration with "Don't give up" and "In your eyes".
Paula Cole's vocals are awsome, Tony Levin's bass strums go right through me, Shankar's violin create a mysterious and subconscious element and Peter Gabriel's lyrics and musical arrangements are genious.
Buy this CD, it is a must for any lover of music and those in need of a healing.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars PETER THE GREAT, June 27, 2000

By 

Pieter "Toypom" (Johannesburg) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Secret World Live (Audio CD)

I'm not crazy about live albums but this is an alltime classic. I say this because my two top favourite Peter Gabriel songs sound much better here than in their studio versions: Come Talk To Me and Blood Of Eden. There's more passion and more excitement here, I just go wild when I hear the choral break in the middle of Come Talk To Me, it's a truly transcendent experience. All the other tracks are great too, and just at random I can mention Shaking The Tree, Secret World and In Your Eyes. I recommend his album to all lovers of serious rock music.