Peter Gabriel Secret World Live CD

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 the better 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 to reflect 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 Your Eyes"--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 add up to a musical stew that is equal parts William Gibson, Carl Jung and Fela Kuti.

Recorded live at the Palasport Nuovo, Modena, Italy on November 16-17, 1993.

Personnel includes: Peter Gabriel, Paula Cole (vocals); David Rhodes (guitar); Shankar (violin); Jean Claude Naimro (keyboards); Tony Levin (bass); Manu Katche (drums); Levon Minassian (doudouk).

Personnel: Peter Gabriel (harmonica); David Rhodes (vocals, guitar); Lakshminarayana Shankar (vocals, violin); Jean-Claude Naimro, Jean-Claude Naimbro (vocals, keyboards); Styno Mubi Matadi, Reddy Mela Amissi, Papa Wemba, Paula Cole, Tony Levin (vocals); Manu Katche (drums).

Audio Mixer: Peter Walsh .

Recording information: Guillaume Tell Studios, Paris, France (11/16/1993/11/17/1993); Modena, Italy (11/16/1993/11/17/1993); Real World Studios, Box, Wiltshire, England (11/16/1993/11/17/1993).

Photographers: Robert Leslie; Stephen Lovell-Davis; Armando Gallo; Guido Harari.

Unknown Contributor Roles: Joe Hammer; Lévon Minassian.

Personnel: Peter Gabriel, Paula Cole (vocals); David Rhodes (vocals, guitar); Shankar (vocals, violin); Jean Claude Naimro (vocals, keyboards); Tony Levin (vocals, bass); Levon Minassian (doudouk); Manu Katche (drums), Papa Wemba, Reddy Mala Amissi, Styno Mubi Matadi (background vocals).

Rolling Stone (10/20/94, pp.142-146) - 4 Stars - Excellent - "...this album maintains a powerful continuity that loses neither pace nor momentum; more than studio originals, these versions elaborate on the dramatic potential inherent in them..."