Peter Gabriel
In 1980 he founded WOMAD (World of Music, Arts and Dance). In a series of international festivals, WOMAD has brought together traditional and modern music, arts and dance from every corner of the globe.
Gabriel has released ten solo albums and in 1986, his album 'SO' won him his first Grammy. The videos from this project confirmed him as a leader in video production and included 'Sledgehammer', which has won the most music video awards ever.
Shortly afterwards he established Real World Studios in Wiltshire. It also became the base for Real World Records, a label that is dedicated to recording and promoting a wide range of different artists from all over the world.
In addition, Gabriel has been involved in a wide spectrum of human rights and environmental issues. His song 'BIKO' was the first pop song which talked about the effects of apartheid, and in 1988 and 1990 he was involved in the Nelson Mandela concerts at Wembley. In 1988 he worked with Amnesty International to set up the Human Rights Now! Tour which toured many countries.
Following this, Gabriel initiated the 'Witness' program, launched in conjunction with the Reebok Human Rights Foundation in the USA. The organization aims to arm human rights activists from around the world with hand held video cameras, computers and other tools of communication. To date, they have supplied hundreds of cameras to over fifty countries, and have also set up a bi-weekly web broadcast via Macintosh's Quicktime Channel. In 1989 Gabriel visited the USSR to help launch Greenpeace, and contributed to the 'One World, One Voice' album. In 1984 his score for the film BIRDY won the Grand Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. In 1989 he composed the sound track for Scorsese's film THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST which was the basis for PASSION.
For the release of his tenth album, 'US', in 1992 he commissioned eleven artists to interpret the individual songs on his album. The individual works of art were featured at the British Contemporary Art exhibition in 1993 and also in Japan. 'US' earned him four Grammy nominations and two MTV Awards in the US and a BRIT and Q Award in the UK. The fourth single, 'Kiss That Frog,' was the starting point for the creation of the world's first motion video ride, entitled 'The Mindblender' which proved to be a popular mix of ride-motion, film and music.
1993 was the start of the Secret World Tour, produced by Gabriel and pioneering Canadian director/ designer, Robert Le Page. It was seen by over a million fans in five continents and toured for eighteen months. In 1993 the show was filmed and recorded in Modena, Italy and in 1994 Peter Gabriel Secret World Live, the double live album and video, was released.
In 1993 Gabriel set up Real World Multi Media, dedicated to developing, producing and publishing innovative CD-ROMs and pushing new technology to its limits. RWMM went on to win many awards across the world, including the Milia d'Or, two BAFTAS, the 1994 BIMA, the Sparky from the Interactive Media Festival and four Digital Media Awards. In 1996 Radio Real World became the official web site focusing on Real World and Gabriel.
At the end of 1997 Gabriel was invited by Mark Fisher to help create a show for the central space of the London Millennium Dome for which Gabriel also composed the music. The show was opened on January 1st 2000 followed by the album release OVO.
Gabriel has recorded his next studio album 'UP', which was released in 2002.
Peter Gabriel Facts
Birth Name | Peter Brian Gabriel |
Occupation | Musician |
Birthday | February 13, 1950 (73) |
Sign | Aquarius |
Birthplace | London, England, United Kingdom |
Selected Filmography
Back to Front: Live in London | ||
Peter Gabriel: Secret World | ||
Growing Up Live & Unwrapped + Still Growing Up Live | ||
Live in Athens | ||
Peter Gabriel: New Blood | ||
Peter Gabriel: So Classic Album | ||
Back To Front | ||
Play | ||
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