Peter Gabriel is the bar !

When Rob Dickinson embarked on his solo career, the former frontman of British rock band Catherine Wheel set his standards high. "For me, Peter Gabriel is the bar," Dickinson said before the fall release of his debut album, "Fresh Wine for the Horses." "To leave a band of such stature and continue to flourish and prosper, that's the goal, isn't it?"

Davos diary 2006

So what is really happening at the World Economic Forum (WEF)? Several participants will send us regular Davos diaries, sharing their hopes, expectations and experiences.

Gillian Caldwell is the executive director of human rights group Witness.

25 JANUARY 2006

Day 1 at the World Economic Forum: I attended a session this morning on how we did as a global community in the last year in the areas identified as top priorities by Davos attendees last year: poverty, equitable globalization, climate change, education, global governance, and the Middle East.

People felt encouraged by the fact that commitments were made by governments to double aid to Africa from $60bn to $129bn by 2010 and that there was an agreement to cancel 100% of the multilateral debt for 18 countries.

They attributed the new commitments to strong leadership coming from the UK in the G8 and pressure from NGOs and global citizens, particularly in and around the Live 8 concerts.

One panellist noted that governments in Italy and Germany weren't responding to calls for increased aid until public opinion rallied them during the concerts. I found that encouraging. While people acknowledged the new commitments, everyone agreed that the challenge now is to make sure governments make good on their promises.

In the area of climate change, there was much less to be hopeful about although one panelist noted that at least we finally have some measure of agreement that we have a serious problem on our hands.

I also sent some e-mails via the internal email system here requesting meetings with the leadership at Cisco, Google and Akamai to talk with Peter Gabriel and I about partnering on Witness' planned web portal.

We're in the early stages of conceptualising this, but the idea is that we would build a web hub to which anyone from around the world could upload video content and photographs via their cell phone, handheld device or computer onto a site which would give them the tools and support they need to propose and self-organise campaigns on pressing human rights issues.

Technology has really caught up with Peter Gabriel's original founding vision for Witness and there is so much we can do to change the world using visual imagery and the internet. You can see a mock-up explaining some of the functionality we have in mind for the web portal here.

We'd love your ideas and since this blog is just going one way, you can reach me at gillian@witness.org.

"L'impératif créatif" au menu de Davos

Le forum a été placé sous le thème de "L'impératif créatif" (The Imperative Creative), qui englobera comme de coutume sujets économiques et géopolitiques.

La manifestation traitera en revanche pour la première fois cette année du rôle du sport dans la croissance économique mondiale et dans le renforcement des liens entre les pays. Participeront notamment aux débats les présidents de la Fédération internationale de football (FIFA) Sepp Blatter et du Comité international olympique (CIO) Jacques Rogge.

De nombreuses célébrités seront également présentes à Davos: Bono, le chanteur du groupe U2, qui viendra défendre l'annulation de la dette pour les pays pauvres, le musicien Peter Gabriel, l'écrivain brésilien Paulo Coelho et l'actrice Angelina Jolie, ambassadrice de bonne volonté pour le Haut Commissariat de l'ONU pour les réfugiés (HCR).

L’Allemagne remballe ses habits de gala

(...) Ce qui préoccupe le plus les Allemands en ce moment, c’est plutôt l’annulation par la FIFA du gala qui devait remplacer la traditionnelle cérémonie d’ouverture.

Motif officiel ? Le délai entre le gala (7 juin) et le premier match (Brésil-Croatie le 13 juin) serait trop court pour changer le gazon du Stade olympique de Berlin. Déjà, les rumeurs vont bon train : le budget initial de 25 millions d’euros ayant été largement dépassé, la FIFA ne pourrait plus financer l’événement.

Il faut dire qu’elle avait vu les choses en grand : plus de 7 000 bénévoles avaient été recrutés, l’organisation du spectacle confiée à l’Autrichien Andre Heller, la musique à Peter Gabriel et la chorégraphie au Français Philippe Decouflé, célèbre pour sa mise en scène de la cérémonie d’ouverture des JO d’Albertville.

Le maire de Berlin, Klaus Wowereit, n’en revient pas : « Après deux ans de réflexion, une annulation aussi subite, c’est incroyable ! Dans un autre pays, l’État se serait révolté. » Et d’annoncer une grande fête devant la porte de Brandebourg : « Nous faisons ça pour la République ! » Le maire de Berlin doit encore s’organiser avec la chancellerie et le ministère de l’Intérieur pour les questions de sécurité, mais les festivités devraient avoir lieu. FIFA ou pas.

World Cup gala head demands FIFA apology

The man who was to direct the multi-million World Cup gala, which was cancelled in acrimonious circumstances, demanded an apology from football world governing body FIFA on Saturday.

Andre Heller, the Austrian who was to direct the 90-minute show in Berlin's Olympic Stadium on June 7, two days before the start of the World Cup, said the decisio to call off the extravaganza had caused a public outcry.

"It is necessary to be noble vis-a-vis the artists who were to take part in the gala and FIFA should send them a letter," Heller told NDR radio. "I can't be the only one to do it and say sorry to those poor people for something for which I was not responsible."

FIFA said Friday they had cancelled the event, which was to feature a host of stars as well as 7,000 volunteers, because they were concerned about the effects on the pitch. But Saturday's Berliner Zeitung said the reason was purely financial. It claimed that FIFA had allocated a 25-million euro budget which had been exceeded. Others believe that FIFA and Heller had fallen out.

The gala was to feature music by Peter Gabriel and choreography by France's Philippe Découflé, who was responsible for the opening ceremony of the 1992 winter Olympics in Albertville. A total of 132 former World Cup stars were also to have been involved including Argentina's hero Diego Maradona and Brazil's three-time victor Pele.

Slow ticket sales, which were priced at between 100-750 euros, were also blamed for the cancellation of the event. Friday's developments came just three days after serious question marks were raised over stadium security. "I can understand a little why the gala was cancelled," added Heller on Saturday. "But I don't understand why the decision was taken now."

Savourna Stevenson

Well connected from the Middle East to Sex and the City

Savourna Stevenson boldly takes the clarsach where no clarsach has gone before. In her hands, the Celtic harp has voyaged into the territory of bluegrass banjos, sitar-style cascades, Indian ragas and African beats.

A concert at Celtic Connections will preview tracks from her forthcoming album, her ninth, which has a distinctly Middle Eastern flavour. But this is only one aspect of her work. "Scotland's most adventurously accomplished clarsach player", as she has been called, has many other strings to her harp, from writing orchestral work, to having her music featured on Sex and the City. (...)

(...) She was reminded of the musical potential of The Prophet in 2002 when she was asked to play at Peter Gabriel's wedding "on a beach in Sardinia", at which Gibran's passage on marriage was one of the readings. She has now set that, along with two other passages, to music. Gibran's On Joy and Sorrow has been translated into Gaelic by her brother-in-law, the poet Aonghas MacNeacail, and will be sung by Alyth McCormack (...)

Savourna is known as one of the leading figures in the renaissance of the Celtic harp in Scotland over the last 20 years, inspiring audiences and musicians alike with her fresh approach to traditional music. In her music she identifies strongly with her Scottish musical roots while breaking through stylistic barriers between classic, folk, world music and jazz.

An outstanding virtuoso and composer, she has pushed the boundaries of the harp almost beyond imaginable belief with thrilling results. Her free spirited creative approach to music has won her the admiration of many acclaimed colleagues and has resulted in several fruitful collaborations with distinguished musicians including the legendary bassist Danny Thompson, singer Eddi Reader and June Tabor, Aly Bain, Fairport Convention and Davy Spillane from the traditional world and more recently with Internationally renowned world music artists including The Bhundu Boys, Toumani Diabate and many more at Peter Gabriel’s Real World recording studios and internationally renowned World of Music Art and Dance festivals.

Savourna’s prolific output as a composer shows great versatility and a keenness for cross art collaboration, writing for theatre, for film, TV and dance and eight CD recordings.

La FIFA annule le Gala de la Coupe du Monde de la FIFA 2006, Berlin

La FIFA annule le Gala de la Coupe du Monde de la FIFA 2006

Suite à une nouvelle étude approfondie de la possibilité de poser un nouveau gazon après l’organisation du Gala de la Coupe du Monde de la FIFA, prévu le 7 juin 2006 à Berlin, à l’Olympiastadion, la FIFA vient de décider l’annulation dudit événement. Malgré la proposition fin 2005 de décaler les dates prévues initialement pour le gala et le premier match de groupes que doit accueillir l’Olympiastadion de Berlin (les 7 et 13 juin au lieu des 8 et 12 juin), les études ont montré que le démontage en temps utile des scènes complexes et des installations techniques prévues pour le gala, puis l’installation d’un nouveau gazon en parfait état pour accueillir dès le 12 juin les matches de la Coupe du Monde, comportaient de trop grands risques.

La FIFA et le Comité Organisateur Local Allemagne 2006 regrettent d’autant plus cette décision que les deux acteurs étaient ravis, et le sont d’ailleurs toujours tout autant, du spectacle concocté par le directeur artistique André Heller, en répétition déjà depuis des mois. L’idée de déplacer le gala dans une autre ville n’est plus d’actualité puisqu’il serait impossible de concevoir et faire démarrer à temps un tout nouveau spectacle avec des acteurs et des assistants bénévoles.

La FIFA n’a pas changé d’avis : elle juge très positive l’organisation d’une cérémonie d’inauguration séparée et proposera, en collaboration avec André Heller et son équipe, de nouvelles idées pour une éventuelle réalisation du gala dans le cadre de la Coupe du Monde de la FIFA 2010 en Afrique du Sud.

La FIFA remercie vivement la Ville de Berlin, tous les acteurs impliqués dans ce projet et tout particulièrement les 15 000 bénévoles pour leur enthousiasme et leur passion. De manière appropriée, la FIFA saura se montrer reconnaissante de leur engagement. Tous les billets déjà vendus pour le gala seront bien sûr entièrement remboursés.

« Pour ma part, l’organisation d’une grande cérémonie d’inauguration reste une excellente idée. Cette annulation tardive n’a pas été une décision facile pour la FIFA, mais il est certain qu’en notre qualité d’instance dirigeante du football mondial, nous devons faire passer les aspects sportifs en priorité. Je remercie André Heller et toutes les personnes impliquées pour leur grand engagement et espère qu’ils comprendront notre décision », a déclaré le Président de la FIFA, Joseph S. Blatter.

« C’est avec une profonde tristesse que j’abandonne ce travail aussi captivant que constituait l’organisation du Gala de la Coupe du Monde de la FIFA 2006 à Berlin mais je ne peux ignorer le fait que les matches de la Coupe du Monde, dont la finale, qu’accueillera l’Olympiastadion de Berlin, devront se dérouler dans de parfaites conditions. Les considérations artistiques, aussi remarquables soient-elles, doivent dans ce cas passer au second plan. Je vais à présent me consacrer pleinement à l’organisation de la cérémonie d’ouverture de Munich et à la cérémonie de clôture de Berlin », a déclaré André Heller.

Division de la Communication de la FIFA
Zurich, le 13 janvier 2006

Ozark Henry

Ozark Henry. Un prête-nom pour Piet Goddaer, un fourre-tout musical, des influences plein le cabas et un quatrième album rentre-dedans qui fait de la Belgique la terre d'asile définitive des créations originales.

Un bout de terre rêvée où se croisent pêle-mêle Ghinzu, Girls in Hawaï, dEUS, Ann Pierle, Arno…Et Ozark Henry.

On l'avait simplement croisé au détour d'une page. Une page de bons plans pour les cadeaux de fin d'année, le regard fier sur sa pochette noire ; l'air mystérieux et la mèche rebelle empruntée à Jay Jay Johanson. Et puis on était sorti du métro, l'idée avait germée sur le trottoir : Il fallait revenir à The sailor not the sea, ce titre alambiqué, ces chansons dérivatives.

Ces chansons, dix chansons, autant de bonheur pour finir l'année. La finir tout simplement sur une note positive, portée par le chant lointain d'un pécheur de mélodies. Loin des rivages, La donna mobile plante le décor et empile les couches atmosphériques pour créer le nouveau courant. Du trip pop. Batteries low-tempos, basse discrète et voix haute perchée, La donna mobile permet de croire encore aux concepts albums, écoutables d'un trait, sans lassitude.
L'émotion de la voix de Piet Goddaer coupe le souffle et l'on cherche la ventoline sur Indian Summer, tout clavier dehors, belle comme un soleil qui se couche. Cette voix de crooner flamand, ces violons pincés, rythmique impec', la mélancolie… On compte les secondes qui s'égrènent, le spleen belge sans doute qui fait son effet.

Si Ozark Henry reste dur à définir, sorte d'ovni musical oscillant entre la world music et la pop raffinée, The sailor not the sea touche au cœur comme un patchwork variant les ambiances, les décors. Résolument rock aérien sur "Jocelyn it's crazy" (Ses guitares en reverb'…), ambiance cosy sur "Give yourself a chance with me", ritournelle à la manière de Coldplay sur "At sea"…

Si l'on reconnaît un album à la mémorisation facile de ses refrains, The Sailor not the sea s'installe dans le peloton de tête. Facile sans compromis, difficile sans obstacle, les émotions sans les larmes, ce quatrième album s'affirme comme une réussite. Structure hybride portée par un collectif hors pair, Ozark henry tente la Soul intimiste sur "Free Haven" ou l'instrumentale inspirée sur "The Sailor not the sea" (très Morcheeba dans le style).

A l'heure des featurings intempestifs, Piet préfère la collaboration, et pas la pire. En allant chercher Jaki Liebezeit, mythique batteur de Can (auteur du plus bel album Krautrock, Tago Mago), Ozark Henry frappe haut et fort, assurant un rythme endiablé et tribal à ses compositions. Un bien bel effort donc, pour un artiste, un vrai puisant ses influences autant du coté d'Eno que de Peter Gabriel.

De belles références pour un prêtre de cantiques modernes à découvrir très, mais alors très rapidement. Avant l'extinction des feux.

A lire aussi sur Froggy's Delight : L'interview d'Ozark Henry

Ozark Henry en concert à la Maroquinerie en décembre 2005

En savoir plus : Le site officel de Ozark Henry

Sardinia plans tax bill for its tourist glitterati

The Sunday Times January 08, 2006 / John Follain

The white sand, crystal waters and five-star hotels of Sardinia’s Emerald Coast have long been a haven for some of Europe’s wealthiest holidaymakers, from Princess Caroline of Monaco to Roman Abramovich, the billionaire owner of Chelsea football club.

From this summer, however, they may feel somewhat less welcome. The authorities on the Italian island want to impose stiff new taxes on the yachts, private aircraft and second homes of foreign visitors.

Despite the money the tourists already bring in, Renato Soru, centre-left president of the regional government, has drawn up a draft budget that includes what the local media have called a “tax on luxury” — which he hopes will raise as much as £550m this year.

“Let’s tax the rich,” said Soru, a former internet tycoon. “In most cases they are tourists who don’t spend even one euro in Sardinia and yet are heavy users of the services provided by the regional authority.”

Under the proposals, a mooring tax will be imposed on yachts according to their size. The owners of boats more than 98ft long will have to pay £13,700. From the beginning of June to the end of September, owners of private aircraft will have to pay an extra levy of £140-£690, depending on the number of passengers the craft can take, each time they take off or land on the island.

Owners of second homes who do not live permanently in Sardinia will also have to pay more.

Soru wants houses of up to 2,153sq ft within two miles of the shore to be taxed at £2,060 a year; each extra 11sq ft will add £100 to the annual charge. Those within 300 yards of the sea will pay 20% more. There will also be a 25% tax on properties sold.

“Those who live in our region for three months and elsewhere for nine must pay taxes in Sardinia for those three months at least,” Soru said. “Until now we’ve been taken for a ride, now basta (enough).”

Soru, who estimates that 150,000 villas will be affected by the new rules, intends to spend part of the money raised by the new taxes on preserving the environment.

Among those hardest-hit would be Silvio Berlusconi, Italy’s billionaire centre-right prime minister, who owns seven villas on the Emerald Coast, including the 27- bedroom La Certosa outside Porto Rotondo. Sardinian newspapers have estimated that Berlusconi could face a £165,000 tax bill for La Certosa alone.

At least Berlusconi will not be subject to the yacht levy: he sold his million-pound craft, the Principessa Vai Via, to a business partner three years ago.

Abramovich who last summer anchored his 340ft vessel, Pelorus, off the resort of Porto Cervo, will be affected as will Princess Caroline of Monaco, who sails there on her 1930s yacht, Pacha III.

Other owners of luxury villas in the area include Sheikh Yamani, the Saudi former oil minister; Peter Gabriel, the musician; and Fiona Swarovski, the heiress. Recent visitors include Leonardo DiCaprio, Julia Roberts, Madonna and the supermodel Gisele Bundchen.

Berlusconi has refrained from commenting directly on the new taxes, but has sent Giuseppe Pisanu, Italy’s Sardinian-born interior minister, to spearhead opposition. On a visit to the island last week, Pisanu criticised the budget bill, saying it would discourage both investment and “high- quality tourism”.

“It’s an aberrant measure which risks inflicting a devastating blow to Sardinia’s tourism growth,” Pisanu said. The government is considering an appeal to Italy’s constitutional court to have the new taxes thrown out.

Didier Varrod: "Balavoine avait un charisme fondamental"

Didier Varrod: "Balavoine avait un charisme fondamental"

dimanche 8 janvier 2006

Daniel Balavoine (deuxième en partant de la gauche) en compagnie de ses amis à Agadez (Niger).

Photo de AFP/Getty Images

Le journaliste et homme de radio et de télévision Didier Varrod, auteur d'une biographie très complète de Daniel Balavoine, « Le roman de Daniel Balavoine » (Fayard/Chorus), souligne que le chanteur, qu'il a bien connu, « avait un charisme fondamental » et voulait « s'inscrire dans une démarche citoyenne ».

(...) - Q. : Le manque de considération de la la presse rock le gênait-il?

- R. : « Il en était blessé. Higelin, Lavilliers, Couture, puis Daho, les Rita Mitsouko, Axel Bauer, Lio: tous avaient des papiers dans la presse rock, et pas lui. Il disait: « S'il y a bien un enfant du rock, c'est moi. Mes fondamentaux ne sont pas Ferré, Brassens ou Brel, mais Yes, Genesis, Peter Gabriel ou Talking Heads ». Le portrait que lui a consacré l'émission Les Enfants du rock en 1984 a été déterminant, il l'a pris comme la fin de ses ennuis! » (...)

Daniel Balavoine, vingt ans déjà : les photos inédites

Gérard Rancinan, son ami photographe, nous révèle l’intimité de la star Photographe de renommée mondiale, Gérard Rancinan est aussi l’ami de toujours de Daniel Balavoine. Il l’a suivi au long de sa carrière. Ils étaient jeunes, débutant ensemble. Vingt ans après, le photographe a retrouvé toute une série de clichés oubliés dans un casier d’archives. « Des photos de copains », explique-t-il, d’instants présents pour celui qui le restera toujours, présent.

(...) « 1986, en Angleterre. Daniel venait de sortir son dixième album, le dernier, Sauver l'amour. Il voulait créer un groupe en Grande-Bretagne, là où se trouvait selon lui la source du rock. Il y a enregistré un 45 tours avec ses musiciens. Pour ce faire, il avait rencontré l'un des arrangeurs du groupe Yes ; là il est justement dans le jardin de la maison du musicien. Balavoine commençait à produire un son plus mûr, pour moi il était en passe d'entrer dans la cour des grands à l'instar d'un Peter Gabriel. Daniel a été l'un des rares en France à avoir pu s'aligner à ce niveau-là, aussi bien musicalement que textuellement. »(...)

Sek Loso

Thai rock star Loso set for debut concert

By Eunice del Rosario

ROCK star Sek Loso will take his fans by storm as he performs for the first time in Bahrain later this month. The star, who has sold more than 56 million albums in his native Thailand, will make his Middle Eastern debut along with his band on January 27, at the Delmon International Hotel's poolside in Manama.

Sek, whose real name is Seksan Sookpimay, is already being called a legend in Thailand, at the age of just 31. Critics have hailed him as the only musician who makes playing guitar look easy, often comparing him to Jimi Hendrix and even Curt Cobain.

Sek now lives in England, where he worked with some of the music industry's biggest names - including Tim Carr (Beastie Boys) and Owen Morris (Oasis) to produce his latest album, which contains many songs in English. Peter Gabriel is a fan and Michael Eaves, the man behind the massive Glastonbury festival in the UK, has personally asked Sek and his band to play there.

David Rhodes News

From http://davidrhodes.org/

January 3, 2006

Happy New Year!

Sorry the site update is late, but time just got away from us. Added to that, there isn't very much to report right now. David continues to work on the music for "China" and might still be working on the FIFA project, although that's unconfirmed.

Memories of John Lennon

Memories of John Lennon

Author: Yoko Ono Book

Format: HardbackISBN: 0060594551Price (NZ RRP):

$39.00Publication Date: 20 January 2006

The concept of Memories of John Lennon is simple, and yet its scope will be tremendous. Yoko Ono, the widow of John Lennon, will gather from those who knew him best, and from those who have been influenced by him, their memories of this legend.

This will be a tremendous eulogy, twenty-five years after his death to the month, from those people who spent the most time with him in his life. It will bring fans even closer to knowing the man who brought us ‘Revolver’ and ‘Imagine’.

Contributors include: Bono, Joan Baez, James Brown, Peter Gabriel, David Geffen, Dennis Hopper, Elton John, Alicia Keys, Annie Liebovitz, Harry Benson, Iggy Pop, Bonnie Raitt, Paul Reiser, Carlos Santana, Pete Townsend and many others!

Peter Gabriel Live 8 Events Heads To DVD

Peter Gabriel

by Paul Cashmere

January 4 2005

When Live 8 was taking place in July 2005, a total of ten concerts around the world also made up the event.

In Cornwall, England, Peter Gabriel held what was called the 'Africa Calling' concert.

Gabriel produced the event for WOMAD and as part of Live 8. It featured Youssou N'Dour, Angelique Kidjo and Dido as well as a performance from Gabriel

Disc 1 Tracklisting:

1. Africa Calling Concert Medley - Thomas Mapfumo & The Blacks Unlimited
2. Samson - Thomas Mapfumo & The Blacks Unlimited
3. Heesteena - Maryam Mursal
4. Barco Negro - Mariza
5. Taireva - Chartwell Dutiro
6. Lumbul - Modou Diouf & O Fogum
7. Bayeza - Shikisha
8. Lapowny - Geoffrey Oryema
9. Land of Anaka - Geoffrey Oryema with Peter Gabriel
10. Mbani - Siyaya
11. Set - Youssou N'Dour et Le Super Etoile
12. 7 Seconds - Youssou N'Dour et Le Super Etoile with Dido
13. Birima - Youssou N'Dour et Le Super Etoile

Disc 2:

1. Na Menguele - Coco Mbassi
2. Afrika - Angelique Kidjo
3. Tombo - Angelique Kidjo
4. Wa Winjigo Ero - Ayub Ogada and Uno
5. Chet Boghassa - Tinariwen
6. Amidiwan - Tinariwen
7. Amassakoul - Tinariwen
8. Fonotomfrom Chant - Frititi
9. Wallow - Kanda Bongo Man
10. Billi - Kanda Bongo Man
11. Nouzha - Akim El Sikameya
12. Aiwa - Emmanuel Jal
13. Exodus - Daara J
14. Mic Check - Daara J
15. Sunu Mission - Daara J
16. Finale - African Anthem

les choux pommés

Au moment de quitter son groupe Genesis, Peter Gabriel est resté mieux qu'un avocat, en informant ses compagnons avec une année d'anticipation.Toutefois, quand la presse lui a demandé une explication, Gabriel a écrit une lettre curieuse pour être expliqué : "Comme artiste, j'ai besoin d'absorber une vaste variété d'expériences. Il est difficile de répondre intuitivement et impulsivement aux plans à long terme dont le groupe a besoin. Je crois qu'il devrait surveiller à m'instruire/à développer mes moments créatifs et apprendre du travail qui est fait hors de la musique. Y compris les plaisirs occultes de la culture de légumes et la vie en communauté qui commencent à me révéler leurs secrets. Je ne puis pas espérer que le groupe compromette son agenda par la faute de mes liens avec les choux pommés ".

-------------
Peter Gabriel. En el momento de dejar a su grupo Genesis, Peter Gabriel quedó mejor que un abogado, avisando a sus compañeros con un año de antelación. Sin embargo, cuando la prensa le pidió una explicación, Gabriel escribió una curiosa carta para explicarse: “Como artista, necesito absorber una amplia variedad de experiencias. Es difícil responder intuitiva e impulsivamente a los planes a largo plazo que la banda necesita. Creo que debería mirar a / instruirme / desarrollar mis momentos creativos y aprender del trabajo que se hace fuera de la música. Incluso los placeres ocultos del cultivo de verduras y la vida en comunidad me están empezando a revelar sus secretos. No puedo esperar que el grupo comprometa su agenda por culpa de mis lazos con los repollos”.

L’année de toutes les ambitions

L’année de toutes les ambitions
Kathleen Lavoie / Le Soleil

(...)

Pour notre rédaction, la dernière année a débuté avec un projet majeur, celui de rendre hommage, à la veille des premières du Projet Andersen et de 1984, à l’artiste de Québec le plus célébré sur la scène internationale, Robert Lepage. Si le metteur en scène, dramaturge et acteur n’est pas musicien, toute sa création théâtrale, elle, est influencée par la musique, notamment celle de l’ami proche qu’est Peter Gabriel. Ce dernier, heureux de saluer son complice dans le crime, nous offrait alors une entrevue exclusive où il révélait les liens qui les unissent et sa passion pour la capitale, qu’il visite bien plus souvent qu’on ne le pense... Une discussion mémorable que cette journaliste n’est pas près d’oublier ! (...)

On the air

Tony Levin in the St Petersburg Times :

“I laugh to think that at the end of Peter Gabriel’s song ‘On the Air,’ I played a strong bass line, borrowed from a Shostakovich symphony. I don’t think many people in live audiences through the years noticed that, but probably the listeners in Russia would be aware of it. Hey, maybe we will do that song!”

Imagine there's no labels

1/29/2004 10:52:04 AM by Eric Bangeman

Veteran rockers Peter Gabriel and Brian Eno are launching MUDDA (Magnificent Union of Digitally Downloading Artists), an enterprise that will assist musicians in selling music directly to consumers, bypassing the record companies. With the Internet transforming how people buy and listen to songs, musicians need to act now to claim digital music's future both Gabriel and Eno argued at a at the annual Midem music conference.

"Unless artists quickly grasp the possibilities that are available to them, then the rules will get written, and they'll get written without much input from artists," said Eno. "There are some artists who already tried to do everything on their own," said Gabriel, adding that those musicians often found out they didn't like marketing or accounting. " We believe there will be all sorts of models for this."

Having been in and around the music business myself for over 35 years, there is the very distinct possibility that MUDDA or a similar endeavor could change the basic fabric of the music business. Artists have for decades complained that they lose all of their rights to content, style, copyrights and revenues by signing contracts with recording companies. Most musicians sign recording contract because they have little ability or skill in distributing or marketing their works. The Internet allows musicians a shot at levelling the playing field by being able to reach a wide audience and to sell their music without a third or fourth party taking a piece of the pie.

Gabriel is co-founder of a European company, On Demand Distribution, which runs legal downloads sites in 11 European countries. Their company would provide the technology for MUDDA, though Gabriel and Eno are looking for online partners. Europe's sites haven't caught up to the success of the U.S. portals. Apple's iTunes is planning a European launch this year, which is expected to build interest in legal downloading in a market where many people don't realize there's even such a service.

Personally, all of this makes me want to get back in the studio; I learned to hate A&R (Artist and Repertoire) guys while trying to make records years ago. Write-up by Bob "waterdoctor" Norcross

Geldof's year

2005 was supposed to be the year of Africa. Tony Blair committed Britain to ambitious targets on aid and debt relief. Museums staged major exhibitions dedicated to the continent's art. And one of the biggest popular movements ever - spurred on by a very big pop concert - called on eight world leaders in a Scottish hotel to make poverty history. But what, in the end, did it all achieve? Bob Geldof looks back on a year of 'world-saving bollocks' and argues that whatever his critics say, we really did change things (...)

Bob Geldof :

When I invited my righteously indignant critics to create an event to their liking, in say Regent's Park, and offered to incorporate it into Live8, answer came there none. Indeed, when Peter Gabriel suggested we adopt his Eden Project World Music gig in Cornwall I readily agreed.

Unfortunately, my point is borne out by the fact that 3 million were live spectators to Live8; there were 2,000 in Cornwall. More than 3 billion watched Live8; few saw or watched bits of Cornwall. The Live Aid and Live8 DVDs are the biggest and fastest-selling DVDs ever, now totalling millions of sales; Cornwall has sold a few thousand. That is not to be smug, triumphant or condescending; it is simply to make the point behind my cold, pragmatic thinking around what Live8 was for. If those critics promote an African concert in the future, I wish them well - and can I have some free tickets? But Live8 wasn't and could never be about that. (...)