Translated chat with Peter Gabriel
Translated by Eric Fortier. Note that his Gabriel fan site in English has been discontinued due to time constraints, but his site in French will continue to be updated.
<Setter> Hi PG!
<Guydiboo> Hello Mr Gabriel
<isa18> hello
<CW46> Peter: "come talk to me"
<CyberFred> We love you Peter
<Guillaume> Hello Peter
<petibill> hi Peter Gabriel
<Guydiboo> Delighted to speak with me!
<manueldegallaix> Hi Peter, full of questions, but i want to say that your work is magnificient!
<Setter> I would like to know what Peter thinks of the new mp3 and mp4 technologies and how they affect him both as an artist and a businessman.
<lolo> Very good question Setter, i was thinking the same thing
<iieo> Peter, do you want to make your music available on-line?
<Peter Gabriel> Music has to be accessible to everyone in any country at anytime. The question is about the payment; we have to assure that the artists and creators will be paid. Well known and establish artists like me will always find a way to make a living but for others, nearly 60% of their revenues comes from the selling of their music. So without a payment mode, we would live in a world without music. As an artist and founder of OD2, i think this is a great opportunity to offer music to the world.
<Guydiboo> Yes but for the others? the young ones?
<troll44> When a MP3 files is download, it's also a form of promotion and so there will be financial repercussions...
<Monkey> what did you think of Metallica's reaction regarding Napster ?
<Peter Gabriel> As for Metallica and the judicial actions against Napster, i think they had a lot of courage because they knew that they would get some of their fans against them.
<CA268> Hello, Peter, What to think about the fact that Napster will close? Can't we find a consensus between a gracious access to culture and the survival of the creators?
<troll44> When we exchange records (physicaly) we don't pay, so why pay for the exchange of computer files?
<CW46>Peter, let's get into that topic... the copyrights and the web
<Peter Gabriel>I don't think that most artists has something against Napster if that society respects and remunerate the artists. A lot of artists are use to give for free their music, ditributing their for free their CD's or by giving concerts. But at least, they ask for our opinions and we can control the distribution and promotion. Clearly it's a way to provide music for the fans at a lower cost.
<CW46> So, we have to put "Big Brother" on the web for the copyrights to be given?
<Guydiboo> Yes, in fact, it's more a question of artists remuneration than record company
<Monkey> Do you think, like Billy Corgan or Courtney Love, that it would be better to sell records only using the net, in other terms without record companies'help?
<Peter Gabriel> But i think that i have the rights to decide which music will be given and distributed free or to be sold. In fact if all the music was to be free, i'm not sure that all the artists would be in favor of it. It's the same thing for photographs or writers. Our society should have the rights to choose in what condition the artistic creation should be promoted and distributed.
<petibill> After that a music group wrote and sang for the liberation of Nelson Mandela, would you be able to write and sing for peace and liberty in the Palestinian territories?
<Peter Gabriel> I have declared that i was supporting the Palestinian cause, but it has cause me problems with the Israelian press when i was there for concerts. I have a lot of respect for Israel but not for the treatment of the Palestinian people. There is really an opportunity there to improve the situation on the two sides. Both Israelian and Palestinian.
<manueldegallaix> Where are you getting at with Amnisty and the project of collecting images?
<Peter Gabriel> I launched the Witness project with the support of Amnisty International and other associations to help less favorise countries to gain access to technologies. The url is http://www.witness.org.
<Azzy> Is it possible to expect a reformation of Genesis? Steve Hackett said that he's not against it, sometimes Mike and Tony says the same thing, and you Peter?
<lulu> I ask the same question as Azzy about reforming Genesis?
<so> Do you know something about Genesis getting back together? Do they reserve us a suprise?
<Walt’> Peter, Mike Rutherford says that Genesis is over, What do you think?
<Peter Gabriel> Reforming Genesis with all the artists is improbable
<djembe> I have only a question. I have a friend djembefola: Amarante Kante who had recorded some percussions on a futur album...when will it be release?
<Peter Gabriel> In what group did Amara Kante played ?
<djembe> He recorded with a friend Amara Kante, he's from Guinea
<Peter Gabriel> Sorry, his name doesn't come at my mind
<djembe> So long Peter Gabriel, if you come around, come ´taper le boeufª with us, we play african percussion and i know you are greatly influence by it...the url of our group is: http://yoel.free.fr
<Samuel> Peter will you create other Cdrom like EVE?
<Peter Gabriel> We are thinking about creating another CDROM like Eve, but we loss money with the precedent one, so we are waiting to see if the DVD will provide us a way to do such a project.
<CW46> Instead of a CDROM, why not the Web with high speed connexion?
<laurelenn> Will you release a DVD version of OVO or books????
<Peter Gabriel> To Laureleen. Yes, we are thinking about that, but i give priority to my next album.
<manueldegallaix> Concerts dates?
<Guillaume> When will you be touring?
<isa18> In what European city will you be touring?
<CW83> Hi PG! We miss your concerts. Come back soon in France after the release of your album to share it with us
<xanderx-man> I would like to know if Peter will participate to the Solidays festival this year?
<Peter Gabriel> I don't know exactly when will be held Solidays, but generally speaking i'm not expecting doing live performance for year 2001.
<Azzy> UP for 2001 ?
<manueldegallaix> When the album?
<laurelenn> We all agree on one thing for a first question: "When will you get decided to release your album"?
<manueldegallaix> When the album?
<Poupou> UP, When??
<OVO> Peter: and the new album???
<koomkat> Is the song Signal to Noise will be on the 'album "UP" ?
<Peter Gabriel> This title will be on it. I am finishing the mix. I have been taking away from my album for two years by other projects. That explains the delays; There is no official release date yet.
<CyberFred> Stig, ask what does Peter think about France and the french fans he met?
<Peter Gabriel> There is an interesting approach to music in France. There is a lot of interesting thing in dance, it's a climat more open minded to other influences. More open than what i find in the United States.
<Celine> Peter, will you be a part of the Womad Festival of Reading in July?
<Peter Gabriel> I won't participate to it as an artist. The dates are pretty close to the ones in Seattle.
<iieo> does an occasional psychedelic experience help your music?
<Peter Gabriel> The only interesting drugs for me were the psychedelics, but I never had that experience. My dreams were scary enough!
<Azzy> Peter, is a tribute album to Nusrat will be release?
<Peter Gabriel> Yes, i did a title with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan just before he died. There is another one with Zawosi.
<Guydiboo> Is it possible to participate to a Peter Gabriel without beeing necessarily a great musician?
<Peter Gabriel> I do it and if i do it, everyone can... What i look for is a musician that offer something unique.
<Walt’> Peter is right, a singer has to be unique!
<flashgordon> Peter Gabriel, what is your best musical souvenir?
<CW46> Do you have filmscore projects?
<Peter Gabriel> I have a lot of great moments particularly with Youssou n' Dour and a good souvenir of the recording of Passion (The Last Temptation of Christ) with Shankar and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. As for filmscores projects, i am looking at a few propositions but i will get to it only if i can do it with friends who can collaborate with me, so i don't take too much time.
<flashgordon> How well are your studios?
<Peter Gabriel> The studios are well. We have, as always, a lot of artists from all over the world who comes to record their music but it comes more and more easier to record at home, so as an economical point it's getting less interesting.
<Monkey> Many new groups, like Radiohead, has the sound of progressive rock band of the seventies, like Genesis. What does these group inspire you? particularly Radiohead?
<MrToNy> What do you think about the actual rock music?
<Peter Gabriel> To Mister Tony and Monkey. I love Radiohead, i think that it is the best group at this time. I don't know a lot about the actual rock scene, but i guess there is - as usual - good and bad things.
<sumo> Will you put unreleased material on OD2 (on line)?
<Peter Gabriel> I will but some unreleased songs on OD2, at the end of this year or the beginning of next year, but it is not determinated yet.
<xanderx-man> Peter, would you like to do, as David Bowie did, a soundtrack for a video game?
<Peter Gabriel> To Xanderxman. I did thought about that in the past. I think it would be interesting to do.
<Sumo> Will Peter release an OVO version with all the singing by him?
<Peter Gabriel> We thought about it but i prefer to concentrate on my new album.
<OVO> Hello peter. What's happening with the Morsures de l'Aube soundtrack?
<sumo> What Peter has done on ´Les Morsures de l'Aubeª?
<Peter Gabriel> To Ovo. It's a song a did once but i never finished the recording. But Antoine, the director, liked the song.
<Guydiboo> Will you have many artists collaborations on your new album, like on OVO? French artists?
<Azzy> Do Peter will sing all the titles on UP or will we see special guests?
<koomkat> Why RealWorld didn't produce any french artists yet?
<Peter Gabriel> There is a french artist on UP, his name is Christian Chevretel.
<to> To PG: Is there a collaboration with Tricky on one or two title of UP?
<Peter Gabriel> There is no songs with Tricky on the album.
<keo> To Peter. What do you think about the music done by Bjork... a collaboration with her maybe?
<Peter Gabriel> To Keo. I love the music done by Bjork. I think she's a daring artist and i have a lot of respect for her.
<keo> Is it possible to see you and her in a collaboration? (Spontaneous and harmonious collaboration of your two musical universe) Give us some joy!
<Walt’> Do you know the group CUT with Ray Wilson, Paul Carrack, and Daryl Stuermer? Have you heard their music?
<Peter Gabriel> To Walt’. I know Paul Carrack through Mike and the Mechanics but i havent had the occasion to listen to the music of Cut.
<Loulou> Are you still in contact with Manu Katche?
<Peter Gabriel> Manu Katche was with Sting a lot of years. If not, there is this great french percussionnist Mahuot.
<Walt’> Why didn't they invite you for the 1990 Knebworth?
<Peter Gabriel>To CW 182. I don't know if there is any particular reason but i'm sure they had already a lot of talentuous artists invited.
<manueldega> Is there a video version of the Millenium Dome?
<marie-helene> When can we expect the new album and new concerts...we are waiting with impatience. I was in London for the Millenium Dome. Congratulation for the music and stage direction of the show.
<Peter Gabriel> The Dome management has considered that a video would cost too much, so it hasn't been done.
<CW199> What is your favorite song?
<Peter Gabriel> To CW 199. It would be Biko or In your Eyes.
<keo> Because i'm always in connection with the tastes and preferences of Peter, i would like to ask him what are the artists he would recommended or that he would like to share with us?
<Peter Gabriel> To Keo. I have a project at this time with Robert Lepage in Quebec (he's working in Seattle). It's called Zoulou Time and we have a lot of different artists in it.
<Jean-Hughes> Peter, you were in Montreal recently with Robert Lepage. Will he be in charge of the the stage direction of your next tour?
<Peter Gabriel> I recommend the work of Robert Lepage...
<Monkey> Do you think that your web site has an important role ? Do you think that the artists web sites will take over the usual and promotionnal web site of the record companies. Will they be replacing these sites?
<Peter Gabriel> To Monkey about artists web site. They are complements of the traditionnal promotional channels like tv, radio or newspapers.
<Sumo> Don't Peter think that there is a lack of proximity with the fan on his own website?
<Peter Gabriel> To Sumo. If it's really what you think, i will be talking to the people in charge of the website to try to find solutions.
<Sumo> It would be great to have more "insider views" of RealWorld. Personal notes from Peter...
<zebulon> Hi Peter. The fact that music is getting more and more virtual. Don't you think that it is a loss when we don't have anymore contact with the disk, no more visual as opposed to the CD, who was already a loss in opposition to the old vinyl?
<Samuel> Don't you think there is work to do about the CD packaging?
<Peter Gabriel> To Zebulon. I Understand your point of view. But the disponibility of downloadable music is in such, a very estimable value. But in the future, we'll have a desktop factory at home. It will be possible then to create your own visuals directly at home. There is an experience at the Royal College of Art where they are creating statuettes representing artists that the computer will recognize and will then look for information about those artists.
<Guillaume & Walt’> Does he collaborate to the Genesis DVD??
<Peter Gabriel> Guillaume, i won't collaborate to the Genesis DVD
<Azzy> Oh, sad news then...
<mozo> Peter you once said: "may all your moons be bananas", what does it mean please?
<Peter Gabriel> To Mozo. There was a CDROM called Ceremony of Innocence. The answer is in there... ´If in your eyes, the moon doesn't evoque a banana, you should drink more wine!ª
<Monkey> Do you have any regrets about your career?
<Peter Gabriel> To Monkey. No, i don't have much regrets about my career. I had the chance to play with a great number of wonderful and talentuous musicians. Not only musicians, but also collaborate with dancers, sculptors...
<Sumo> Has Peter visited the fan Solsbury Hill site???
<Peter> Yes, I've already visited this web site and I really like it. People talk to me about it regularly which allows me to stay updated.
<Sumo> Does Peter understrand that the fans are a little bit in a state of ´withdrawal syndromª with one album in 10 years?
<Guillaume> Why so few albums??
<spy> Pete, i met Manu KATCHE in September. He explain to me that you had recorded some songs just after US. For when, the next album?
<jomrs> Peter, do you think you will release your albums in a more frequent rythm in the future?
<Peter Gabriel> To Sumo & Guillaume. I began writing the new album in 1996 and, i've been taken away to work on the OVO project for 2 years. Now, i have 13 songs selected on more than a hundred ones. So i should be able to release more albums in the future.
<troll44> Concert on the web?
<Peter Gabriel> Yes, we will make a webcast of the next tour.
<Stig> PETER GABRIEL STOP THE CHAT AND WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU.