(Credits: Far Out / Nadav Kander)
Peter Gabriel is often dubbed one of the most inventive musicians of all time, and that statement might carry a fair bit of weight to it. The Genesis singer has an approach not only to making music but also to how it can be perceived and created, which is not the approach many other people have. His covers album represents his ingenuity well, but it didn’t come with Gabriel feeling slightly rejected.
In 2010, Gabriel released his eighth studio album, Scratch My Back. It was his first after a long hiatus, and despite being laced with his signature sound, it wasn’t what fans expected. Rather than sit down and write new material, Gabriel paid homage to some of the artists who are particular inspirations to him and put together the album, which consisted of about 12 different covers from some of his favourite artists.
The move was equal parts exciting and moving. In the ‘50s and ‘60s, cover songs were all the rage, as artists were always keen to share their tracks with others to give the song publicity and provide the public with different variations on something they were passionate about. It means that many songs from that period that are now classics are actually covers of the original. Look at it this way: without the cover, many songs we know and love today wouldn’t be known or loved on nearly the same scale.
It shows just how good covers can be when they are given the time and care they need. In the modern day, the cover seems to have lost a bit of leverage, as bands put them together without a lot of feeling behind them and instead just use it as a quick track to fill up air time for radio performances. Granted, there is the occasional banger, but generally speaking, they’re not taken as seriously as they previously were, with some artists even doing them ironically.
It’s a shame because cover songs can be a lot of fun to listen to, and that’s why, despite some fans being disappointed that Gabriel hadn’t released any brand new songs, they were still happy to hear his interpretation of tracks they already loved. Gabriel was also proud of the album. His disappointment stemmed from part 2 of the project.
Scratch My Back was only half of Gabriel’s vision; that same year, he planned on releasing another record to accompany it, And I’ll Scratch Yours. The idea was that the artists whose songs Gabriel covered were given a chance to reciprocate the medium and cover some of his songs. While most people were up for it, and the album steadily came to fruition, some didn’t participate.
Radiohead, Neil Young and David Bowie refused to be a part of the album, and its release was delayed by three years as a result. He managed to get Feist, Joseph Arthur and Brian Eno to take part instead, but the delay meant that the project lost some momentum, and this massive ode to the cover song ended up getting lost slightly.
Still, Gabriel’s attitude towards the LPs and his commitment to them is an excellent representation of his ability to think outside the box. He didn’t just record a cover song but put together an entire conceptual double album committed to the art of playing the music of those who inspire you. It’s a fun way to look at covers and gives them the respect they deserve.
