"Instead of making a traditional album with cover versions, I thought it would be much more entertaining to initiate a novel project where artists communicate with each other and exchange songs," explains Peter Gabriel. "The idea is: I interpret one of your songs, and you in turn interpret one of mine. Hence the title 'Scratch My Back - And I’ll Scratch Yours' (which translates to: One hand washes the other)."
"Scratch My Back," the first part of this song exchange, was originally released in 2010 and is now being reissued in a special edition together with "And I’ll Scratch Yours." Due to the packed recording and touring schedules of the artists involved in this project, there have naturally been some delays in the implementation of the idea. However, this is balanced out by Gabriel's joy over the ultimately received feedback. Considering the caliber and careers of the artists whose songs he selected, it is quite incredible that, with the exception of two songwriters, everyone was able to reciprocate Peter Gabriel's favor. For Neil Young and Radiohead, who were both unavailable, other high-profile artists, Joseph Arthur and Feist feat. Timber Timbre, stepped in to contribute their versions of "Shock the Monkey" and "Don’t Give Up," respectively, to this exciting project.
The responding artists chose to approach Gabriel's songs in very different ways. Some took the risk of radically reinterpreting the original material, making it so that the original versions are hardly recognizable in their adaptations. Examples include Lou Reed's growly remake of "Solsbury Hill" or Brian Eno's startlingly futuristic version of "Mother of Violence." Others - like Arcade Fire ("Games Without Frontiers"), Elbow ("Mercy Street"), or Regina Spektor ("Blood Of Eden") - remained much closer to the originals with their interpretations.
"And I’ll Scratch Yours" will be available both as a standard CD and as a double CD in a Digi-Pack together with "Scratch My Back."
After Peter Gabriel released the deluxe box "SO - 25th Anniversary" last year to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his hit album "SO," he will present its repertoire again during a tour in Germany in October. In this concert series titled "Back To Front," he will perform the program from back to front with musicians who were involved in the original recording of "SO" (bassist Tony Levin, guitarist David Rhodes, keyboardist David Sancious, and drummer Manu Katché).
Peter Gabriel "Back To Front" Tour:
03.10.13 - 20:00 - Vienna, Wiener Stadthalle Hall D
11.10.13 - 20:00 - Leipzig, Arena Leipzig
13.10.13 - 19:00 - Stuttgart, Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle
16.10.13 - 20:00 - Düsseldorf, ISS Dome
18.10.13 - 20:00 - Hamburg, o2 World Hamburg
19.10.13 - 20:00 - Berlin, o2 World Berlin
Peter Gabriel's Short Biography:
Peter Gabriel first gained international fame with the successful band Genesis, which he co-founded as a student. After leaving Genesis in 1975, he embarked on a no less successful solo career, during which he released seven studio albums and composed acclaimed soundtracks for films such as Alan Parker's "Birdy," Martin Scorsese's "The Last Temptation of Christ," and Phillip Noyce's "The Long Walk Home."
Among the numerous awards Peter Gabriel has received throughout his career are six Grammys, nine MTV Video Awards, the Frankfurt Music Prize (2006), and the Polar Music Prize (2009). In 1982, Gabriel initiated the first WOMAD festival for music, art, and dance in England, which has since been followed by around 145 other WOMAD events in 22 different countries. Since 1989, he has also operated his own record label, Real World Records, where he releases albums from artists around the world in addition to his own works.
In 1989, Peter Gabriel was also a co-founder of the human rights organization Witness and, in 2007, encouraged Nelson Mandela, along with Richard Branson, to launch the organization The Elders, a coalition of outstanding former statesmen and women, peace activists, human rights advocates, and prominent intellectuals. For his humanitarian engagement, Peter Gabriel received the Man of Peace Award in 2006 (awarded by Mikhail Gorbachev and former Nobel Peace Prize laureates) and the Quadriga Prize in 2008.
www.petergabriel.com
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Track Listing CD 1 "And I’ll Scratch Yours":
David Byrne - I Don’t Remember
Bon Iver - Come Talk to Me
Regina Spektor - Blood of Eden
Stephin Merritt - Not One of Us
Joseph Arthur - Shock the Monkey
Randy Newman - Big Time
Arcade Fire - Games Without Frontiers
Elbow - Mercy Street
Brian Eno - Mother of Violence
Feist feat. Timber Timbre - Don’t Give Up
Lou Reed - Solsbury Hill
Paul Simon - Biko
Track Listing CD 2 of the Deluxe Edition (Digi-Pack) with "Scratch My Back":
Heroes (Original by David Bowie & Brian Eno)
The Boy in the Bubble (Paul Simon)
Mirrorball (Elbow)
Flume (Bon Iver)
Listening Wind (Talking Heads)
The Power of the Heart (Lou Reed)
My Body is a Cage (Arcade Fire)
The Book of Love (The Magnetic Fields)
I Think It’s Going to Rain Today (Randy Newman)
Aprés Moi (Regina Spektor)
Philadelphia (Neil Young)
Street Spirit (Radiohead)
