1986 was the date of the original release of Peter Gabriel’s So. It was one of the most moving of all albums that year, and probably the 80s decade too. The luminous love song “In Your Eyes”, and quasi-mystical song “Mercy Street” that alluded to the dark visions of American poet Anne Sexton. Sexton wrote only for herself and not for an audience, which impressed Gabriel. Her sixth suicide attempt was successful. There were other unforgettable songs: the dance hit “Sledgehammer”, the beautiful affirmation with Kate Bush, “Don’t Give Up”, “This is the Picture: Excellent Birds” with Laurie Anderson.
Gabriel fans have something big to look forward to. So (25th Anniversary Immersion Box) has just been released by Gabriel’s label Real World. It’s called Immersion because it contains 8 discs, 2 dvds, two vinyl records (180 gram 45 rpm half-speed audiophile versions), and a 60 page book. Included are two cd’s of a 1987 concert Live in Athens, a DNA cd which gives information and insight into the making of So, a Live in Athens 1987 dvd. There are also a number of unreleased tracks such as “Courage” and “Sagrada”.
This is a must for any serious Gabriel fan, and a great Xmas or birthday gift for somebody who’s important to you.
Here is a little background info from the Gabriel website:
http://petergabriel.com/so25_deluxe/
