Peter Gabriel - Up album interview

In July 2002, Peter was interviewed about his forthcoming album UP at Real World Studios. This EPK was created from the interview and was primarily used to circulate to international media who were not able to speak to Peter in person.
Why is the album called UP Peter is asked...
“UP was conceived as a title about 8 years ago. I had a lot of material even then and still a lot of it was quite positive. I was thinking about rivers and also playing with Up the Khyber, Up the Ganges, Up the Mississippi series where I would send the record off to a group in different countries and they would do their interpretation of it and then we’d try to pull something together out of that, or put it out as individual things. So it was a sort of UP package, but I think I mentioned that to Michael Stipe and they (REM) were the first to come out with a record called UP. Although I think Shania Twain is going to have a record called UP and Ani di Franco had a record called Up, Up, Up, Up, Up, Up.
UP is final part of the two-letter, single-syllable trilogy.... So, Us, Up. The album was produced by Peter Gabriel and mixed by Tchad Blake and Stephen Hague. Hundreds and hundreds of hours of recordings were made, ultimately being slimmed down to the final ten tracks.
UP soon reveals itself to be another deeply personal statement, with birth and death being near-constant themes. Mostly recorded at Real World (although some initial recordings were made in Senegal, France and on a boat on the Amazon), the album sees contributions from the likes of Peter Green, Danny Thompson, the Blind Boys of Alabama, Daniel Lanois, the Black Dyke Band, Peter’s daughter Melanie and the late, great Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.
The album was released on 23 September, 2002.

[@ultramet]

This was the first album my toddler son sang to while driving in our car. He used to sing aloud “Sky Blue”. Fast forward some 20 something years later, he has graduate degrees in music and is conducting choirs professionally. Thank you Peter for influencing my son to pursue music.

[@22RosesGrow]

Thank you for sharing this.

[@705johnnyboy]

i missed this one i have it now unopened ready to go in my kallax lol,im reabsorbing us first which i cant stop playing the man is a genius and the world is a better place with peter in it...

[@deelawrence1135]

I think maybe - Don't Give Up - has possibly saved more lives than any other piece of music, Thank you

[@gojumpintothelake]

I love everything he has done There’s nothing like him anywhere anytime

[@21stcentent]

Very few are as deep as Peter is, he is a true inspiration of emotional art and music.

[@ministerofdarkness]

Up is a true Masterpiece. I love listening to my vinyl copy. Peter is a true living legend. PLAY LOUD

[@MrBenjenko]

18 months Peter! That was never going to happen, but love your optimism! Only took 22 years! 😂

[@andrewvanness2101]

This album came into my life just at the start of my divorce. Everything about this music, except for “Barry Williams”, applied to every emotion I was experiencing - loss, loneliness, confusion, regret, gritty tearful sadness, grief, anger, darkness. Struggling to hold on. Bringing up childhood abandonment and parental betrayals that I hadn’t yet addressed in my subconscious. Other than the closing section of “Sky Blue”, the album didn’t have the medicine I needed that “Don’t Give Up” did, and still does in ongoing dark moments, but I felt deeply that somehow I was being watched over in my loneliness. That PG had written these songs about what he witnessed telepathically what I was going through, yet always knowing he had no notion I existed. Still that sustained me, to have a soundtrack to keep the usual “noise in my head from overlooping”, from overdriving the amplifier, and letting it out as I sang and screamed and cried alone in my car. And it still holds for me this way, especially with the unreleasable regret that the divorce also meant not seeing my 2 children much at all in their single digit years, nor they me.

[@rebeccac2291]

Incredible comment. It can be almost supernatural how certain music makes you feel seen, known, cared for, understood and pain witnessed and met…. I hope things have gotten so much better since then.

[@markusfecher6031]

He is a very kind person, speaking in a very quite voice. He is my every time solo artist, there's no one else like him who interacts with the audience. Best wishes, a long healthy life and more of your amazing music 👍

[@mikemicrael5749]

Peter is my hero.

[@davidwebb3098]

I grieve got me through my dad dying and for that Peter I am eternally greatful

[@knn6215]

And Still - on the new i/o album for his mom gets me every time.

[@thepagan5432]

An album and song for every occasion, from Genesis to solo Peter Gabriel, he has been with me for all these years. UP has been there too, great album ❤❤❤, 70 years old next year.

[@fmradio42]

Is there an isolated vocals version of this video. when I'm talking to someone I don't have distracting music playing in the background.

[@BadChizzle]

✨❤✨Peter Peter Peter you’ve been such a part of my life and I want to thank you for your part. You’ve been the best they could have chosen to be you. I don’t pretend to understand you. Nor do I expect I’ll ever shake your hand. But you’ve none the less been that Artist who showed me many fun and question mark moments. Thank you! You are very big inside. ✨❤✨

[@CarolMiller-dg8hf]

Love all that Peter does for his voice is so unique and pristine. He truly is a master of his craft. He also is a great humanitarian. ❤

[@ankerian6723]

Great album. ❤❤❤❤

[@BarbaraEHill513]

Will listen to this today! Thank you, Peter.

[@oscarmariani8224]

Legend ❤

[@premeditatedplan5417]

I absolute love this album. I thought it interesting that PG's theme of love and the arc or relationship plays out in this album as kind of the final of three. Put them together and you get SO-US-UP. So, the yearning of love and the challenges of it. US, the dealing with love and loss. Up the settlement of feelings and the finding of self. Perhaps my perception is how those albums play out in my own emotional world but I have always felt this connection between the three as it pertains to me.

[@kentborges5114]

With The Blind Boys...he is outstanding. Along with the other offerings he surrounds himself with brilliance !

[@chennellproductions6538]

Very exciting moment when the introductory pack arrived for this, a wonderful album.

[@aaronledbetter7429]

I love this album so much... I feel like this record falls towards the bottom half of most peoples 'best to worst' PG albums. For me, this one is near the top.

[@thewanderingnow8443]

100%

[@headfuel]

100%

[@RH1812]

Definitely grew on me

[@andrewvanness2101]

Absolutely.

[@RogerCRocha]

I had this on my channel for ages, that I imported from the original QuickTime file, posted on the Full Moon Club. Thank you so much for uploading this officially. ❤ 💦 ⬆️ 🆙

[@Gurkha9]

Brings back memories of those 2002-03 shows, great album, my favourite. I was Fortunate enough to witness Nusrat perform in the 1990’s a few years before his passing. Amazing voice indeed.

[@araxsargsyan8775]

Շնորհակալ եմ որ կաք ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤🫂🫂🫂🫂

[@paulineavis9009]

MR PETER GABRIEL,,YOU ARE A STAR AND A 'LEGEND ',,A FABULOUS 👌 MUSICIAN,,ALWAYS ENJOY YOUR MUSIC 🎶 🎵 POLLY AVIS DRUMMER 🇬🇧🥁😊

[@antonpreacher2900]

« I’m confident there’ll be another album in 18 months » haha sure Peter the follow up to Up will came out in 2004 :x

[@valeniusthekat]

Mr. Gabriel, I've been a fan of yours since you were a member of Genesis. Whenever you decide to put out your music, I will be there to listen 🥰🤘👍

[@SharonEllard]

😊😊😊❤❤❤😊Peter all of you this is a beautiful album

[@johncarpentier4880]

EXCELLENT EXCELLENT THANK YOU VERY MUCH INDEED SIR PETER GABRIEL YOU ARE A GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT CREATOR ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ JOHN SKEND ❤

[@marcomattei4772]

Peter Gabriel è una delle pochissime persone che hanno influenzato tutta la mia esistenza, nella sua opera complessiva mi sono forgiato e formato nel gusto musicale ed oggi dico ThanK You Peter.

[@NPCONSULTING247-jy3pz]

His rhymes in german are unique

[@RDC_Autosports]

I been feeding the rhythm….I've been feeding the rhythm! It's what we're doing, doing All day and night, …..come on and help me do, come on and help me do” 😎😁👍

[@LindaOsborn-xg2zn]

Looking forward to this new album 👏👏👏❤️

[@ruiserraemoura]

😄Eighteen what?😆 Nevermind: Up is awsome and I/O too. But Darkness is not about fear - it's about scare. When Up came out, I putted it in my car cd player playing Darkness and started raising the volume so that I could hear the intro; needdless to say more: just imagine how I got scared 🤭

[@timpowellmorris]

For me, this album is a masterpiece. Musically, sonically and lyrically. There are very few perfect records that, end to end, maintain a standard of excellence. This is one of them, in my humble opinion. Thanks, PG. I did laugh at the end when he said there should be another album in 18 months... Good things come to those who wait 😉

[@abdelkadernoam4153]

Wonderful

[@madahad9]

The first Peter Gabriel album I bought was Security. It was motivated by the Shock the Monkey video, but that demonic album cover also piqued my interest. I started buying his early albums, but still hadn't found my way to Genesis at the time. That wouldn't happen until the early 90's. Up would be the last album that I actually bought. Whether it was just changing tastes or I thought his later works just didn't match those of his earlier years is open to debate. Sadly I never had the opportunity to see him live. The one song from UP that really hit me was Sky Blue and I'd rank it among my favourite. I've tried to listen to his albums of the last decade and never warmed to them. Some of it sounded like elevator music.

[@PrimitiveInTheExtreme]

Magnificent album.

[@jasonkraley]

“Growing Up” & “More Than This” are my “go to” tracks off this album!

[@therisinghope]

I love this piece of art Peter. I distributed a fair amount of that album with my german based vinyl distribution to german shops, when it came out. We where a very small but highly respected distribution company specialised on exporting german labels to france and import a selection of their finest labels on vinyl to germany. Very creative and good times, where we celebrated the value and craftsmanship of a vinyl record. From the musician to the mastering engineer to the foil cutter and good work of a pressing plant.

[@melrim3958]

Peter, explain to us all from your high platform where we are, it's your duty, you came here for that and you became ... school psychologist !? Do not be ashamed to give directions and instructions to fools, you are a sledgehammer .... there are many of us, we are at different levels .. but we try and learn ... shine like the lamp of Dionysus ... I am looking for a PERSON!

[@janmartens7954]

Yep……the greats of my youth… the level this album is ín my body embedded is bizarre. I always thought Peter was some kind of brother, family to me in that time. Now it still feels the same. Emotional, dark, uplifting, the right tempo and introspective. I need this sometimes to calibrate

[@digger8180]

✌+1 Mr Green

[@OracleFP]

I bought this album as soon as it came out, but initially it was a slow burn for me, but after several months of dipping in and out I started to really appreciate how good this album is, Signal to Noise is one of my absolute PG favourites♥️ Plus many others, personally I think it's one of his best👌

[@paulineavis9009]

MR PETER GABRIEL,,ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE PICTURES 📸 OF THE 'MOON,TRULY BEAUTIFUL,,POLLY AVIS DRUMMER 🇬🇧🥁😊

[@emitflesti-zx3zw]

Well good..."Up" sounds better to me than "In -Out" lol. My favorites have always been the Genesis Foxtrot album and the Secret World tour. What a great crew Secret World had! Thanks for all the many hours of enjoyment the last 52 years. *you're afraid of witches? - you shoulda talked to that cool lady in the caravan..

[@peanutbobo]

Audio mixing drowns out peters voice sometimes

[@rudycarassino9614]

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️from Italy🇮🇹

[@donnydoobra]

lol He said at the end that his next release should only be in 18 months time :P

[@kevinrombouts3027]

It's a great album. Fascinating 8nterview. It just took 20+ years to get to his next album.

[@AmyAlways]

Love this 🌷🤍🌷 & Love you ☀️☀️☀️

[@thewanderingnow8443]

100%

[@valeniusthekat]

When smell goes into 3D 🥰🤘

[@aidavillalba3561]

❤❤❤❤❤ Argentina te Ama❤❤❤❤❤

[@pixelslappa7948]

👍

[@mcdeadcat]

What is the device(?) called at 6.25 that Chris Hughs used "... a Super Grenada"??? Can anyone hear what he says or help me out??

[@mcdeadcat]

Supercollider - found it!

[@mowestover7974]

💜

[@larsbrecher8023]

"Back to Growing Up" Tour 2025 😃

[@GustavoJacob]

Was the sound mix done at Real World? Apparently they don't know how to use parallel compression on interviews with background music over there.

[@manuelaschorsch5603]

❤❤❤❤❤

[@eloisazamora6131]

Merçi infiniment, je vous aime Peter Gabriel. Prenez bien soin de vous💜🌹

[@sybillenova1465]

Feels like going through the TOUCH OF GREY ( GRATEFUL DEAD,) mood...❤

[@sdc8547]

At four minutes in the guy's voice is drowned out by one of his songs! Don't they play these vids through before putting them out? 🤦

[@BernardAssi]

Génie !

[@DanielZimmer1979]

Not forget the OvO Album. Written for the Millenium Dom.

[@manicbunny7883]

Thank you for allowing us to share in your thoughts and be a richer part of an already decadent experience. Blessings Always - A true poet, artist and storyteller. A quintessential musician . A gift to our senses.

[@AdrianNicholls]

‘UP’ grew and grew in my estimation. Some tracks on this slay me on each listen. I Grieve, Signal in particular. I really hope ‘OVO’ gets rereleased as there is some exceptional music on that.

[@ConcertBaer]

The final of "signal to 18:11 noise" is the sound when the world is coming to an end. Like the titanic pulled down to the bottom of the ocean. Masterpiece.

[@normwetherbee3403]

I know it's crass and probably ten years too late but I think "The Barry Williams Show" is a brilliant song that needed to be on record. I love the rest of the album too but I think that's the high point.

[@DanielZimmer1979]

His music built my secret world. Faster Peter. 😌

[@Lonleyheartsings]

🌚

[@blackamerican40]

He did a song about Greg Brady? 🤔😅

[@imetdavid1413]

Your Looking Great Peter !

[@blackamerican40]

Happy 22nd Anniversary!!

[@sluggo3slug]

Up is not a masterpiece

[@frankorusso]

Forever UP ^^^ !!! 🙏🖖