The mind-blowing moment Peter Gabriel first heard The Beatles
Before Phil Collins became the acclaimed lead vocalist of progressive rock powerhouse Genesis, Peter Gabriel was in charge of singing, having co-founded the band in 1967. Gabriel was recognised for his eccentric performances, often dressing up in bizarre costumes and telling stories while his bandmates re-tuned their instruments between songs.
His unique behaviour captured the public’s attention, and the band eventually found significant success with their album Selling England By The Pound in 1973. Yet, Gabriel released his final record with the band, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, the following year, announcing his departure from Genesis shortly after.
Gabriel desired to experiment with more unique sounds, leaving the band to focus on his own music, and he released his self-titled debut solo record in 1977, which reached number seven on the UK Album Charts. Meanwhile, Collins assumed the role of Genesis’ lead singer, although he doubted his ability to perform like Gabriel.
However, with Collins, Genesis became one of the best-selling bands of all time, receiving various accolades, such as a Grammy Award. Of course, Gabriel has enjoyed a successful career, winning six Grammys, three Brit Awards, and more, as well as earning respect for his consistent humanitarian actions.
Like many successful artists, Gabriel cites The Beatles as one of his primary influences, shaping his approach to music. In 2013, Gabriel explained how impactful hearing The Beatles was for the first time during an interview with Raised on Radio. He said: “There are key moments when you remember hearing something for the first time. I was in the back of my parent’s car when I heard ‘Love Me Do’. These were days of very smooth music.”
He added: “This sounded far more radical and revolutionary than punk did in its day, you know. It was rough and raw, exciting. I was Beatles obsessed from then on. So the first record I ever bought was With The Beatles. That was probably as exciting as it’s ever got.”
Gabriel further explained the band’s influence on him to ABC News: “‘Please, Please Me’ was coming over the radio. I would sit in the back of my parents’ car when we were on these long drives down to the coast. And what people forget, I think, is that at the time, it was really rebellious, rough, mischievous and full of life, and irresistible to any young person. The Beatles were a huge influence as I was growing up, and continued to be as there was all that revolution around their success.”
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