Today, 40 years ago, on 27 July 1986, PETER GABRIEL topped
the US Singles Chart with steamrolling stomper SLEDGEHAMMER.
It was the lead single of his 5th LP So that also went to #1 in the US.
The track was accompanied by a spectacular video clip, which used
groundbreaking claymation, pixelation, and stop-motion animation
techniques to bring the song’s imagery to life.
After being the frontman of British prog-rock legendsGenesis for 8 years PETER GABRIEL (aged 76 now) decided to follow his own (successful) path.
At the end of this year, he will launch his 11th solo album, titled o/i.
Back to his 5th one, named SO. It was released on 19 May 1986, today 40 years ago. It topped the charts in the UK, Canada and several
European countries. It peaked at #2 in the US.
Gabriel drew on various musical influences, fusing pop, soul, and art rock with
elements of traditional world music, particularly African and Brazilian styles.
Often considered his best and most accessible album, So was an immediate commercial triumph and transformed Gabriel from a cult artist into a mainstream star, becoming his best-selling solo release. It has been certified fivefold platinum by in America and triple platinum in the UK.
The New York Times wrote: “Only a handful of Western rock musicians have
managed to use exotic rhythms and instruments with so much ingenuity and
conviction.”
Band: ZETRA Who: London’s symphonic zombie duo, Adam Saunderson Jordan Page. They released their self-titled debut LP last year.
You can stream it here.
