In 1967, as the world grappled with tumultuous times, The Beatles sent a message of unified peace to 200 million people through a groundbreaking satellite link-up, performing their iconic song ‘All You Need is Love.’
For Peter Gabriel, then just 17 years old, this moment was nothing short of extraordinary.
He, like millions of others, saw the Fab Four in a new light, not only as musical legends but as beacons of hope during uncertain times.
“It was an extraordinary feeling,” Gabriel once expressed, “that suddenly, this group that we’d seen from very small beginnings were really holding the flame for the world.”
For Gabriel, this moment not only represented a message of hope but also ignited his own aspirations in the world of music.
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Unsurprisingly, Gabriel has always held The Beatles close to his heart. When asked about his favorite songs of all time, he couldn’t help but reminisce about his early days with the band.
“The first record I bought when I saved up my pocket money was ‘With The Beatles,'” Gabriel revealed in an interview with ABC.
“‘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,” he fondly recalled.
Gabriel’s favorite track by The Beatles is none other than “Please, Please Me,” a song that he believes encapsulates the rebellious, rough, mischievous, and full-of-life spirit of the band during those transformative times.
Gabriel emphasized that, during that era, The Beatles were a massive influence on his growth as an artist. Their music, filled with revolution and innovation, left an indelible mark on his creative journey. He even compared their breakthrough to other influential movements, stating, “The Beatles were a huge influence as I was growing up, and continued to be as there was all that revolution around their success.”
It was in the wake of The Beatles’ groundbreaking broadcast and the whirlwind of Beatlemania that Peter Gabriel embarked on his own musical journey.
He co-founded Genesis with his schoolmates, drawing inspiration from The Beatles’ revolutionary spirit. Gabriel aimed to capture the same sense of newness and innovation in his work with Genesis, and they went on to create a unique musical fusion that had a lasting impact on the world of music.
Reflecting on the band’s influence, Steve Hackett of Genesis noted:
“I grew up listening to the blues and Bach, and I never thought that they would meet and create a third thing.”
However, Genesis successfully blended these diverse influences to create a groundbreaking sound that left an indelible mark on the music industry.