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Peter talks about progress on his 'scratch my back' covers project, with Bob Ezrin and John Metcalf both in the studio to work on the project. We get a report on the success of the recent WOMAD Abu Dhabi where Robert Plant made a special guest appearance with Justin Adams and Juldeh Camera whose new Real World Records release Tell No Lies is out on May 11th.

Peter gives a mention to the many Real World Records artists are to be found playing live at venues around the world in the coming months, amongst whom is Mamer, a singer/songwriter who was raised in Xinjiang, one of ten children for whom singing and playing the two-string dombra lute was as much a part of life as sunrise.

The latest newsletter from Real World Records is now available to view on-line.

Peter recounts tales of recent travels and tour dates in Mexico and Latin America, music, warmth, human rights campaigning, sickness and happy memories from 18 days on the road. We also hear about Speed Caravan, the current inhabitants of Real World's Big Room, new music from Justin Adams and Juldeh Camera, a great new release by Mamer recorded in Urumqi and Beijing and an animation competition running with Aardman Animations.

Spiro are this month's artists on the Real World curated Bowers and Wilkins Music Club. You can see them here talking about recording the project at Real World Studios, with an introduction from Peter Gabriel. Catch them this month at The Music Club, live at The Bell in Bath on Monday 30th March, at upcoming festivals - Wychwood and WOMAD Charlton Park and in projects coming soon with Real World Records.

"Spiro are at the forefront of the new wave of inspirational English acoustic music - unique arrangements that transport you into gorgeous landscapes. Essentially English, beautifully brilliant with timeless melodies." Karen Tweed

livinginperu.com has a review and photographs of Box's wandering minstrels from the opening concert of their tour.

"Every concert is different depending on the audience, and as Peter Gabriel took his bows, it was clear that the palpable Peruvian energy had once again worked its magic..."

A big crowd gathered at Jorge Chávez airport in Lima to welcome their idol Peter Gabriel, who did not hesitate in getting closer to his fans to greet them, sign autographs and even hug them. "I'm very happy of being here again. Last time I was here just like another tourist, but now I'm here as a musician" he stated...

WITNESS has been collecting signatures on a petition asking Mexico's President Calderon to resolve the disappearances and murders of hundreds of women on the Mexico / U.S. border. Put your signature on the petition that Peter will deliver to the Mexican government on March 27th. Please sign it if you haven't already and send to your friends asking them to do the same. We only have until March 27th to grow this petition!

If you are not on our mailing lists, you won't have recieved our recent newsletters, but fear not, they are available to read on-line.

The latest sample pack available on Real World Remixed is Peter Gabriel's 'Games Without Frontiers'. The sample pack also features Kate Bush on backing vocals and has two new parts - Lord Jamar's rap for the recent Winter X Games version of the track and Peter's new backing vocal, also from the X Games version.

A competition around the mixes submitted in the run up to the Summer X Games in August is in the pipeline, but the fine details are still being picked over. Any mixes uploaded before an announcement will be included in the competition. We'll be keeping Peter and the people at X Games up-to-date with mixes as they come in. We hope you enjoy it.

Peter Gabriel talks about a spate of award nominations and ceremonies including the Golden Globe Awards, the Grammy Awards and the Oscars's, all of which have 'Down To Earth' from Walle in ther short lists. Enriching 'brain food' is recounted, having been eaten both at The World Economic forum and TED in the last couple of weeks. There is news of music from Charlie Winston and Spiro, whose track 'Antrobus' features in this months video. If that and the details missing from this description were not news a plenty, Peter also has an update on the forthcoming tour dates, 'Games Without Frontiers' on Real World Remixed and his work on the 'Scratch My Back' covers project in the studio.

We're sorry to announce that there will be a slight delay in uploading this month's video update from Peter. Late trains, packed timetables, world travel and a very rich mushroom pie have all conspired to push us back beyond the lunar peak here in the west country.

The video will be available on the site tomorrow.

This picture of one of Dengue Fever's guitars, captured earlier in the year as they recorded a Real World for a forthcoming Bowers & Wilkins Music Club release, seemed to want to find it's way out into the world today. The image of Barack Obama by Shepard Fairey has become a common sight since it's appearance here back in August.

Just launched on The Music Club is the Portico Quartet's 'Black and White Sessions' - they come highly recommended with their recent Mercury nomination. All you have to do is sign-up to get the first three tracks for free.

Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman have been nominated for an Oscar for the song "Down to Earth" from the film Walle

Amongst the natural highlights to be found in this months video update from Peter Gabriel are an Otter and a Kingfisher. Peter also tells us about the nomination of 'Down To Earth' from the Walle soundtrack at The Golden Globe Awards; which means he'll be seeing this months full moon hanging over Los Angeles, Charlie Winston's success in France with 'Like a Hobo' (which is also the music featured in this months update). holiday trips and various frosty and wet developments Real World.

Why not bring some instant Christmas cheer into the world by download the best Christmas album around. Hear it in the best possible quality by downloading in 'Apple Lossless' format, or go for smaller download of our 320 Kbps MP3 version. Both versions are only £5.99 from our store.

The London Times said...Pop CD of the week

...a great band, way-above-average guest contributions (from Solomon Burke, Tom Waits and Shelby Lynne, among others) and, obviously, the impeccable vocals of The Blind Boys of Alabama... Chrissie Hynde's In The Bleak Midwinter is lifted by a subtle guitar part from Richard Thompson; Aaron Neville's sweet lead floats above the Blind Boys' robust backing on Joy To The World; and it's no surprise that Mavis Staples's contribution, a barnstorming run through Born in Bethlehem, is the highlight of the album. A law should be passed forcing anyone who plays one of Cliff's Christmas ditties to play this immediately afterwards.