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No timpanies, snares, rattles or other percussion intstruments will be used to create tension? Big challenge for the arrangement! I am really looking forward to the way how you will do that with your track Rythym O The Heat! Thank you for the ispiration, Peter!

I think this will be a full orchestra with different orchestral instruments - not only strings.

it is strange to think there will be no percussion as evrerybody knows how important the percussions are for Peter whose dream was to be a great drummer . I love percussions much and particularly the way Peter plays with in his music but I totally trust him , he will replace the drumms with something interesting because, deep in his heart, he's always been a drummer ! don't you think ?

Yes Ceridwen, you're right. I'm sure Peter will use the percussions on the new blood tour. It will not sound as drums but i'm sure it will be very interesting from a rythmic point of view. That's why i think that the most rythmic PG tracks should be the most interesting like "Rythm Of The Heat". It would be boring if there was only strings.

In both of the two episodes of the scratch my back preview you can hear strings( cello, violine,double-bass), brasses(trumpets, horns and trombones, I think),and the piano. I think Peters challenge is to try to show that using "only" strings is really not boring. It depends on the ability of the audience to listen more sensitive to the silent sound of an ochestra. This is something almost lost in the last 20 years in the development of music arrangements. His ideas are built on his sense of responsibility and I think with this project he could contribute to more attention in general. So I dont´t really believe that he will use percussions. All the music comes fron rhythym. With the experience of The Rhythym Of The Heat Peter maybe wants to show that. For me this is very interesting.

Any news on the Encore CD's for those who are unable to make it to the live gigs (or news of the Encore CD from Womad last year come to think of it) Are there any publishing/rights issues for non PG songs that would prevent this perhaps???

Very good point Wave Project. As soon as we will listen to the full album and we will go to the New Blood Tour, we will know wether or not Peter uses the percussions or no percussion at all. When i say it can be boring to have only strings and no percussion, it's because i have in mind a tribute PG CD which is called The string Quartet or something like that which is dull (again in my own and humble opinion) But i know that the Scratch My Back CD will be completely different and that the strings will be used with taste.

Strings can drive the music like percussion there are many great examples Stravinsky's rite of spring is one, in fact string players don't like playing this peice because they dont get the melody at all. not to happy bout the idea of PG doing a bunch of covers, kinda reminds me of Rod Stewart doing "classics" but i will hold off until i hear the whole album Peace Doc

In a normal case I also would´nt be much interested in such a cover project, but Peters very personal way of creating it shows to me that it´s not this kind of a reproduction like Rod did it. Listening to the arrangements you consider that the work contents a deep look at the themes of the lyrics. What I want to say is that the music arangement is not just setting chords like in Rods "classics".

In a normal case I also would´nt be much interested in such a cover project, but Peters very personal way of creating it shows to me that it´s not this kind of a reproduction like Rod did it. Listening to the arrangements you consider that the work contents a deep look at the themes of the lyrics. What I want to say is that the music arangement is not just setting chords like in Rods "classics".

I believe what i see :-] Peter says: "no drums,no guitar" so,in my opinion (but i am not sure because with Peter nothing is immobile. . . ) Peter will not use percussions. From the few minutes of the tracks that we can hear in "news",I feel a very intimate atmosphere,very far from the " Peter's rhythmic world" in which we are accustomed to listen. . . . Wonderful Gabriel

RHYTHM was always the BACKBONE in a Gabriel-track (at least since the 3rd solo-album or even before this on "PG II"). if he says "no drums and no guitars", this does not have to ex-clude orchestral percussion. This orchestra will feature 40 musicians, so beside strings - (like for example "the Bus Stop Strings" performing live with Peter at "WOMAD 2009" in England) - this "Scratch my Back"-orchestra could ALSO in-clude horns and similar instruments (like in the live-performance of "That`ll Do" from the "Oscars 1999" with Randy Newman) AND orchestral percussion instruments as we can find it in any classic orchestra. Maybe we will also find Tony Levin on a contra-bass or anything like that - who knows ? - (remember for example his playing on "Across the River" and "Growing Up". Yes, of course - NO DOUBT - the live performances of "Book of Love" and "The Boy in the Bubble" from "WOMAD 2009" with strings only was ABSOLUTELY PERFECT - especially "The Bubble" - my opinion. Can anyone imagine an orchestra with 40 musicians "only" with strings ? Maybe it will be like that, but I am not so sure.

Yes,dear Cimber,i can imagine an Orchestra with only strings,why not? We must consider,for me of course,that "Scratch My Back" is a very intimate Album,so perhaps Peter wants a different atmosphere,perhaps Peter feels his "Musical time",here in 2010, in this way. . .the most important thing,for me,is that Peter's feeling is sincere,as always That's why i always hope that Peter feel free I can only accept,everything is fine for me,any choice of Peter is good for me,the most important thing is that I,dolcevita's unknown fan, listen to an Artist (Peter) who express really how he feel,i do not want an Artist that must satisfy my selfish desires of fan. I agree with you,who knows? We must only wait. . . . . . . . .but for me it is a fantastic wait. . .