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I would like to know, whether there was a certain or assumed reason for Peter's changing to orchestrial background: Maybe a sudden experience or some contacts to classic musicians or anything else. And does anybody know, when the beginning is dated?

Not sure when it started Rise, but you could look at the blurb under the Discography heading, there's something there related to your question. Also the video archive which goes back to 2008. . .

The question is how you define "New Blood" - if you talk about "New Blood", the current PG-project with Gabriel-songs rearranged with orchestra - that takes us back to January 2010 or December 2009 I think, when PG first mentioned tracks like "Rhythm of the Heat" and "In Your Eyes" with orchestra and the following tour "New Blood Live 2010". Some contacts of PG with classic musicians takes us back to the summers of 1991 and 1992: the so-called "Real World Recording Weeks I and II. Beside many and various musicians from all over the world Peter also met people like Nigel Kennedy ("Vivaldi`s four seasons"), the cello-player Caroline Lavelle, Alex Gifford and his fantastic classic instrumental piece "Morecambe Bay" and many others. Some of these partly classic tracks and musicians were featured on the Real World-album "Arcane" by Assorted Artists, a cousin-album to the later on released "Big Blue Ball"-album. During the various recording sessions for "UP" and "OvO" - maybe 1998 - some more classic artists like Jocelyn Pook showed up at Real World and released albums. Peter also tried out new ideas with strings, brass, horns - some classic arrangements actually with classic musicians. He recorded one song for the movie "Babe Pig in the City" with Randy Newmann (199, a track produced by Bob Ezrin, who also worked on the brass arrangement of "My Head sounds like That", a track to appear on the "UP"-album in 2002. Ezrin and Peter already did some fine orchestral stuff back in 1977 in combination with rock-sound. The album "OvO" then released in 2000 included many string arrangements and Peter also added some strings to "Signal to Noise". A track called "Book of love" for the "Shall We Dance"-soundtrack (2004) also featured string arrangements. the rest idea for orchestra was born in a thread in spring 2009, when Dolce Vita and I were discussing an idea about Peter appearing on stage with a full classic orchestra in the back for "Signal To Noise", but that`s a legend:-]. . .

. . .and to add one last sentence to my good-night-story: Peter and his team including John Metcalfe, arranger of "Scratch my Back", Dickie Chappel and others realized just how good the new arrangements of Peter`s own songs with orchestra worked and sounded like during the "New Blood"-rehearsals and shows, so they decided to record a studio-album "New Blood".

Thanks,Duddy, I found many informations directly.And I will be searching on. The legend is also very likely , Cimber, go on telling the whole story.

without going off-topic, but I think this could be an interesting album for some here: "Arcane" by Various Artists: (a recommendation) listen to "Morecambe Bay", "Ginger" and "Chinese Canon" http://www.realworldrecords.com/catalogue/arcane

. . .once more: some strings and arrangements that may have influenced PG: Jocelyn Pook "Untold Things" http://realworldrecords.com/catalogue/untold-things

to round up the good-night-story - these alsocame to my mind: - 2 tracks from "Passion" (1989) already had a more "classic" touch: "With this Love" and "Bread and Wine". - the track "Summertime" from 1993 ("Glory of Gershwin"-tribute-album) already featured classic musicians and strings plus Larry Adler on harmonica. - The Peter Gabriel-Band played some songs from the "OvO"-album live together with classic musicians ("Jools Holland-show"). - Peter Gabriel and Randy Newman performed "That`ll Do" live in 1999 at the Oscars with classic musicians. - Would also be fair to mention "Electra Strings" and the "Black Dyke Band" with classic touch and background on "OvO". - "Long Walk Home" also includes various string-elements. the REST can be heard on "Scratch My Back". . . good night.

Some clips to accompany the good night story. . . Peter Gabriel ~ "Sky Blue" ~ "UP" ~ (Martyn Bennett mix). . . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NO0yJgnFZdk Peter Gabriel ~ "With This Love" ~ "Passion" from "The Last Temptation of Christ" soundtrack. . . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUpFoAVMfek Peter Gabriel ~ "Summertime" ~ Tribute to George Gershwin. . . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6oleUh83z4 Peter Gabriel, Paul Buchanan, Elizabeth Frazer ~ "Downside Up" ~ "OvO" ~ Jools Holland Show. . . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbqUyZdKM0o Peter Gabriel ~ "Signal to Noise" ~ (instrumental version) ~ from "Gangs of New York" soundtrack. . . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpFNwk77YBQ Peter Gabriel & Randy Newman ~ "That'll Do" ~ live 1999 Oscars ~ "Babe" movie soundtrack. . . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SydBcNdzfOI Peter Gabriel ~ "The Nest That Sailed the Sky" ~ "OvO". . . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-gj_IXb3NU

Oink,oink.It's great, to hear the as cynical known musicians in such a lovely song. And .good shave (not the queen!)

Cimber,i always learn from you knowledge about Peter! . . . .thank you MAK,wonderful videos,and what a fantastic voice of Elisabeth Fraser!! . . .and yes,ha ha Cimber "It's only a legend,but i like it", yeah! :-]