Two flavours of live are on offer as Peter talks about 'New blood' shows past and future, he also confirms that he will be on a brief antipodean jaunt with the band later in the year

This month also brings Elbow's 'Mercy Street', a preview of next month's 'I Don't Remember' from David Byrne, amazing vocal performance from The Creole Choir of Cuba and 'Bought For A Dollar, Sold For a Dime' from Little Axe.

There's also a couple of ducklings, a bee or two and a little sunshine for good measure.

More on Mirrorball and Mercy Street

We grabbed a moment with Peter during rehearsals in New York City for tonight's New Blood show in Montreal.

Lou Reed's version of 'Solsbury Hill' bookends Peter clip. The full story on this month's "Scratch My Back and I'll Scratch Yours' is now available.

A recent Lou Reed composition, Peter abandons its author's trademark gravelly delivery for an open vocal performance that, backed by unobtrusive piano and sympathetic orchestrations, places great emphasis on the song's uncomplicated but moving melody. Simple things can be the most profound.

Peter explains why he chose this song:

"I've known Lou for many years now and he's written many great songs - he's correctly taken very seriously as a great lyricist. At the Albert Hall when he was doing his Berlin show, he played this song at the end. It is a marriage proposal to Laurie (Anderson). I thought it was an extraordinarily beautiful lyric and song. However, I felt it needed a chorus figure or refrain to punctuate all the verses, and was quite nervous sending it back to Lou to see if he would approve this addition, as it was such a personal song. He wrote back very enthusiastically. Although Lou's not the first name that comes to mind when you think of love songs, I am sure in years to come, because of its heart felt honesty, it will become a romantic classic." Peter Gabriel

Lou Reed: Solsbury Hill

Unfortunately we didn't manage to get Lou Reed in front of a camera, but he did explain how he approached the song and his response to Peter's version of his composition:

"I tried to keep an open mind for this wonderful song I wanted to own it and redo it's essence. I picked the version I and everyone else knows. I think Peter has tried to strike a balance between the demands of the marketplace and his desire for uniqueness. And intelligence. He has quite an arrangement in the Ezrin produced version. I choose to single out one desire and concentrate on that. The desire for a home.

Peter's version of my song is overwhelmingly beautiful and I thank him for including me on this soulful journey through the heart. He has never sung more beautifully. This is a landmark album." Lou Reed

View the release at iTunes USA
View the release at iTunes UK
View the release at iTunes Germany

You can hear a little of Lou Reed's 'Solsbury Hill' in Peter's April update.

Peter Gabriel and Justin Vernon of 'Bon Iver' introduce this month's 'double a-side' Digital 45 release at iTunes, with additional input from John Metcalfe and legendary producer Bob Ezrin.

Buy from ITunes UK
Buy from ITunes U.S.A

Or, if you happen live in the majority of the world, just search on 'Flume' in your localised version of the store.

More on Bon Iver

Live and direct from the soundcheck in Berlin, Peter checks in with a brief update.

Watch Peter, Bon Iver, John Metcafe and Bob Ezrin on this month's 'Come Talk To Me' and 'Flume' iTunes release

February's Full Moon sees the release of the second 'double A-side' - Digi 45 from the 'Scratch My Back' project on iTunes. Peter Gabriel's version of 'The Boy In The Bubble' and Paul Simon's reciprocal cover of 'Biko'

Peter, Paul Simon, Bob Ezrin and John Metcalfe talk about the two songs and the process of recording the two tracks in this video.

Peter's Ferbuary update finds him busy in the studio with Bob Ezrin and John Metcalfe working on arrangements for the 'New Blood' dates. Watch out for more news of a special date coming up in Paris.

Peter's also looking at visual ideas for the live dates, some of which have been fuelled by speakers at TED - the Technology Entertainment Design conference hhe attended earlier this month. Hot tips are the visula work of Golan Levin at his FLONG site and also Zefrank

Peter also has news of upcoming WOMAD events in Australia and New Zealand, Real World Records artists and great remixes coming in at Real World Remixed.

You can find more information on Ane Brun, who will be joining Peter's 'New Blood' dates at www.anebrun.com

Don't forget to check out the video on this month's double a-side release on iTunes from 'Scratch My Back' - The Boy in The Bubble and Biko

Peter's January update coincides with the release today of the first Double A-side, Digital 45 from the Scratch My Back project on ITunes . We hear from Peter about his version of 'The Book Of Love', and from the writer of that track, Stephin Merritt of The Magnetic Fields we hear about his cover of Peter's 'Not One Of Us'.

Along the way there is also news of release dates, tour dates and a chance to be part of the project at Real World Remixed, where on a packed full moon, 'Not One Of Us' has just been made available to remixers.

We also get a snippet of 'Heroes' from the 'Scratch' project, with an update on its availability as part of a download in aid of Haiti earthquake victims.

More on the Digital 45
More on Stephin Merritt of The Magnetic Fields
More on remixing 'Not One Of Us'
More on 'Scratch My Back'