For almost fifty years I have loved Italy, the people, the culture, the food, the history and more recently the island of Sardinia.
Italy offered us work when there was none, especially each summer in the 70s, gigs were always found and some of our best and most chaotic tour experiences were when we were driving ourselves all over the country for a hodge-bodge of brilliant gigs, from seaside discos to football pitches in the mountains.
Both Genesis and my music found wonderful and passionate audiences that used to sing along with us throughout the gigs and whenever I was doing a live album I would always ask first whether it could be arranged in Italy.
I speak some Italian – really badly, but enough for it to feel like our home from home. It really hit us hard as a family, to watch the daily reports of deaths and devastation that this brutal virus has brought.
Ten years ago, I asked my daughter Anna to film the show that we were planning to play with an orchestra at the Arena di Verona, which is an extraordinary place in which to be able to perform. Although I was recovering from a cold and not quite hitting the notes as I wanted, Anna did a wonderful job with her collaborator Andrew Gaston, and a great team, in capturing a very special night.
The films she made have not been seen by a wide enough audience. Now many of us are at home and isolated, so we wanted to make them available to anyone interested, on the Real World Vimeo channel with the sole request that you consider contributing to one of these organisations raising money to fight the virus:
If you prefer to donate some money more locally, then please do that instead.
We are thinking of all our friends and fans and everybody who has been hit in one way or another by this virus in Italy and around the world. We are also worried we are not far behind you in the UK.
Really looking forward to seeing you all when this genie is back in the bottle.
Enjoy the films and stay safe,
– PG
Sono quasi 50 anni che amo l’Italia: la gente, la cultura, il mangiare, la storia e più recentemente la Sardegna.
L’Italia ci diede lavoro quando non ce ne era. In particolare durante le estati degli anni ’70, quando si riusciva sempre a trovare da suonare. Le tournée migliori e più caotiche erano quelle in cui si attraversava tutto il paese in auto per fare un miscuglio di concerti fantastici, dalle discoteche litoranee ai campi di calcio in montagna.
Sia la musica dei Genesis che la mia trovarono un pubblico meraviglioso e appassionato che cantava i nostri pezzi durante i concerti. Quando dovevamo registrare un album dal vivo, sempre come prima cosa chiedevo se fosse possibile farlo in Italia.
Parlo poco italiano, non benissimo, ma abbastanza per farmi sentire a casa. Come famiglia, siamo rimasti profondamente scossi dai bollettini quotidiani di tante persone scomparse e tanta sofferenza portata da questo virus brutale.
Dieci anni fa, chiesi a mia figlia Anna di filmare il concerto che volevamo portare con un’orchestra all’Arena di Verona, un ambiente unico dove potersi esibire. Nonostante un forte raffreddore mi impedì di raggiungere le note come avrei voluto, Anna, assieme al suo collaboratore Andrew Gaston ed il loro team, fecero un lavoro eccellente e catturarono una serata veramente speciale.
Le riprese di Anna non sono state viste da un pubblico abbastanza ampio. Ora che in molti siamo in isolamento a casa, vorremmo diffonderle sul canale Vimeo di Real World per chi fosse interessato, con la mia unica richiesta che consideriate di fare una donazione ad una di queste organizzazioni che combattono il virus:
Se lo preferite, donate a delle associazioni o enti che operano nella vostra zona.
Abbiamo nel cuore tutti i nostri amici, fans e tutti coloro che sono stati colpiti in un modo o nell’altro dal virus, in Italia e nel mondo. Siamo anche preoccupati che nel Regno Unito vi stiamo seguendo a poca distanza.Non vediamo l’ora di incontrarvi tutti nuovamente non appena questo genio cattivo è ritornato nella lampada.
Buona visione e “andrà tutto bene”.
– PG
Read more about the films here
On 26 September 2010 Peter performed at the Anfiteatro Arena Di Verona as part of the New Blood tour, the tour that supported the release of the ‘Scratch My Back’ album.
The performance was captured by Anna Gabriel and the material she shot forms the basis of two films: ‘Scratch My Back’ and ‘Taking The Pulse – Live in Verona’.
For the performance Peter was joined by orchestrator and musical director John Metcalfe, conductor Ben Foster, leader Louisa Fuller and pianist Tom Cawley, along with vocalists Melanie Gabriel and Ana Brun and the New Blood Orchestra.
When I spoke to my dad about shooting one of his shows I jumped at the chance of shooting at the Roman amphitheatre in Verona, Italy. Italians have always been very enthusatic audience and give a lot back to the performer and to the camera. I made this film with my friend Andrew Gaston who was truly my collaborator throughout the process. It is always fun for me to shoot my father as I know the material and his performances so well I feel that I can capture a side to him that feels more personal. I also wanted to shoot the orchestra in an exciting way and along with Andrew’s editing I think we really captured the energy of the entire performance. I look forward to sharing this film. – Anna Gabriel.