“Things come more difficult to him than to anyone I’ve ever met…he doesn’t con himself into thinking he knows what he’s doing”: Peter Gabriel, in the words of his collaborators and admirers
This piece revisits a 2010 Prog magazine feature in which collaborators and admirers of Peter Gabriel reflected on the former Genesis frontman's career and working methods, dubbing him "the Progfather." Contributors including Robert Fripp, Ian Anderson, Steven Wilson, Martin Scorsese, Mike Portnoy, Tom Morello and Trevor Rabin offer personal recollections that together paint a picture of a meticulous, self-doubting perfectionist whose humility and slow, deliberate creative process set him apart from more instinctive peers.
Among the anecdotes, one producer recalls Gabriel playing him "Here Comes The Flood" at their first meeting, a song so striking it stuck in his head over his own studio work for Kiss and Alice Cooper. Another describes being cautious about producing Gabriel's less commercial second album, prioritising fidelity over chasing a hit. A recurring theme is the contrast drawn between Gabriel and former Genesis bandmate Phil Collins, with one admirer noting that things come far more easily to Collins, whereas Gabriel struggles and procrastinates precisely because he refuses to fool himself into false confidence, ultimately delivering results through persistence rather than ease.
- Prog's 2010 feature gathers peers' tributes to Peter Gabriel's career
- Collaborators praise his humility and painstaking, self-doubting creative process
- Contrasted with Phil Collins' ease; Gabriel succeeds through sheer perseverance