Plays Live

Plays Live, Peter Gabriel’s first live album from 1983, available on 2LP half-speed remastered vinyl (released 28 August 2020) and 2CD (19 March 2021).

The album was compiled from live recordings made at four venues across the American Midwest in late 1982. It is effectively a sign-off to the first phase of Peter Gabriel the solo artist. As such, it’s a celebration of all that was achieved on his opening quartet of self-titled long-players, while also standing as confirmation that Peter was an engaged and engaging frontman.

The touring band captured by the recordings consists of Peter, alongside Jerry Marrotta (drums and percussion), Tony Levin (bass and stick), David Rhodes (guitar) and Larry Fast (synthesizer and piano), whilst the iconic cover image of Peter in ‘monkey mask’ make-up was taken by long-time collaborator Armando Gallo.

The 2LP artwork replicates the original vinyl release with a wide-spine single sleeve and full colour printed inner bags. All images are newly re-scanned.

The album has been Half-Speed Remastered and cut to lacquers at 33RPM by Matt Colton at Alchemy Mastering, mastered by Tony Cousins at Metropolis and overseen by Peter Gabriel’s sound engineer Richard Chappell. The LP also comes with a hi-res audio download code (24bit or 16bit).

Part of a series of live LP releases, which includes Live In Athens 1987 (released 16 October), Secret World Live (released 6 November) and Growing Up Live (released 27 November). A twenty-year period of live performance is captured by the four releases, and over forty different songs.

The CD release contains the full 16-track version of the Plays Live album, long out of print in its full glory.

For many years only an abridged 1CD, 12-track version has been available which omitted the tracks The Rhythm of the Heat, Not One of Us, Intruder and On the Air. These are now back in their rightful place.

The 2CD release utilises the iconic original artwork in a new layout design by Peter Gabriel’s long-time designer Marc Bessant.

Vinyl Reviews -

"Mastering quality is excellent. There is superb tonal balance here with strong bass and a sense of clarity that you rarely hear on a live cut." Hi-Fi World

"Like all Gabriel's recent vinyl reissues, it's pressed to vinyl with richness and clarity." The Arts Desk

"... the result is excellent, with four silent sides... Dynamics are intact and crowd noise nicely balanced to avoid the shrill bursts that can be prominent on stage recordings." Clash Magazine

"As a document of an upward trajectory, Plays Live is certainly impressive... Gabriel at his arthouse best" Prog Magazine