What can I say, the 49 cent price is too good to resist. I had to look at the cassettes during a recent trip to Half Price Books. If I didn’t have a tape player in the van I would NO WAY be looking at tapes, but, I do.

The first tape that I noticed was a Peter Gabriel solo album. I picked it up, put it down, and then a few selections later came across another solo Gabriel. I love “Sledgehammer” and a few others and must say I have never really given Peter a chance. So, I decided to get them both and give Peter Gabriel a chance. I got 2 other tapes too.

“Peter Gabriel – Peter Gabriel”

My friend Dave had this back when it came out and was loving “Games Without Frontiers” and “Biko” and made me sit and listen to “Family Snapshot”. Creepy. Sort of fit with the cover. I remember he also had the first solo album they refer to as “Car” and I was familiar with Gabriel’s voice, but never really attached it to any other songs. It was a long time before I knew he used to be lead singer of Genesis.

“Peter Gabriel – Security”

Dave also had this one now that I think about it. He walked around for weeks singing “Shock The Monkey” at the top of his lungs in a purposefully high screechy voice. I think at the time I was living for Rush and The Clash and Peter Gabriel was just too non-rock for me to handle.

“The Cranberries – No Need To Argue”

If The Cranberries released anything after this I never heard it. I loved “Zombie” and I couldn’t resist. Dolores was my less controversial Sinead. Great accent accented with great music.

“Buckwheat Zydeco – On A Night Like This”

I came across zydeco music when I was getting anything from the Madison Public Library that looked even remotely blues-ish. I ended up with some Buckwheat Zydeco and I went though a short intense phase of experimentation with him. It’s kinda like Sinatra for me… Buckwheat is SO genre specific and distinct that for me, he is the only zydeco I would ever need. This one should do it. I listened to it on a tiny portable tape player the other day when working in the basement. Perfect.

Oddly as I think about it. Zydeco and Punjabi music would make a damn fine mix tape… anyway. Not sure I want to go back to Genesis to sample, but these 2 Gabriel tapes may be a good place to start.

You’re on Peter Gabriel.

Wow me.