Peter Gabriel's "New Blood" To Be Released Week of 24 October

New Blood, PG's orchestral reworkings of his own songs done in the style of his last album, Scratch My Back (2010) has an official release date of October 24 or October 25 (depending on what country you live in.) Pre-orders are being taken by the usual suspects like Amazon and WOMADShop.

However, in all of the excitement, there's a bit of a problem. Not all of the songs given the SMB treatment will appear on one CD. If you want to get them all, you'll have to fork out for at least 3 CDs. For example, "Blood of Eden" appears on the "regular" version but not the Special Edition or the Deluxe Edition.

Apparently, if you order the album from WOMADShop you also get a free download of "Father Son" -- which does not seem to appear on any CD version. "Washing in the Water", which was released on iTunes and PG's Facebook page for a limited time, seems to have vanished.

A vinyl album of the regular version (and for now the regular version only) will be released on November 7.

I'll be passing on ANY version of New Blood for now, due to poor finances and the fact I'm getting a little tired of hearing reworked material rather than any NEW material.

Some other long-term fans are planning on passing at least two versions of New Blood out of protest of the way the songs are being released. There are some very interesting discussion about this from PG newbies and die-hards alike on petergabriel.com's General forum. Some die-hards expressed extreme disappointment at Real World's super-capitalist decision to dole the tunes out like methadone at a rehab clinic.

I am also disappointed with the way the songs are being released. There also seems to be no reason for one track, "A Quiet Moment" which is NOT a PG song but "ambient noises recorded on Solsbury Hill."

FUCK THAT! I used to live with Solsbury Hill peeking over the tree lines across the River Avon. I have walked to it a couple of times, although I never bothered to go UP it as the real Solsbury Hill always seemed to be congested with traffic, public urination, dogs barking and drunks singing Pogues' songs in a way that made Shane MacGowan sound like a nightingale. Yeah -- that's REAL ambient. I want ambient noises mixed in between songs, I'll listen to Pink Floyd.

Finally, here's a trailer, released only online, for PG's 3D concert DVD/film: