Scratch My Back
Scratch My Back is the eighth studio album (and fifteenth album overall) by English musician Peter Gabriel, his first in eight years. It was released in February 2010. The album, recorded at AIR Lyndhurst and Real World Studios during 2009, consists of cover versions of twelve songs by various artists, using only orchestra and voice.[5] It is produced by Gabriel with Bob Ezrin.[6]
This article is about the Peter Gabriel album. For the jazz album, see Scratch My Back (David "Fathead" Newman album). For the song by Slim Harpo, see Baby Scratch My Back. For the film, see Scratch My Back (film).Scratch My Back
The album generally received favourable reviews by music journalists and performed well on the album charts around the world, peaking at No. 1 in Belgium, No. 2 in Germany and Canada, and No. 3 in the Czech Republic, Italy and Switzerland.[7][8][9][10][11][12] It also reached the top 5 in France and Sweden.[13][14] In Gabriel's native United Kingdom it peaked at No. 12 on the UK Albums Chart on 21 February 2010, the week following its release.[15] In the United States it peaked at No. 26 on the Billboard 200, No. 2 on the Independent Albums chart and No. 3 on the Rock Albums chart on 12 March 2010.[16]
Scratch My Back was initially released on compact disc and as music download; a vinyl album edition was subsequently released in late March 2010.[17]
Cover art[edit]
The cover artwork is a micrograph of two red blood cells folding over each other.[21] It was shot by Steve Gschmeissner and was included in the cover by Marc Bessant.[22] Not coincidentally, the name of Gabriel's supporting tour for the album is "The New Blood Tour". The album's graphic design concept is credited to Marc Bessant and Peter Gabriel.
Singles[edit]
Gabriel originally intended to release Scratch My Back and I'll Scratch Yours simultaneously.[20] However, as completion of the latter dragged out, it was instead decided to release a series of double A-sided singles with one song from each album every new full moon during 2010 on iTunes.[23] The first, "The Book of Love" – Gabriel's cover of a Magnetic Fields song, together with "Not One of Us" – Stephin Merritt's (The Magnetic Fields' frontman) cover of a Peter Gabriel song, was released on 30 January 2010.[24] Gabriel's version of "The Boy in the Bubble" coupled with Paul Simon's version of "Biko" was the second, released on 28 February 2010.[25] The third in the series, Gabriel's take on "Flume" paired with Bon Iver's seven-minute long version of "Come Talk to Me" was released on 30 March 2010.[26]
On 17 April 2010 "The Book of Love" / "Not One of Us" as well as "Flume" / "Come Talk to Me" were also released on 7" vinyl to independent record stores.[27]