In 1987, Peter Gabriel won the MTV Music Video Awards, winning nine of ten nominations for his promotion Sledgehammer. In 2014, while releasing his concert film Back to Front, he told Prog about his continued commitment to pushing the boundaries of screen presentation. For those who were bathed in the glorious sounds and sights of Peter Gabriel’s concerts at the O2 Arena last autumn, and for those who missed them, the new film Back To Front is a pleasure to watch. Directed by BAFTA winner Hamish Hamilton, it is at its heart the recreation of the 25th anniversary of the So album, served as part of a self-proclaimed three-course meal that is a real feast for Gabriel fans. Peter Gabriel, Tony Banks and Steve Hackett have paid tribute to former Genesis and Gabriel tour manager and ‘sixth member’ Richard Macphail, who has died aged 73. “Very sad to learn of the death of Richard Macphail last night,” Gabriel wrote on his Facebook page. “We’ve been together for sixty years, from when we were at school and he was the amazing singer in a band called Anon until I spoke to him last week after his nasty fall out.
“Rich was the person who would occasionally get us out of difficult situations. When we couldn’t afford the rehearsal space, he convinced his parents to leave their family home in Abinger Hammer for a year, and when we couldn’t afford a van, he convinced his father to let us have an old Hovis bread. van that we traveled in the country. When some members of the group doubted our future, he inspired us all and convinced us to continue. “He went from being a friend and champion to being Genesis’ tour manager and then my tour manager when I started working again. His determination, good humor and enthusiasm helped us through so many difficult times.