"Us" is the sixth studio album by Peter Gabriel, released on September 28, 1992, through Real World Records. Following the success of his previous album, So, Gabriel focused on deeply personal themes for this record, addressing his divorce, his relationship with actress Rosanna Arquette, and the emotional distance from his daughter.
The album was notable for its innovative promotional approach, featuring interactive multimedia software called Xplora1: Peter Gabriel's Secret World, which included music videos and other content related to the album. Us achieved significant commercial success, reaching No. 2 on both the UK and US charts, as well as making the top ten in twelve other countries.
Four singles were released from the album: "Digging in the Dirt," "Steam," "Blood of Eden," and "Kiss That Frog," with "Steam" becoming a notable hit, reaching No. 10 in the UK. Gabriel supported the album with his Secret World Tour in 1993 and 1994, which was later documented in the Secret World Live album and concert film, both released in 1994. The album was remastered in 2002 as part of Gabriel's reissue series. If you'd like to know more about specific tracks or themes, feel free to ask!
In October 1989, Peter Gabriel began working on what would eventually become his sixth studio album, Us. During this period, he was also preparing new versions of tracks for the compilation album Shaking the Tree: Sixteen Golden Greats and supervising the editing of the live concert footage from his 1987 performance in Greece, which would be released as the video album POV in 1990.
From 1991 to June 1992, Gabriel focused primarily on composing and recording Us at his Real World Studios in Wiltshire, England. He also held specialized sessions at Kingsway Studios in New Orleans and Studio 2000 in Dakar, further enriching the album's sound.
A significant collaboration on Us came about when Gabriel met Sinéad O'Connor at an Amnesty International benefit concert in Santiago, Chile, in October 1990. He invited her to contribute vocals to two tracks: "Blood of Eden" and "Come Talk to Me." The latter was written as a heartfelt message to his younger daughter, Melanie.
The album was co-produced by Gabriel and Daniel Lanois, with David Bottrill assisting in programming and engineering. The production process involved organizing and mixing a massive amount of material, as Gabriel and his team sifted through around 1,000 Digital Audio Tapes (DAT) of various studio performances. This meticulous process resulted in an album nearly 58 minutes long, surpassing the typical 46-minute duration of his previous releases. If you want to explore more about the songs or themes, let me know!
