PETER GABRIEL

Revealed! Photographer Clive Arrowsmith’s crazy day with Peter Gabriel, dicing with electrocution and lead-poisoning.

One atmospheric day back in 1978, photographer Clive Arrowsmith went to Bath with Gabriel for 24 hours of unbridled creativity. Finally, the pictures can be seen, and explained!

Aveteran of fashion, advertising and magazine photography, north Wales-born Clive arrowsmith is also known for his music portraits. a designer on ’60s pop-party show ready Steady Go!, in later years he’d take pictures of Kate Bush, David Bowie, Mick Jagger and others, plus record sleeve images for Marianne faithfull, Paul McCartney and George Harrison, who he met in their pre-fame days when he was an art student. another of his subjects was Peter Gabriel. “I photographed Peter for vogue, around ’74,” says Clive. “He was a handsome young up-and-coming guy about to go solo. Later, in 1978, he got in touch and he said, ‘Would you like to come down to Bath?’ “He just wanted material, and for us to do whatever we wanted,” he continues. “I took a hand-held spotlight and said we should do something very dramatic like the third Man, which he was up for. He was full of energy and very creative. He wanted to do something sci-fi and surrealistic, dynamic and strange, and for people to say, ‘What’s that’s about?’ He didn’t want smiling-at-the-camera stuff, he wanted it to be filmic. So we got going, and the character started taking over the story.” they shot from dawn ’til dusk, the day’s stop-offs including the city’s cathedral, Gabriel’s zone of artistic rebirth Solsbury Hill, and the city’s famed roman Baths. “We went to the baths at about six in the morning, when it was still empty,” recalls Clive. “Peter got permission because he lived not far from there – they wanted to be a bit trendy! I was crapping myself actually, because if the light had fallen in, it would have electrocuted him. “also, they told me the baths are lead-lined, people used to go there and wonder why they were getting ill. Peter had this spoon and was going to drink some of the water, so I said, I wouldn’t do that if I were you. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a picture of him dripping wet when he got out, saying, ‘Was that oK?’ It looked fantastic – the colour of the water, the steam coming off it, this strange situation, like Magritte… he’s the sweet bird of youth, isn’t he? Just blossoming. and yes, he did have a spare suit to change into.” from December, these images and more can be seen at the Museum of Bath architecture in the exhibition Peter Gabriel reflections – Iconic Photographs In Bath by Clive arrowsmith (1978), the shots of the day with new portraits of the original locations. Clive is also going deep into his archive to compile a book, rock of ages, with rare and unseen pictures of Bryan ferry, the Supremes, Mott and many more. “there’s so much to go through,” arrowsmith laughs. “But I’ve got this creative demon, and it drives me on.”

“He wanted some- thing dynamic and strange.” clive arrowsmith