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Peter Gabriel issues unheard version of Shock The Monkey

Available digitally with proceeds going to EarthPercent

By Paul Sinclair

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31

Peter Gabriel has today made available a previously unreleased version of his song ‘Shock The Monkey’. It was the first single from his fourth self-titled album (aka Security). It was more successful in America than it was in the UK, peaking at number 29 in the Billboard Hot 100.

The new version of ‘Shock The Monkey’ is only available digitally via Bandcamp and is called ‘Shock The Monkey (EarthPercent x Earth Day Mix)’. I should stress this is not some sort of modern remix, it’s a completely unheard alternate version from 1982 and it is really good!

Money from the sale of this track will to got EarthPercent and contribute to the charity’s Grantmaking Fund, which supports organisations doing vital work to help tackle the climate emergency

This version of the song is being made available for a limited time in support of EarthPercent x Earth Day, where over 100 artists have contributed a combination of new, unheard, exclusive and archival tracks. You can see the list of other tracks here.

Buy Shock The Monkey (EarthPercent x Earth Day Mix) from Bandcamp (you can then download a WAV/FLAC version)

SuperDeluxeEdition.com helps fans around the world discover physical music and discuss releases. To keep the site free, SDE participates in various affiliate programs, including Amazon and earns from qualifying purchases.

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31 Comments

31 thoughts on “Peter Gabriel issues unheard version of Shock The Monkey”

  1. This is way off topic… But I’ve never been able to figure out why the Come Talk To Me video was left off of Play .. as a video it has some cool imagery of Peter with visual effects on his face… I could see why they would leave it off since it has a lot of band images from the secret world tour… They could have re-cut it like Games Without Frontiers .. obvs reason I would have wanted it on there is to have a surround mix of Come Talk To Me .. maybe left off because of a licensing issue or something?

  4. Interesting alternate version, I usually don’t stream music let alone buy it but this peaked my interest and is now on my phones playlist.

    1. Do an A/B with the original and you’ll see exactly what I mean. The new version is in a lower key and slower. Leads me to believe that the original was sped up for release.

  8. With all due respect, how come we get an SDE notice about a ‘new’ Peter Gabriel digital single (no physical release) but not a word yet about Dave Stewart’s (ex-Eurythmics) forthcoming multi-disc box set ‘Ebony McQueen’, due out next month?

    2. Love Eurythmics, and love the first two Spiritual Cowboys albums and Sly-Fi (is a masterpiece). Greetings From the Gutter is good, but I kinda tuned out after Sly-Fi. He started doing Dave Stewart & Friends stuff, didn’t he? Is any of it any good?

  9. As good as these intentions are Peter some people want physical product still..i would love a cd version of ‘Flotsam & Jetsam’. Or even better a multi cd box set [though no vinyl with the cds please [ask George Michael’s estate how to do it properly}

    1. I’m with you on that…I’d be up for proper CD Deluxe versions of “Peter Gabriel 1” – “Us” covering my favorites from 1977-1992. He’s done nothing for the CD crowd since his 2003 SACDs.

      1. Sorry. Meant to write, “re-release the German albums on CD, please.” I’ve got the 4th album on vinyl, but want an upgrade.

  13. gimme all the Peter Gabriel you got!

    heavy sigh. . .. seeing as there is nothing “really-new” forthcoming… gimme some “old-new” stuff – like this …. and maybe OUT OUT from Gremlins and whatever else should have been on flotsam and jetsam… and put it in a big box with 4 cd’s and a book and a blu-ray with a mermaid’s tear, a serpent’s eyelid and some dust from the Real World Big Studio #1 hoover bag and we will all be happy.

    1. Eye of Braille, Hem of anorak, Stem of wallflower, Hair of doormat.

      It’s perplexing why some bands feel they can open the vaults and why some seem to want to hold everything back. The question will always be “why, what are they waiting for?”

    2. Mildly surprised that Gabriel hasn’t yet announced a version of Flotsam and Jetsam for RSD. If he does, I wouldn’t hold my breath for the inclusion of a blu-ray.

      I like your avatar pic, by the way – I see what you did there :)

    3. I’d buy a physical release of “Flotsam and Jetsam” provided it was reasonably priced.

      It seemed daft to omit “Out Out” from Rated PG but I’d guess it must have been a licensing issue…

    4. There is something “really new” forthcoming. Suggestions are that that the next stage of making the new album is to record the vocals. Of course, this is PG, so who knows if the possibility of a release later this year will actually happen. It’s tricky typing with crossed fingers.

  15. Pretty sure this is a new remix, and not something left on the shelf in 1982. Tim Oliver (who is credited with mixing it with PG) is a ‘Senior Consulting Engineer’ at Real World. Also there are (subtle) new beats in there that sound decidedly modern to my ears.

    1. It doesn’t sound that modern and PG was fairly ahead of the game electronics wise back then.
      Also I’d wager Tim Oliver was just involved tidying this track up with the mix not adding to it as such…

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