ABSTRACT
Peter Gabriel's Security tour in 1982–83 crystallized a moment in rock performance. The visual and auditory images that created the particular aesthetic of Peter Gabriel's performances drew heavily upon his experience in the British progressive rock group Genesis, and incorporated the minimalism of performance art, and a frequently disorienting use of auditory and visual elements from African and Asian sources. From Trespass onwards, the stories and characters of Genesis' songs increasingly took on mythic proportions, and Gabriel's performance in his role of lead singer became increasingly dramatic. Gabriel's performances during the Security tour synthesized the theatricality of his work with Genesis and the minimalism of his prior tours as a solo artist. Gabriel no longer had any interest in re-visiting the 'mythology' that had characterized his work with Genesis, and chose to emphasize instead the use of 'ritual' as an element of his work.
