valen

People often get a strange look on their faces when I tell them that I am a Peter Gabriel fan.

I admit that I do not look like your average Peter Gabriel fan (although I am not entirely sure what that person would look like). People assume that my tastes lie in Alt Rock, Heavy Metal, and other such styles, and for the most part they are right.

The reason I am a fan of Peter Gabriel goes back 13 years. Back in November of 1994 my Grandfather died of a stroke. For most of my life, I never knew the man. My grandparents divorced when my mother was young, and he had lived across the country for most of my life. When I was somewhere around 8 to 10, my parents got in contact with him and I would see him 6 to 8 times over the next few years.

After his death, my mother and I were listening to music as we were getting ready for school and listening to music. "Mercy Street" by Peter Gabriel started. When I walked back there, I found Mom crying due to the music. The lyrics speak of sadness and of Fathers. The emotions of the music overwhelmed her that day.

I have never forgotten how I felt that day. Since then, I have had a love of Gabriel's music.