

Originally released on 1 June 1978, Peter’s second self-titled solo album, affectionately known as ‘Scratch’, reaches its fortieth anniversary today.

The album was recorded during the winter of 1977-78 in the Netherlands and New York City, and produced by Robert Fripp.

“We recorded the second album in Holland were we started to get to know each other a lot more as musicians. At that time there were less people in the studio and we started, in this isolated environment of the Dutch studio, to interact in a different way, and I think some of the band chemistry began to form. Tony Levin, Larry Fast and Robert Fripp were the only people from the first album that were carried over into the second album. Tony also introduced me to Jerry Marotta, who played a big part in the early records, as did Larry with all the textures he was providing and the synthesizers.”

The album is, perhaps, sometimes rather overlooked. It didn’t deliver the defining hit single of its predecessor (Solsbury Hill) or its successor (PG3’s Games Without Frontiers and Biko), but it’s greater use of electronics, taut production and increasingly direct song-writing style really mark the album as an important step in Peter’s solo career and an indicator for what was to come next…

Here’s Peter talking about the album:

To celebrate the fortieth anniversary why not revisit Peter’s second solo album here

Read more about the album here

Or simply click play below and enjoy…