A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO PETER GABRIEL BYRNE – by Mark EllenPeter Gabriel Byrne is a hugely gifted Irish singer-­songwriter wholives on the island of Sark. He built a house and studio there with hisown bare hands and makes music with a Celtic twist that capturesthe magical spirit of the place. Fishing rods lean against his studiowall. Chickens wander in and out. Now and again small childrenstick their heads round the door and offer to join in.Here’s a couple of things you need to know about him. One is heused to sing in fish and chip shops when he was four (paid in chips,nice work if you can get it). The other is that he was ‘press-­ganged’by his father into joining the Merchant Navy at the age of 16 butescaped ten years later to the Dublin folk circuit and then headed forLondon, playing in clubs, releasing an album on his Rose Anamlabel called ‘Perfect Moment’, co-­writing a song on a ‘Playpen’compilation alongside Eddi Reader and Billy Bragg and setting outon a European tour that took a swing around Sark. Where he met anislander, fell in love, and he’s lived there ever since.Two more things. He’s played guitar with Martin Stephenson, sung BV"SClyde Stubblefield's album The Revenge Of The Funky Drummer and supported Roy H arper, Mike Heron,Robyn Hitchcock, Bert Jansch and Jackie Leven.Peter just gets better and better.-­ MARK ELLEN, April 2015Mark Ellen is the author of the book 'Rock stars stole my life'