For Someone Who’s No Fan of the Show, Peter Gabriel Has a Very ‘Brady’ Moment

What has Peter Gabriel been doing in the 10 years since he last released a studio album of new songs, watching “The Brady Bunch” reruns on Nick at Nite?

A song on Gabriel’s long-awaited next album, “Up,” is titled “The Barry Williams Show.” Barry Williams is, of course, the actor who played eldest son Greg Brady on the ‘70s sitcom. He’s also remained a TV presence lately on shows ranging from “S Club 7” (the popular U.K. teen group’s series, in which he plays the manager) to Fox’s “Celebrity Boxing” (he battled Danny Bonaduce of Brady rival “The Partridge Family” and now serves as an interviewer and talent consultant). And Williams is currently touring as opening act for Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones of the Monkees.

Gabriel says the song is an indictment of what he refers to as “TV culture.” And while Williams is proud to be part of TV culture, he wondered, upon first hearing about it, why he’d been singled out.

Turns out he hadn’t.

“I didn’t realize at the time of choosing the name Barry Williams, which was effectively out of a hat, that there would be various well-known Barry Williamses,” Gabriel explains, noting that there also is a Welsh rugby player with the name.

He says he was not very familiar with “The Brady Bunch,” and that his tastes in American television run to the animated satire of “Dr. Katz” and “The Simpsons.”

“I was only made aware of the ‘Brady Bunch’ connection when Richard Chappell, my engineer, found some discussion about it on a fan Web site,” he says.

Indeed, fans participating on Gabriel’s official Web site, www.petergabriel.com, have been debating the title reference, wondering if there was a connection. The Barry Williams of the song is closer to Jerry Springer than to Greg Brady, hosting a reality talk show geared to sensationalism with such themes as, per the song’s lyrics, “My lover stole my girlfriend” and “I love my daughter’s rapist.”

Unaware that the lyrics weren’t a reference to him, actor Williams says that at first “I didn’t get it.” But reading further and hearing Gabriel’s explanation, he was merely amused at the coincidence.

“I guess it’s just an English name,” he says. “Or maybe I’m becoming so well known that I’m invading the subconscious of different people.”

Regardless of the coincidence, Gabriel says he has “no qualms at all” about any connotations the name may have for fans. With the song slated to be the first single from “Up,” due in stores Sept. 24, he’s more than happy to capitalize on the name recognition factor.

“I was hoping to find a name that might fit comfortably in a reality TV show,” Gabriel says.

Says Williams, noting the musician’s vaunted history with music videos, “After all, [Gabriel] has certainly used television to his advantage before.”

HELPING FEATS: Billy Bob Thornton will be giving up a prized motorcycle soon--but it’s not part of the settlement of his pending divorce from Angelina Jolie. He’s donating it to an Internet auction raising money to help with the medical and rehabilitation needs of Severn Hayward, the 19-year-old son of Little Feat drummer Richie Hayward. Severn was severely brain-injured in a December car crash and remains partially paralyzed. He has not regained full motor or speech faculties.

Thornton’s bike, the Duke, is a street-legal KTM 620 cc, four-stroke model (for those who understand motorcycle talk). It will be available for bidding on the band’s Web site (www.faerae.com/feat) beginning in mid-September. No starting price has been set.

The elder Hayward has donated a drum set, and other items up for bid include a Fender Stratocaster autographed by members of the Doobie Brothers, a travel package to a Little Feat show in Washington in October, and original art by Little Feat cover designer Neon Park and his wife, filmmaker Chick Strand. Other friends of the band donating items include Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Van Dyke Parks, Wavy Gravy and Carlos Santana.

Rick Moore, who oversees the Little Feat Web site, says the goal is to raise $100,000 to put in a trust that has been set up for Severn.

SMALL FACES: Daniel Lanois, focusing on his own music after producing U2, Bob Dylan and others, has signed a deal for a new album with the Anti label, the Epitaph Records wing that has recently released acclaimed sets by Tom Waits and Merle Haggard. Lanois’ first solo album in nine years is scheduled for January, with several of his star production clients expected to contribute vocals. A spring tour, including a show at New York’s Carnegie Hall, will follow ....

Everclear has finished a new album, “Slow Motion Daydream,” due from Capitol in October ....

Former Hole drummer Patty Schemel and her brother, former Flesheaters guitarist Larry Schemel, have both joined Lucid Nation, a band fronted by singer Tamra Spivey and featuring bassist Greta Brinkman of Moby’s live band. The group has finished an album, “Tacoma Ballet,” due in September ....

Members of English world-techno group Loop Guru and drummer Rat Scabies of the Damned have teamed up under the band name Slipper, with an album, “Zoon Sandwich,” due Aug. 27. The album was recorded with the individual musicians never being in the same room at the same time. Each did his parts independently and sent them to the others via e-mail....

Among the releases marking the 25th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death on Aug. 16, 1977, will be an eight-DVD set, “The Definitive Elvis,” from Passport International Productions featuring 16 hourlong episodes built around interviews with more than 200 Presley friends and insiders. It’s due Aug. 13. That’s also the day Rhino Home Video issues “Elvis: The Great Performances,” a three-volume set with more than 40 concert, movie and television performances plus interview and other footage. The Rhino box, naturally, will be packaged in blue suede.

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Steve Hochman is a regular contributor to Calendar.