Big Harvest

August 2, 2014 8:29 PM

15 years ago, the enigmatic artist Indio released a single album, Big Harvest, which yielded a top 10 hit, created a legion of fans, and more questions than answers.

Gordon Peterson's only album featured many musical heavy lifters such as David Rhodes and Larry Klein, and even backing vocals by Joni Mitchell.

The Grinding Wheel
Discovery
Save For The Memory
Big Harvest
Hard Sun
This Golden Land
The Season Of The Lost
Stories
My Eyes
Ship On A Sea
Life Lies Down

Lyrics to the album were originally only available via USPS physical mail.

Eddie Vedder covered Hard Sun as part of the Into The Wild soundtrack, which led to a lawsuit over changed lyrics by Peterson (breaking a lengthy silence from the elusive artist).

Sand Through My Hands and This Way Down are also tracks from Peterson, but they are not included on Big Harvest.

posted by hippybear (7 comments total)

I think they're something like "how did Gordon Peterson get all those notable artists, why did he stop making music, and what is he doing now?" Here's the front page to a fan site (the lyrics are one of the sub-pages to that site).
posted by filthy light thief at 10:15 PM on August 2, 2014 [1 favorite]

According to Wikipedia, Hard Sun was a top 10 hit in Canada where it peaked at #10. It failed to chart in the US, so the label dropped him, and he decided to quit the music business. That would clear up at least some of the mystery.

I like that song now I've heard it though, so thanks for posting this.
posted by w0mbat at 1:10 AM on August 3, 2014

Between this and the Lewis post, this could be the beginning of a Mystery Music Maker Month. Or not. And I mean that in the nicest way I'm capable of.
posted by oneswellfoop at 1:35 AM on August 3, 2014

25 years ago, not 15, yes?
posted by schoolgirl report at 2:58 AM on August 3, 2014 [1 favorite]

I thought Hard Sun was my favorite Eddie Vedder song. I guess not. I now have no favorite Eddie Vedder songs, so thanks for that.

It is now my favorite Indio song, though, because the rest of them sound like Sting.
posted by crumbly at 7:52 AM on August 3, 2014 [2 favorites]

Just found a used copy of the CD on Amazon. Looking forward to digging in to this album - thanks!
posted by Devils Rancher at 11:17 AM on August 3, 2014

Heh. This is another secret mixtape weapon for me for years, kind of funny to see it here. It's a pretty good album, if a bit samey.
posted by klangklangston at 2:18 PM on August 3, 2014