Phil Collins: When did you get off the bus?

Never had a bus pass

firebombed the bus as a lad

Going for 'Starting to write mainstream pop singles for Genesis' in lieu of an 'after Wind & Wuthering' option.

My question is really about when this generation's young people got ON the Phil Collins bus. I've run into countless people who seem to like the trendiest shit imaginable, and who also profess a love for Phil Collins.

testify i guess

there's a great deal of phil collins solo and pop w/ genesis i do like and i'd start to wonder 'wait why did i start to actively hate this guy instead of just ignore him or whatever' and then i'd remember 'another day in paradise'. an appearance on this american life and his role in gta: vice city stories have softened my position on him considerably (it doesn't hurt that the phil collins songs i like/tolerate are the only ones i still hear on the radio). and then i remember 'i can't dance' and the goodwill vanishes.

i know for a fact i put off buying another green world for several years cuz i would look at it in the record store and see 'phil collins: drums' and immediately put it back. hate myself and him for that.

Collins is liked in the R&B community.

The one I voted for is "Dance Into The Light". It really started with "Both Sides" but I was sort of still interested in his output then. But when he release the horrible "Dance Into The Light" album, I lost interest.

I don't know about "Testify", not even sure if I've heard it. Actually lost interest in him to such an extent I didn't even bother to check out that album.

However, last year's Motown covers album was not at all bad. Actually easily beating Peter Gabriel at the covers album game.

Collins is liked in the R&B community.

Which puzzles me, but I guess they respect him as a drummer.

Plus he always states himself how his love of R&B was one of the reasons why he wanted Genesis to go in a less prog direction.

I wrote a a little thing about him, and I liked sw00ds' comment: let's not overrate him, but he was enough of a shrewd craftsman to write and perform a few indelible songs.

dance into the light has a version of 'the times they are a changin' that makes it sound like a xmas carol.

...which is what the song sounds like to me after all these years.

needs option for Buster

i owned and really liked No Jacket Required when I was 8, less so as I got older. will still rep for "I Missed Again", and "I Don't Care Anymore" to a lesser extent.

I keep accidentally catching songs like 'Abacab' and 'Land of Confusion' and 'Something Happened on the Way to Heaven' and accidentally liking them.

I don't have any beef with Face Value and NJR; he took the Peter Gabriel sound, grafted it to a New Pop-Earth Wind and Fire hybrid, and made it work.

Nice piece Alfred. I grew up listening to "Abacab" and have never really batted an eye at anything the guy has done, save "Groovy Kind Of Love", but then, I've never seen him on video.

he was insufferable as a video personality.

thanks, Owen!

wiki:

Collins has stated he is a supporter of animal rights and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). In 2005, he donated an autographed drumstick in support of PETA's campaign against Kentucky Fried Chicken.[59]

[...]

Collins has often been mentioned erroneously in the British media as being a supporter of the Conservative Party and an opponent of the Labour Party. Shortly before the 2005 election (when Collins was living in Switzerland), Noel Gallagher is reported as saying: "Vote Labour. If you don't and the Tories get in, Phil is threatening to come back."[61] However, Collins has since stated that although he did once claim many years earlier that he might leave Britain if most of his income was taken in tax, which was Labour Party policy at that time for top earners, he has never been a Conservative Party supporter and he left Britain for Switzerland in 1994 purely because he met a woman who lived there.

Nice piece, but you realize he wasn't really aping Peter Gabriel's drum sound? Phil Collins was actually the drummer on "Intruder" and that drum sound was worked out by him together with that album's engineer Hugh Padgam, with whom he'd work on most of his subsequent solo/Genesis work. I fully understand how Collins dislikes that being referred to as copying "Peter Gabriel's drum sound" when those "Intruder" drums were actually the sound of Phil Collins drumming.

Surprised by how easy this was -- I had no sense of the chronology of PC's solo career and never realized that every single thing I like by him is Invisible Touch or earlier. Still love the big clean sound of "No Jacket Required."

BUT:

I misunderstood the boundary rules of this poll and voted for NJR -- the last bus stop I was on -- when I should have voted for the awful "...But Seriously." I mean, I don't know if it was awful, since the singles were so awful that I'd never listen to it. BUT ANYWAY remember at the end to take off one NJR vote and add it to "...But Seriously."

Right around the beginning of Side 2 of Genesis, when I heard "Illegal Alien," which is just unforgivable, even though the rest of the side isn't bad. Even though I quite liked Hello, I Must Be Going!, I never much enjoyed No Jacket Required or anything from either Collins or Genesis afterwards. And I hold a grudge for his horrible, forgettable piece of garbage from Disney's Tarzan winning a fucking Oscar over a number of superior nominees, notably Aimee Mann's "Save Me."

it beat 'blame canada' also

ALso a better song than that Collins dreck.

Buster, but went NJR.

also, read this as"Love absolutely everything he has ever made, and will always eagerly blow him."

xp: Although today I'd trade 1,000 groovy kinds of love to get rid of train or daughtry or whstever.

please reconsider that statement

haha i don't mind 'groovy kind of love' really (certainly not compared to daughtry or whatever), slighter version of his work on howard jones' 'no one is to blame', not crazy about when the strings come in though.

i cannot overstate how much this partnership amused me at the time. such a perfect marriage.

aside from 'Take Me Home', which i've always had a soft spot for, the rest of No Jacket Required was festering nostril dreck....and i was only 15 at the time, and didn't even have the ultra-keen, 99.96% unassailable musical tastes i have now. of course.

and if that waren't enough, i further agree with Phil D. that "Illegal Alien" was the proverbial nail in that particular coffin. it's no fun, indeed!

That "take a look at me noooow..." song was when I said "Stop,Driver!" What album was that on?

No album at all. But "Against All Odds" is his best ever non-Genesis song IMO.

I've always thought he was very corny but he did have a few good singles.

"Land of Confusion" is fucking awesome. I was on mushrooms once and I kept hearing that instrumental interlude in my head.

i liked him well enough through 'jacket' and then no more

Collins is liked in the R&B community.

Urban Renewal is a tribute album to pop singer Phil Collins, released in 2001 in most European markets and in 2003 in the United States, containing re-produced remakes of Collins' songs by R&B and hip hop performers.

Ol' Dirty Bastard covered "Sussudio." Mind = blown.

In 2005, he donated an autographed drumstick in support of PETA's campaign against Kentucky Fried Chicken.[59]

I bought and loved "...But Seriously" when it came out. However in retrospect that would be my answer.

I would like to note also, that I had never heard "Illegal Alien" until I was well off the Phil bus and that until last year or so, thought it was Sting.

I doubt Sting could have done that then although of course it was another time and what is surely not passable today may have been in 1983. I have no problem seeing "Illegal Alien" as borderline racist today, whereas in 1983 some people may just have considered it a funny joke. I am sure it was not meant to be vicious in any way, but it still was.

(But even Virgin didn't realize that by then obv otherwise at least it would never have been a single)

Slashed the tyres on the bus during his "Vote Tory" phase

Apparently he has never voted Tory, just complained about the tax level.

Just before the " ... But Seriously" era was the end for me. But I still listen to pretty much all the stuff he did before that, including his great assists with the likes of Gabriel, Eno, Howard Jones, Frida, Philip Bailey ... plus that period when he was playing drums for Clapton and Robert Plant and basically everybody at every benefit concert.

He was also personally responsible for rescuing John Martyn (of all people) from an early death, basically the Bowie to Martyn's Iggy.

Was never a fan in the '80s, but Busy Signal's cover of "One More Night" and the recent interviews where he talks about hating his own music have softened me. "In the Air Tonight" probably deserves canonization. I'm listening to "Two Hearts" now, and this seems like the perfect setting for his voice. He must have sensed as much given his recent album.

reading that interview makes him sound like a pretty interesting dude to hang with, just chill and talk about ghosts and the old west.

just can't bring myself to like many of the songs he's done, but there are some, and his drumming (to my admittedly untrained ear) sounds unusually good. there's also something rather effortless about his singing voice, and emulating his performances must actually be pretty hard, so i'd almost go so far as to say he's underrated as a vocalist - but then he seems to have a hard time being serious or impressive without being corny/clowny. this live video of "Duchess" is pretty interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1kGEu7mWdA&feature=channel_page&fmt=18

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

one of the least melodically interesting bands the british isles have produced

WTF! At least harmonically, Tony Banks is one of the most genius composers that has ever been, a master of constant key changes!

― You're Twistin' My Melody Man! (Geir Hongro), Wednesday, January 5, 2011 8:34 PM (1 week ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

haha Geir, to put it in basketball terms, you're the type of guy that thinks the Harlem Globetrotters are better at basketball than the Jordan-era Bulls

I figure Steve Vai or Joe Satriani would be much closer to the Harlem Globetrotters than Genesis. Genesis is more like Spain in soccer, a team of skilled people who create wonderful art together. :)

Btw. will those 4 fans of "Dance Into The Light" and "Testify" please stand up? :)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopmusic/8360584/Phil-Collins-calls-time-on-music-career.html

http://www.philcollins.com/us/news/breaking-news-message-phil

I say the WOOOORRRRDDDD!!! SSS..SUUU...SUUUUUDDDIIOOOO

His bitterness is pretty much pathetic these days.

But sure, if he cannot play the drums anymore, he wouldn't be able to play in a reunited Gabriel-era Genesis, so as such he might as well end as his solo output has been pretty much unneccessary since the 90s.

what is it with old-school Tory entertainer cunts at the moment? http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2011/mar/06/jim-davidson-stand-up-be-counted?intcmp=239

that's interesting, Bryan. the way media moves sometimes is freaking weird.

Isn't the whole Tory Phil thing a misconception too?

How tragic that Phil should call it a day after making hundreds of millions; fronting a massively successful band; doing just as well as a solo act; playing on, producing or otherwise assisting on any number of essential records; nudging against retirement age; and facing nerve damage that may make it impossible to play drums. He had so much left to achieve!

Isn't the whole Tory Phil thing a misconception too?

yes

yes, it was one of the things he cried about in the RS article last year.

But sure, if he cannot play the drums anymore, he wouldn't be able to play in a reunited Gabriel-era Genesis, so as such he might as well end

This kind of reunion was so never gonna happen in the first place. If it was, it would have on that last Turn it On tour.

yes, it was one of the things he cried about in the RS article last year.

Apparently simply moved to Switzerland because he fell in love with a Swiss lady.

This kind of reunion was so never gonna happen in the first place. If it was, it would have on that last Turn it On tour.

I do understand it almost happened then though, with Peter seriously considering it and Steve being all for it all along.

gabriel was the reason it didn't happen. i understand his reservations, but I still think they could have done something interesting, and different from the 70's shows (it would have to be by necessity, i really don't want to see the increasingly gnome-like gabriel dancing around in a flower mask at this point)

he doesn't need makeup then!

Apparently simply moved to Switzerland because he fell in love with a Swiss lady.

. . . if you know what I mean (wink, wink).

http://www.boston.com/sports/columnists/pierce/swiss%20miss.jpg

i really don't want to see the increasingly gnome-like gabriel dancing around in a flower mask at this point)

The way he looks these days, he'd be perfect to front a Gentle Giant reunion... ;)

Finally, people comin' around to the obvious: http://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/dec/02/phil-collins-godfather-popular-culture

And that's just the surface, I'd say.

If he's considering a return to the stage, it's likely that his nerve damage is healing. Regardless of whether you'd like to see Collins back on the tour circuit, it's hard not to be pleased for him. Having a chronic conditions sucks like little else.

I got off the bus once the 90s came in; some of the Tarzan stuff is fairly pleasant in a pedestrian way, but none of his solo records from the past two decades have wowed me. I like his first four records and the Genesis stuff he did as front-man very much.

No Jacket Required is one of those catalog albums I've played most often in the last three years.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v472/birdnestsoup/phil_1.jpg

man has a strong album art game

some kind of midlife crisis is the only explanation I can think of for that Dance into the Light cover, glad to see he reverted to form with Testify

Never occurred to me before now that he has a penchant for horrible 70s album titles like I've got my own album to do

I mean jesus, No Jacket Required sounds like the name of an imaginary Billy Joel album worse than all other Billy Joel albums combined.

was Dance Into The Light his attempt to 'go dance'?

album art for the deluxe face value is quite something...

https://images-eu.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61b2iQXpayL._SS280.jpg

old phil staring into your soul

was Dance Into The Light his attempt to 'go dance'?

it's more like his attempt to do 'world music' a la Peter Gabriel and Paul Simon

The DIL title track had a surprisingly long muzak shelf-life, still getting spins at least ten years after release.

I was in a cab earlier this year and the driver put on 'Something Happened On The Way To Heaven'. Suspect he's had the CD in the car player for 25 years, jamming that shit every day.

He shouted at his car, "I'M NOT LEAVIN' 'LESS THE CD COMES WITH MEEEE!!!"

Figured this got bumped because of this http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/phil-collins-warts-and-all-autobiography-arriving-in-2016-20151012

http://consequenceofsound.net/2015/10/phil-collins-returns-i-am-no-longer-retired/

BOOM

http://www.newlifepca.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/tomb-2.jpg

*gated rum roll*

for real, phil collins cameo and then CONCERT YES in gta: vice city stories is one reason why that gta is my second fave gta

https://youtu.be/gZrcUDRUBjw

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/phil-collins-plotting-comeback-i-am-no-longer-retired-20151028?page=2

The Peter Gabriel-led lineup of Genesis hasn't played since a one-off reunion in 1982 and they haven't toured since 1975. Fans continue to fantasize about a reunion, which baffles Collins. "I just don't understand that," he says. "They haven't thought it through. Pete won't sing 'Invisible Touch' or 'I Can't Dance.' We'd only do material like 'The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.' Also, I can't play drums, so I can't do what I did. I just want to settle with the bits of me that I can possibly do."

For some reason reminds me of a hypothetical from an old Jim DeRogatis interview I always enjoyed:

Did they ever wish they could lock themselves in their studio, get really stoned and cut loose to make another album as bizarrely brilliant as "The Lamb," I asked? Maybe under another name, so there were none of the expectations that came with being "pop hitmakers Genesis"?

"I suppose if one was doing that, one would probably try to be more off the wall," Banks said, transformed for a moment into the teenage musician jamming in that cottage. "I think the sheer reason for doing it would surely be to try to do a few things that might be disastrous."

"At the same time," Collins petulantly added, "it might be nice to do something like we've just done and call it a different name and see how it's received. By saying that, you're playing into -- what's your name? -- Jim's hands, because you're admitting that, because we're going in and calling it a different band, we actually have confines within Genesis that we want to stick to."

"Well, that's a fair enough comment to make," Banks said, scowling at his partner. "Because there's probably some truth in it."

I like of think of this news accompanied by the mayhem that is the beginning of "Something Happened On The Way To Heaven"

"I suppose if one was doing that, one would probably try to be more off the wall," Banks said, transformed for a moment into the teenage musician jamming in that cottage.

because teenage musicians jamming say "one." Maybe this happens in a "cottage."

No Joke, Un-Retired

I got off the bus w/ Collins shortly after I boarded once I realized where it was going

Hello...you must be going?

A pair of Phil Collins fans, some unspecified late night in 1987.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QM6pybPuVt4

Anybody fuck to Phil Collins