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Phil Collins - the Godfather of pop?



Buzzer

Languidly Clinical
Oct 1, 2006
26,121
Very interesting article that does seem to point to a musician that is grossly under-rated in pop culture esp. here in the UK. His comments about leaving the country and then the barbs from the Gallagher brothers are probably a big cause of that IMO.

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/dec/02/phil-collins-godfather-popular-culture

I like Phil Collins music - esp when he ruled the airwaves in the mid-80s. No doubting he got complacent and bored and ran out of things to say but I'm glad articles like this are coming out to counter all those years of abuse he's got. Time to re-appraise his music, do you think?
 

vegster

Sanity Clause
May 5, 2008
27,853
Not so much Godfather of Pop, more distant Uncle.
 

TheJasperCo

Well-known member
Jan 20, 2012
4,587
Exeter
I'm a BIG fan of him and his music, have been for years, shame that was after he'd retired from performing solo. Both in Genesis and after leaving the band, his music has been among my favourite to listen to. He has had a lot of stick over the years, but he knows when to call it a day and hang up his drumsticks, so to speak. Fair play to him.
 

supaseagull

Well-known member
Feb 19, 2004
9,609
The United Kingdom of Mile Oak
Very interesting article that does seem to point to a musician that is grossly under-rated in pop culture esp. here in the UK. His comments about leaving the country and then the barbs from the Gallagher brothers are probably a big cause of that IMO.

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/dec/02/phil-collins-godfather-popular-culture

I like Phil Collins music - esp when he ruled the airwaves in the mid-80s. No doubting he got complacent and bored and ran out of things to say but I'm glad articles like this are coming out to counter all those years of abuse he's got. Time to re-appraise his music, do you think?


I have reappraised it.

It's still shit
 


vegster

Sanity Clause
May 5, 2008
27,853
Top tip : always leave a Phil Collins CD on display in your car to prevent break ins.
 

El Presidente

The ONLY Gay in Brighton
Helpful Moderator
Jul 5, 2003
39,688
Pattknull med Haksprut
I like the very occasional track of his, but that article is typical smug Guardianista rewriting of history.

Each to their own, but I own no Genesis or Phil Collins and can't see that changing.
 


Mellotron

I've asked for soup
Jul 2, 2008
31,671
Brighton
I like the very occasional track of his, but that article is typical smug Guardianista rewriting of history.

Each to their own, but I own no Genesis or Phil Collins and can't see that changing.

Would pretty much go along with that. A lot of his music has dated horribly, due to the production values.
 

Publius Ovidius

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
45,891
at home
I know its not "right on" to like Phil Collins, but I have always liked him and one of the best evenings I have ever spent was in a bar in Soho in the 70's with Brand X playing a set. His drumming was sublime and that is where he is vastly under rated as an excellent drummer ( described by Bill Bruford as one of the best) and his near falsetto voice has been mimicked but never really bettered. Only Paul carrack comes remotely close IMHO.

I still think 70's prog rock is really horses for courses and you either liked it or you didnt, and it was an age away from teh manufactured sounds that you get today. Yes some of it was very off the wall and difficult to listen to at times ( I got out Yes Songs the other day and gave up after 10 minutes) but it was a product of the age.

these sort of articles tend to try an get people to like artists and somehow say that people were mistaken by "not getting it", but music is so subjective there is no right or wrong answer
 


BRIGHT ON Q

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
9,085
Legend and anyone who says any different can DO ONE..
 

Goldstone Rapper

Rediffusion PlayerofYear
Jan 19, 2009
14,865
BN3 7DE
When I was five a kid threatened to beat me up for not liking Phil Collins.

Never been a fan since!
 

Mellotron

I've asked for soup
Jul 2, 2008
31,671
Brighton
I know its not "right on" to like Phil Collins, but I have always liked him and one of the best evenings I have ever spent was in a bar in Soho in the 70's with Brand X playing a set. His drumming was sublime and that is where he is vastly under rated as an excellent drummer ( described by Bill Bruford as one of the best) and his near falsetto voice has been mimicked but never really bettered. Only Paul carrack comes remotely close IMHO.

I still think 70's prog rock is really horses for courses and you either liked it or you didnt, and it was an age away from teh manufactured sounds that you get today. Yes some of it was very off the wall and difficult to listen to at times ( I got out Yes Songs the other day and gave up after 10 minutes) but it was a product of the age.

these sort of articles tend to try an get people to like artists and somehow say that people were mistaken by "not getting it", but music is so subjective there is no right or wrong answer

All very well put.
 


Tricky Dicky

New member
Jul 27, 2004
13,558
Sunny Shoreham
I know its not "right on" to like Phil Collins

I think what happens, is that when people have mega-hits that get played everywhere for ages, they are forever associated just with that or those songs, and everything else they did gets forgotten. As usual, the popular songs are not usually their "best" work, just the most widely liked, so the general opinion of the artist is decreased. I think it happened to PC, and to people like Bryan Adams and I'm sure there are many others I could think of. I often listen to live Genesis on the iPod on the train and still love it.

How's the guitar coming along Dave ? Definitely try that site I recommended, it is really very good.
 

Publius Ovidius

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
45,891
at home
I think what happens, is that when people have mega-hits that get played everywhere for ages, they are forever associated just with that or those songs, and everything else they did gets forgotten. As usual, the popular songs are not usually their "best" work, just the most widely liked, so the general opinion of the artist is decreased. I think it happened to PC, and to people like Bryan Adams and I'm sure there are many others I could think of. I often listen to live Genesis on the iPod on the train and still love it.

How's the guitar coming along Dave ? Definitely try that site I recommended, it is really very good.

hey rich

still twanging away...I have an old Encore electric guitar, which is a bit naff, but sound ok through the amp and I have an accoustic coming via father christmas seemly....havent spent a huge amount, only £80 odd on it.

I can play Em, D, G, A and struggle a bit to play C but those 4 chords give me a hell of a lot of songs...keep practicing Johnny Be Goode...or at least the chords and its great. Justin Guitar is good as is Marty Schwartz and also some bloke who on youtube plays " songs to help you get laid" Again only 3 or 4 chords...so great fun.

Still in the stage where I have to stop whilst changing finger positions...but getting there
 

Hotchilidog

Well-known member
Jan 24, 2009
8,624
I think Phil Collins is a superb drummer and pre-Invisible Touch Genesis is great too. So from that perspective I quite like him, but No Jacket aside I thought his pop output was just dreadful, the mere thought of hearing Sussidio or Easy Lover is giving me the shakes.
 

Kumquat

New member
Mar 2, 2009
4,459
I was a big fan as a kid in the 80s but his music just got tedious around the first album after the Buster film. Forget what the album was called. He didn't come across as much of alikeable person after that either. The story about how he used to put a pot of paint on the piano when playing to remind his ex-wife who'd left him for a painter and decorator how successful he was in particular. The leaving the country story just added to the whole hypocricy thing about being more interested in his wealth. He was certainly living the Another Day in Paradise thing he rather condescendingly accused everybody of doing. In the early 90s his Genesis albums were better than his and that says something.
 


Kumquat

New member
Mar 2, 2009
4,459
I think Phil Collins is a superb drummer and pre-Invisible Touch Genesis is great too. So from that perspective I quite like him, but No Jacket aside I thought his pop output was just dreadful, the mere thought of hearing Sussidio or Easy Lover is giving me the shakes.

Sussudio was on No Jacket. Thought the first three solo albums were fantastic. But then it just got cliched. Agree on the drumming though. He was considered the best in music at the time. And yes, Easy Lover wasn't the best,was it :smile: Check out Separate Lives, another duet he did. It's even worse.
 

El Presidente

The ONLY Gay in Brighton
Helpful Moderator
Jul 5, 2003
39,688
Pattknull med Haksprut
I appreciate he's a very gifted drummer, but I don't have enough technical musical knowledge for that to inspire me.

Some of his anti religious songs are good, but mid 80's for me was The Smiths, The Cure, The Chameleons, New Order and Jesus and Mary Chain. I'm all for having a broad church of taste, but Phil Collins just didn't get my toes a tapping
 

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