May 4, 2022Liked by Mitch Blum, CJ Kaplan, Ken Warshaw
There's a story that Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun used to play a demo of In the Air Tonight to people bringing him songs. He would tell them that's what a hit song sounds like.
I feel the same way about Face Value. If you ask me, that's what a good pop/rock album sounds like. I would leave out Tomorrow Never Knows. The rest of the album plays out really well for me. Genesis never had an album this good, but Phil came close a couple more times.
I'm also not a huge fan of "Tomorrow Never Knows" but it makes more sense when you realize that he recorded it as a tribute right after Lennon's murder. Yet another song about loss.
The funny thing about the album is I don't think Phil intended to make a solo album. He told the guys in Genesis he was taking some time off and then his plans fell through. He just found himself writing and recording songs by himself for the first time. Sometimes the best plan is no plan. The unexpectedness of it all is what makes it such a surprising solo career launching album.
This is probably one of my desert island picks. Especially if I was alone on the island because I don't think anyone else would want to listen to Phil Collins.
I have never seen, read, or heard of this newsletter, but my first impression is that Mitch has sublime taste in music and that CJ has literally never been depressed before.
I mean, I wouldn't say I've never been depressed. That would be a different kind of insane. But yeah, I'm generally happy most of the time. I don't know how you got here, but you should stick around. We've been doing this every week for the past 18 months and this episode's divisiveness probably doesn't even crack our Top 10. If nothing else, stay for Mitch's sublime taste and my general happiness. Oh, and Ken. He's here too
Mitch, you mention Eno falsely as the producer behind the gated drum sound together with Gabriel and Collins. It’s Hugh Padgham, producer behind both Face value and Gabriel’s intruder album (as well as duke). Fun article and format regardless!
you are correct. I thought Padgham was the engineer for Eno on Melt but apparently he was the producer and left the talkback mic on in the booth during Intruder and that's where the highly compressed sound came from.
“Missed again” is an underrated classic. The perfect time for any other Phil Collins is when you’re at your local Safeway, or any other soul crushing store with harsh lighting.
There's a story that Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun used to play a demo of In the Air Tonight to people bringing him songs. He would tell them that's what a hit song sounds like.
I feel the same way about Face Value. If you ask me, that's what a good pop/rock album sounds like. I would leave out Tomorrow Never Knows. The rest of the album plays out really well for me. Genesis never had an album this good, but Phil came close a couple more times.
I'm also not a huge fan of "Tomorrow Never Knows" but it makes more sense when you realize that he recorded it as a tribute right after Lennon's murder. Yet another song about loss.
The funny thing about the album is I don't think Phil intended to make a solo album. He told the guys in Genesis he was taking some time off and then his plans fell through. He just found himself writing and recording songs by himself for the first time. Sometimes the best plan is no plan. The unexpectedness of it all is what makes it such a surprising solo career launching album.
This is probably one of my desert island picks. Especially if I was alone on the island because I don't think anyone else would want to listen to Phil Collins.
I have never seen, read, or heard of this newsletter, but my first impression is that Mitch has sublime taste in music and that CJ has literally never been depressed before.
I mean, I wouldn't say I've never been depressed. That would be a different kind of insane. But yeah, I'm generally happy most of the time. I don't know how you got here, but you should stick around. We've been doing this every week for the past 18 months and this episode's divisiveness probably doesn't even crack our Top 10. If nothing else, stay for Mitch's sublime taste and my general happiness. Oh, and Ken. He's here too
Not 100% accurate but not totally false either
Mitch, you mention Eno falsely as the producer behind the gated drum sound together with Gabriel and Collins. It’s Hugh Padgham, producer behind both Face value and Gabriel’s intruder album (as well as duke). Fun article and format regardless!
you are correct. I thought Padgham was the engineer for Eno on Melt but apparently he was the producer and left the talkback mic on in the booth during Intruder and that's where the highly compressed sound came from.
“Missed again” is an underrated classic. The perfect time for any other Phil Collins is when you’re at your local Safeway, or any other soul crushing store with harsh lighting.