(1985) Atlantic label.  Original issue original inner sleeve.  Purchased from Columbia House Record Club.  By 1985-86 if Phil Collins released a record, played on a record with someone else, produced another’s record– I would buy it.  However the commercial quality-Grammy Award winner for Best Pop Album–is not one of my favorites. Songs I never care to hear again include Sussudio, and One More Night. That’s right, I said it. Too much of both of these songs.  BUT I never get tired of Take Me Home.

 

Side One

1. Sussudio  (4:23)
2. Only You Know And I Know  (4:20)
3. Long, Long, Way To Go  (4:20)
4. I Don’t Wanna Know  (4:12)
5. One More Night  (4:47)

Side Two

1. Don’t Lose My Number  (4:46)
2. Who Said I Would  (4:01)
3. Doesn’t Anybody Stay Together Anymore  (4:18)
4. Inside Out  (5:14)
5. Take Me Home  (5:51)

Take Me Home was a fantastic music video.  Shot in London, Tokyo, Paris, Sydney, Hollywood, Moscow, and New York. For all of its electronic programming and drum machines, the lyrics are beautiful and Phil’s voice is so yearning and emotional.  I can’t not sing this song whenever I hear it.  Sting and Peter Gabriel sing backing vocals on it and it makes me so happy every time I hear it.

(1982) Atlantic label. Original release gatefold jacket with original inner sleeve.  Purchased through Columbia House Record Club!!  I guess for Phil Collins, after the shock and heartbreak of divorce which he covered in Face Value, his healing process turned into the angry, self-realization, flipping the finger that resulted in Hello, I Must Be Going!.  I love this record.  Every single song– even the slightly corny cover of You Can’t Hurry Love.  One of my biggest concert regrets is not going to see this tour at the Perkins Palace in Pasadena in December of 1982.  I had the chance and passed up on the ticket. Stoopid.

Side One

1. I Don’t Care Anymore  (5:00)
2. I Cannot Believe It’s True  (5:14)
3. Like China  (5:05)
4. Do You Know, Do You Care?  (4:57)
5. You Can’t Hurry Love  (2:50)

Side Two

1. It Don’t Matter To Me  (4:12)
2. Thru These Walls  (5:02)
3. Don’t Let Him Steal Your Heart Away  (4:43)
4. The West Side  (4:59)
5. Why Can’t It Wait ’til Morning  (3:01)

The Phenix Horns are on this album along with Daryl Stuermer.  This album has BIG PERCUSSION SOUND.  Many of these songs are angry in lyrical content but musically they are upbeat, danceable, and you want to turn them up loud and drive fast. I made a tape copy of this album and used to play it all the time in my car.  In 1982 I owned a 1976 MG convertible.  So I DID indeed play this album LOUD in a convertible and drive fast!!!  The West Side is such a good track.  Phil should make an album of all instrumentals– oh wait he did, it’s called Brand X.

(1981)  Atlantic label reissue gatefold jacket Canadian pressing.  Purchased used at Gillette Records in Riverside.  Although I am a big Phil Collins fan I was, as they say, “late to the party”. In the Genesis-Peter Gabriel-Phil Collins decision, I would choose Peter Gabriel so when this album came out although I enjoyed hearing the songs on the radio I didn’t rush out to buy the record, unlike the rest of the US as this record shot to #7 on the US charts and #1 on international charts.  The Earth, Wind and Fire horns on this album become a critical ingredient in the “Phil Collins Sound”.

Side One

1. In The Air Tonight  (5:36)
2. This Must Be Love  (3:56)
3. Behind The Lines  (3:53)
4. The Roof Is Leaking  (3:18)
5. Droned  (2:50)
6. Hand In Hand  (5:23)

Side Two

1. I Missed Again  (3:46)
2. You Know What I Mean  (2:33)
3. Thunder And Lightening  (4:13)
4. I’m Not Moving  (2:35)
5. If Leaving Me Is Easy  (4:55)
6. Tomorrow Never Knows  (4:47)

Behind The Lines originally appeared on Genesis’ Duke which I like much better than this disco version.  On this album I love Droned, Hand In Hand, and all of Side Two.  The cover of The Beatles Tomorrow Never Knows is solid.  According to the liner notes, Eric Clapton plays guitar on If Leaving Me Is Easy– but I just listened to the song and hardly heard guitar. Stephen Bishop lends backing vocals to This Must Be Love.  Daryl Stuermer plays on several tracks.  Stuermer toured with Genesis as their bassist as well as touring with Phil Collins.

This record was the musical therapy provided to Collins in managing his divorce.  The songs are of painful break up, separation, understanding it, and trying to move on past it.  Anyone who has had their heart broken or fell out of a relationship can feel these songs and I am sure that universal chord-strike helped to make this record such a huge success.

 

(1970) Original release, two LP set, gatefold jacket that opens to poster.  Sides labelled  1 & 4, 2 & 3.  This arrangment was for the old turntables which you could stack more than one album on a spindle to drop them down in playing order.  Purchased used in 1989 from Record Surplus.  This is an album I grew up with.  My folks owned this when new.  Not sure what ever happened to their copy.  I remember studying the fold out poster. The photo of the big haired woman with the Planet of The Apes mask staring over her shoulder always freaked me out.  Reading the liner notes again I am reminded that this ragtag motley group was quickly assembled and then quickly disbanded with their last performance at the Swing Auditorium in San Bernardino in 1970.  Maybe my folks were there? This would explain why we owned the record.  This live album is sprawling, grand, and incredibly well recorded.  Listening to it you can hear the large number of musicians. Recorded at the Fillmore East.

Side One

1. Introduction  (0.45)
2. Honky Tonk Women  (3:35)
3. Introduction  (0.18)
4. Sticks And Stones  (2:30)
5. Cry Me A River  (3:50)
6. Bird On The Wire  (6:15)

Side Two

1. Feelin’ Alright  (5:30)
2. Superstar  (4:55)
3. Introduction  (0.15)
4. Let’s Go Get Stoned  (7:15)

Side Three

1. Blue Medley-I’ll Drown In My Own Tears-When Something Is Wrong With My Baby-I’ve Been Loving You Too Long  (12:47)
2. Introduction  (0.20)
3. Girl From The North County  (2:30)
4. Give Peace A Chance  (4:20)

Side Four

1. Introduction  (0.40)
2. She Came In Through The Bathroom Window  (2:50)
3. Space Captain  (4:55)
4. The Letter  (4.20)
5. Delta Lady  (5:35)

This entire performance was filmed.  I need to try to find it on DVD.  I have never seen it. I have to comment on “The Choir”: Don Preston, Rita Coolidge, Claudia Linnear, Daniel Moore, Donna Weiss, Pamela Polland, Matthew Moore, Donna Washburn, Nicole Barclay, and Bobby Jones provide the backing vocals for this entire album.  Their contribution brings this entire recording up to another level of sheer amazement. Matched up against Joe Cocker‘s gravel throat and you have the vocal equivalent of a rose bush.

(1982) Atlantic Deluxe label gatefold jacket two record set.  Purchased in the early 2000’s probably at Amoeba Music. Leiber and Stoller successes The Coasters, are one of the few crossover groups that enjoyed popularity from both black and white audiences.  This particular collection has all of their hits from 1956 through 1968.  The Coasters were Carl Gardner, Bobby Nunn, Billy Guy, Leon Hughes, and later included Earl “Speedo” Carroll, Will “Dub” Jones, and Cornell Gunter.  The Coasters sprang from The Robins which disbanded when their label was taken over.

SIDE ONE

1. Little Egypt  (2:19)
2. Shoppin’ For Clothes  (3:00)
3. Searchin’  (2:25)
4. Charlie Brown  (2:20)
5. Down In Mexico  (3:15)
6. Girls, Girls, Girls  (2:05)

SIDE TWO

1. Yakety Yak  (1:52)
2. Run, Red, Run  (2:59)
3. Poison Ivy  (2:45)
4. Young Blood  (2:20)
5. Down Home Girl  (3:04)
6. That Is Rock And Roll  (2:25)

SIDE THREE

1. D.W. Washburn  (3:02)
2. Along Came Jones  (3:00)
3. Three Cool Cats  (2:08)
4. Riot In Cell Block #9  (3:09)
5. The Shadow Knows  (2:07)
6. I Must Be Dreamin’  (2:15)

SIDE FOUR

1. Smokey Joe’s Cafe  (2:46)
2. Framed  (2:43)
3. Turtle Dovin’  (3:03)
4. Bad Blood  (2:12)
5. The Idol With The Golden Head  (2:22)
6. Love Potion #9  (2:46)

I credit my grandmother for introducing me to The Coasters.  She had a few of their 45s so it is no surprise that I would find this and buy it.  So pleased it is in my collection.  I love Oldies But Goodies from the 1950’s.  One of my favorites is Down Home Girl.  It was covered by The Rolling Stones and recently by Old Crow Medicine Show.

(1989) Duck label gatefold jacket original inner sleeve with lyrics.  Purchased used at  Record Surplus in Los Angeles sometime in the 1990’s.    This album is the last studio album he recorded before the big MTV Unplugged release.  On this one, you can tell he has exhausted the Phil Collins sound and is returning to his blues form.  Songs like Running On Faith, Hound Dog, Old Love and Hard Times really show you how much heart Clapton has for the blues. These are my favorite tracks on this album.

1

1. Pretending  (4:48)
2. Anything For Your Love  (4:16)
3. Bad Love  (5:11)
4. Running On Faith  (5:27)
5. Hard Times  (3:00)
6. Hound Dog  (2:26)

2

1. No Alibis  (5:32)
2. Run So Far  (4:06)
3. Old Love  (6:25)
4. Breaking Point  (5:37)
5. Lead Me On  (5:52)
6. Before You Accuse Me  (3:55)

Ok I have yet to write about how absolutely gorgeous Eric Clapton is to look at.  Some rock stars are truly unattractive– but their swagger and talent elevates the eye beyond the lack of beauty.  This is not the case with Eric Clapton.  The hair, the beard, the soulful eyes somebody slap me!  And he can play. And he can sing. And he has swagger.  I should also mention Illinois has several Clapton solo albums and of course the albums Clapton played on with Cream, Derek and The Dominos, Blind Faith, The Yardbirds, John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers.  I also have Pilgrim on CD.  Together we have most of his albums.

(1986) Duck label gatefold jacket.  Purchased used at Record Surplus sometime in the 90’s. Purchased new on cassette at The Wherehouse in Westwood in 1986. This was in HEAVY rotation in my life when it came out.  I know every song on this album.  Bought it on cassette so I could listen to it in my car.  I saw Eric Clapton tour for this album in April 1987 at the Forum in Los Angeles. Phil Collins was on drums.  I have a story about this show.  I was single at the time.  No one I knew had the interest or money to buy a ticket and go with me.  So this is the one and only concert I have ever been to by myself.

I had mentioned to my brother that I was going and he told me he was also– with his new girlfriend.  Remember this was before cellphones.  So at the show with the houselights on and the crowd filling in, I used binoculars and began scanning the crowd, section by section and row by row trying to find my brother.  And I did!  I went running over to say hello and scare the hell out of him– which I did–and his girlfriend thought I was pretty scary too.  Turned out that he married that girlfriend. I used to have a knack for making a terrible first impression.  I have learned to be more laid back.

1

1. It’s In The Way That You Use It  (4:11)
2. Run  (3:39)
3. Tearing Us Apart  (4:15)
4. Bad Influence  (5:09)
5. Walk Away  (3:52)
6. Hung Up On Your Love  (3:53)

2

1. Take A Chance  (4:54)
2. Hold On  (4:56)
3. Miss You  (5:06)
4. Holy Mother  (4:55)
5. Behind The Mask  (4:47)

Eric Clapton is a smoker; when he plays shows he will stick a cigarette in the neck of his guitar while he’s playing.  Crazy!!!  At this show, I think I stayed in my seat for 2 or 3 songs.  Mostly I just kept walking around the Forum trying to sneak into a better seating section.  I was able to get to a lower level, but not all the way to the floor seats.  It was a great show.  But I was really lonely for company.  I don’t recommend going to a show by yourself.  It really is an experience to be shared with someone you know.  Afterward you want to talk about it and freak out.  This time, after the show I got in my little blue VW Scirocco and went home to my little apartment in Gardena… and talked to no one.

(1985) Duck Records label gatefold jacket.  Purchased used from Record Surplus sometime in the early 1990s.  Produced by Phil Collins.  This easily recognizable Phil Collins sound is nicely married to Eric Clapton‘s guitar in this album and in his next release August.  Several industry legends contribute on this album: Donald “Duck” Dunn, Jeff Porcaro, Steve Lukather, Michael Omartian, Lindsey Buckingham, Greg Phillinganes, and of course Phil Collins.

1

1. She’s Waiting  (4:55)
2. See What Love Can Do  (3:58)
3. Same Old Blues  (8:15)
4. Knock On Wood  (3:19)
5. Something’s Happening (3:23)

2

1. Forever Man  (3:13)
2. It All Depends  (5:05)
3. Tangled In Love (4:11)
4. Never Make You Cry  (6:06)
5. Just Like A Prisoner (5:29)
6. Behind The Sun (2:13)

No surprise to anyone that I own and really like this album.  Favorite tracks include See What Love Can Do, Same Old Blues, Knock On Wood, and Behind The Sun.  There are those blues purists that don’t care for the 80’s feel that so many rockers dabbled in at this time.  I get it.  This is too clean and polished, too Miami Vice.  Too synth heavy.  For me, Eric Clapton can do nothing wrong.  His career is an honest one; heroin addiction and recovery, alcohol addiction, tragic death of his son, poorly charting albums, huge successes, collaborations with so many in the rock world all open and there for the fans and the world to witness.

As so many musicians of his age continue to grow older, it freaks me out to think of a world someday without Clapton. Knock on wood…

(1982) Chess label gatefold jacket.  Purchased in 1989 or 1990 at Record Surplus used.  This two record set of original hits includes Chuck Berry’s releases from 1955 to 1965.  The tunes of this set are the stripped down basic rock and roll of the era. The lyrics sing of brushes with the law, driving a car, plenty of girl title songs, and the birth of the teenager.  Opening notes of songs like Roll Over Beethoven are a siren’s call to get up off your butt and dance.

1

1. Maybellene  (2:20)
2. Thirty Days  (2:22)
3. You Can’t Catch Me  (2:42)
4. Too Much Monkey Business  (2:52)
5. Brown-Eyed Handsome Man  (2:14)
6. Roll Over Beethoven  (2:22)
7. Havana Moon  (3:06)

2

1. School Days  (2:40)
2. Rock And Roll Music  (2:30)
3. Oh Baby Doll  (2:35)
4. Reelin’ And Rockin’  (3:14)
5. Sweet Little Sixteen  (3:00)
6. Johnny B. Goode  (2:38)
7. Around And Around  (2:40)

3

1. Carol  (2:44)
2. Beautiful Delilah  (2:06)
3. Memphis  (2:11)
4. Sweet Little Rock And Roller  (2:20)
5. Little Queenie  (2:40)
6. Almost Grown  (2:18)
7. Back In The USA  (2:25)

4

1. Let It Rock  (1:46)
2. Bye Bye Johnny  (2:02)
3. I’m Talking About You  (1:45)
4. Come On  (1:48)
5. Nadine  (2:33)
6. No Particular Place To Go  (2:40)
7. I Want To Be Your Driver  (2:14)

So many of these tunes were hits for other artists including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, to name a few.  Chuck Berry is the standard bearer of rock and roll; for many the true King of Rock and Roll. My Grandmother collected 45s and LPs.  When I would visit, we would play her records.  She had many Chuck Berry singles– purchased when they came out.  I inherited her records and every now and again I will play them.

(1975) Columbia label.  Original pressing original inner sleeve; purchased new in 1978 at Licorice Pizza in Riverside. The songs on this album are from Chicago I through Chicago VII releases and are a soundtrack to my childhood and early adolescence; evoking memories of climbing the tree in the front yard on a Saturday after my house chores were completed.  My nine year old self, climbing as high as I could get with my red Panasonic Tootaloop radio on my wrist dialed in to Casey Kasem’s American Top 40.  I loved that radio.  It was shaped like a very clunky bracelet that spun open into an “s” shape.  On one end was the dial for AM only radio stations.  The on/off/volume was conveniently located on the outer spine.  Because you could easily wear it, it was perfect for climbing high into a tree.  It seemed to me Chicago was always on the American Top 40 during those years.

Side One

1. 25 Or 6 To 4  (4:50)
2. Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?  (3:19)
3. Colour My World  (2:59)
4. Just You ‘n’ Me  (3:42)
5. Saturday In The Park  (3:53)
6. Feelin’ Stronger Every Day  (4:13)

Side Two

1. Make Me Smile  (2:59)
2. Wishing You Were Here  (4:34)
3. Call On Me  (4:01)
4. (I’ve Been) Searchin’ So Long  (4:27)
5. Beginnings  (7:51)

More Chicago memories are of singing Saturday In The Park in my head sitting in the bleachers watching my brothers play little league on… Saturdays.  This was an album I could play at anytime and my folks would be OK with it.  Sometimes they might even ask me to turn it up!!!