That's just the way it is (Phil Collins) (LP 2212)

Phil Collins  ...But Seriously (CD, Virgin Records, 1989) **

Genre: pop rock 

Places I remember: Lindsay Hope Collection.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Another Day In Paradise

Gear costume: That's Just The Way It Is

Active compensatory factors: I forgot to include this album when I covered Face Value a few posts ago. Truth to tell, I'd actually forgotten I had it in the CD collection, and in retrospect I probably only hung on to it because of David Crosby's appearance.

As I said in that Face Value post, while I like his early work as a vocalist in Genesis, I don't really enjoy his solo albums (Face Value being the notable exception).

Apparently, he dialed back on the synths and drum machine for this one but it still sounds too much like eighties music by numbers to me.

However, as aforementioned, this one will remain in the collection because of the presence of David Crosby on the Gear Costume track.

Where do they all belong? And, seriously, that's enough Phil Collins now.

Swan song (Brand X) (LP 928)

Brand X  Is There Anything About?  (Vinyl, Passport Records, 1982) **  

Genre: Jazz fusion 

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Is There Anything About?

Gear costume: Ipanaemia 

Active compensatory factors: Definitely a swan song - Phil Collins and Robin Lumley (keyboards) both jumped ship after this album.

There's not a lot to get excited about on this one. The title track is far and away the best one. The rest is either cobbled together from old sessions or, in the case of the very last track, a 'song' taken from a cassette that captured the band rehearsing/ improvising. It's as bad as that sounds.

Unfortunately, given the eighties, it has rather too much synth noodling on it for my liking. Instead, go back to that title track and hear what was possible when they got their act together and inspired each other.

Where do they all belong? I love this genre and I'm always looking to add to it, hence a bit of a catch up over the last few Goo Goo posts. Next up when I return to this genre, unless I buy something before it alphabetically, it's back to Jan Hammer.

Nuclear burn (Brand X) (LP 598 - 603)

Brand X Unorthodox Behaviour (Vinyl, Passport Records, 1976) ***

Brand X Moroccan Roll (Vinyl, Charisma, 1977) ***

Brand X Livestock (Vinyl, Passport Records, 1977) ****

Brand X Masques (Vinyl, Charisma, 1978) ***

Brand X Product (Vinyl, Passport Records, 1979) ***

Brand X Do They Hurt? (Vinyl, Passport Records, 1980) ***

Genre: Progressive rock (some may say jazz fusion has some claims as well but the Phil Collins presence lends me to prefer prog rock, as well as the Hignosis inspired covers) 

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records/ Vinyl Countdown

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Running on Three (Unorthodox Behaviour)

Gear costume: Rhesus Perplexus (Product); Isis Mourning i), ii) (Livestock); Macrocosm (Moroccan Roll)

Active compensatory factors: Only Product features the distinctive vocals of Phil Collins, apart from that he's the (occasional) drummer in Brand X, and the songs are all largely instrumental prog work-outs with some brilliant musicians.

Given the high rotation through various members and supporting musicians, the quality remains surprising high throughout each of these albums (released on Charisma in the UK and Passport Records in the USA). 

Phil Collins pops up on most of these albums, apart from Masques but that's not very noticeable given Chuck Burgi's excellent drumming on that album.

Product is probably the one that deviates most from the Brand X brand, in that it contains a large number of actual songs with actual vocals by Phil Collins. That makes it the most commercial album amongst this lot. Given it's release date of 1980, it also makes it the one that leans most heavily on post punk sensibilities. 

That, plus the fact it features two bassists, makes it the most eclectic album here.

Do They Hurt? is made up of vocal-less outtakes from the Product sessions and is actually the more cohesive of the two albums.

Where do they all belong? That's my current Brand X collection in one swoop. There's one more Collins/Brand X album for me to find - Is There Anything About? - a further album of Product outtakes. And then there are two more without Collins: X-Communication and Manifest Destiny.

Step lightly (Ringo Starr) (LP 394)

David Hentschel Startling Music (Vinyl, Ring O'Records, 1975) * 

Genre: Apple/Dark Horse/Ring O'Records 

Places I remember: Direction Records (Auckland)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles/ Gear costume: The least objectionable track would be Have You seen My Baby? 




Active compensatory factors: Yikes. This is tough going.

One for die hard completists only, it takes each song from Ringo's greatest ever album (Ringo), (big call? No way Jose!!) and rearranges it for synthesizer. Throw in some drums from Phil Collins (what was HE thinking?) and put out via Ringo's vanity record label.

Yes, folks, it's as bad as all that sounds.


Where do they all belong? My copy is pristine - it's been played twice. Once when I got it back in 1975, and just now so that I could refresh my memory. It has NOT improved with age!

The hero knew what he had to do (David Crosby) #456

David Crosby Hero/ Coverage/ Fare Thee Well (Atlantic, a7360CD , 1991)

The Croz!

David Crosby can write some jaw droppingly quirkily magnificent songs - pick anything on the first classic solo album (If I Could Only Remember My Name) or anything done as a Byrd or his stuff on the first albums of CSN and CSN&Y.

You're right - that's all stuff before 1971! 

Since then it's been a little more spotty in the jaw droppingly quirky department. 

This track came from the Thousand Roads album, which I quite like actually, but which sounds a lot like a Graham Nash album with the Croz's vocals replacing Nash's. 

Hero is a nice catchy song and having Phil Collins on it at his gazillion mega selling peak doesn't exactly hurt.

Hidden gems: Both these are not included on the parent album. Both are fine songs but both suffer even more from a dose of the Graham Nash association. 

Don't get me wrong - I'm a fan of Graham but I do miss those jaw droppingly quirkily magnificent songs. Instead David sounds cool (as always) but it's a normal cool as opposed to the weird cool that I REALLY love!

Spare a thought for the working drummer (Headband)

Concerning the case of the singing drummer.

I don't know but I'm guessing that it is pretty tricky to play drums and sing at the same time. Every limb is doing something different and then the brain has to remember lyrics. Quite a trick but then again - maybe it's easy?

I'm leaning towards the view that it's tricky because I can count great singing drummers on one hand, and it pains me to say that Ringo can never be considered a great singer so I can't include him even though I love him to bits. Play drums well and sing well - now that is quite a thing.

Okay so the tight five?

Levon Helm who passed away recently is definitely a member. Best moment for me is Life Is A Carnival when he sings - buddy would you like to buy a watch, real cheap! His shuffling drum beats motivated some of the best songs ever recorded - The Weight, The Night They Drove Ole Dixie Down, Up On Cripple Creek and on and on.

Karen Carpenter who died tragically distinguished herself on vocals but also was a mean drummer.

Mickey Dolenz is still with us thank goodness. Maybe not the greatest drummer ever but he was certainly talented in that area and one listen to something like Last Train To Clarksville and you know he could sell a song in a unique way.

Andy Sturmer - also still with us - Andy was the lead singer, lead writer and drummer for the American powerpop band Jellyfish who produced two superb albums in the early 90s - Spilt Milk and Bellybutton.

Dennis Wilson - another tragic death to add to the list. Denny was a great talent - just dig out The Beach Boys' Sunflower album (his four songs are the standout cuts on that album - one of The Beach Boys best) or try his solo album Pacific Ocean Blue.

Okay - you're probably thinking that there are some other notable absences -  Phil Collins? I'm not a fan of his singing at all but there is no denying his talent as a drummer.

And Don Henley? Yeah okay - Don is at number six so I do need to use my other hand after all.