Listening to the demo and that sure has the timber of a Dobro. Also played a bit like one too. Sure you're right Mark. Nice demo, thanks for posting.
I think it's a dobro. Eric Clapton played on the demo. A session guy played on the album. Phil later regretted taking Clapton off. He did it, if I recall, because Clapton would play it differently each time and he wanted it a certain way.
What I love most about this track is that it's one of those songs where the production is so appropriate that it paints the same picture in my imagination every single time I listen to it. On headphones, in the dark, just focusing on the music, I can feel like I'm right there with Phil in that room as he sings this song. Then, when it transitions into "Droned", the overall effect is that it transports you from that room and into this whole other realm entirely. Not to take anything away from what's on side two, but I'd say that the suite comprising of this, "Droned" and "Hand in Hand" is my favourite part of the LP overall.
The Roof Is Leaking This is very good. This is something you would expect from Peter Gabriel if he went Americana. It is a great audio track to listen to. Very powerful, and an interesting narrative lyric. 4.5/5
"Face Value" is a great album. It's the best solo album by any member of the group IMO. I think Gabriel had -- by far -- the more consistent career individually but none of his albums are as good as FV -- again IMO. Nothing Phil did afterwards reached such heights either although "Hello! I Must Be Going" is pretty good too.
"In the Air Tonight" -- A good song with a fantastic arrangement that takes it to the next level. "This Must Be Love" -- One of Phil's best love songs. Great vocal. "Behind the Lines" -- Love this version. It's a totally different take on the song. I happen to like both. "Roof is Leaking" -- My least favorite track on the record. The melody in the verse is too similar to "In the Air Tonight".
Face Value is one of my desert island discs. A genuine classic. If it finished with If Leaving Me Is Easy (rather than the somewhat redundant Tomorrow Never Knows), it'd be perfect.
That given his demonstrated songwriting skills on the rest of the album, the inclusion of this near carbon-copy cover version serves simply as unnecessary filler.
Musically, If Leaving me Is Easy is the perfect closer. Conceptually, though, it might have been like ending on a too somber note. If Behind The Lines (which is technically a cover as well) is there to provide some contrast and light, possibly this one has the same purpose. Why THIS song in particular, I don't know. (Anyone?) Maybe it had a peculiar significance to him. I suppose many others could have served the purpose.
Phil said that Tomorrow Never Knows had a great melody that he thought people were missing, and he wanted to try and bring that melody out more. Something like that. Another thing to think about with this album. Phil was always Phil, but when he was making this album he wasn't Phil Eighties Superstar. He was that drummer that started singing for the English prog band, that had had a couple of hits. This album was no certainty to sell, never mind be as huge as it was. Also, this was essentially the first time since joining Genesis at least, that Phil had ever done any really serious amount of writing. There is a good chance he was hedging his bets a little with Behind the Lines and Tomorrow Never Knows.
Perhaps the cover version of "Tomorrow Never Knows" is redundant in a way. Not necessarily because it's a carbon copy of the original (I don't feel that it is), but because it's difficult to imagine any version of it topping the original. I think it's a decent, listenable enough version, but for me covers are at their finest when they bring out a quality in the song that perhaps the original artist couldn't, for whatever reason. The original "Tomorrow Never Knows" is the perfect representation of that track, never to be outdone in my opinion. Also, I remember hearing that its appearance on the album was partly a tribute to John Lennon, which would make sense as the sessions apparently lasted until January 1981. I guess this might genuinely make it the last thing recorded for the album.
Before the discussion on the big single fades for good (sorry I’m late), it would be a shame to miss including this incredible recent ad that uses the song to such great effect, and shows just how relevant this iconic tune (and drum break) still is.
Yeah, it's very much the definition of an iconic drum break, but the thing that amuses me about it having become his most well known few seconds of drumming is that technically, it's actually not all that impressive in and of itself. Most of the impact it has comes from it coming so late on in the song - which provides an element of surprise when you first hear it - and the huge drum sound which was quite novel at the time before it became an approach that defined the '80s. For better representations of Collins' actual skill as a drummer, I'd point them to select cuts from A Trick of the Tail or Wind and Wuthering, or the Brand X stuff.
For the most part, one of Phil's specialties was knowing how busy to play at any given time. I think it comes from him having an arrangers mind.
There is very little between Nursery Cryme and Genesis(self titled) that doesn't show how good and how tastefully he generally played, but Lamb definitely has some high points.
I'll give Collins credit for trying something so unusual as The Roof Is Leaking, but it's too minimalist for me. His vocals could be a LOT softer too, they kind of smack you in the ears.
I'm not quite sure that I agree with this, as lots of memorable pieces of music and/or playing have actually been quite simple - the drum fill on "In the Air Tonight" actually being a case in point. But of course being a fan of progressive rock and as a person who enjoys listening to great musicians realising their full potential, of course I enjoy Collins' more technical work.
I don't think Mike is making an either/or statement. Just an observation that sometimes simple is just what is needed.
Yes, I agree with this - no matter what approach he took to playing, he always played what was appropriate for the track. It wouldn't have been appropriate to play full tilt on every song like he does on the rockier sections of "The Musical Box", and he knows when not to play and what not to play. He's also quite adaptable, I think, he's played on a lot of different kinds of records and used many different approaches over time.
