Going Back (album)
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Going Back is Phil Collins's eighth studio album. It was released on 13 September 2010 in the the United Kingdom[1] and will be released on 28 September 2010 in the United States.[2] and features covers of 60s Motown & Soul standards. It also was his first full solo release in eight years, Collins having primarily concentrated on soundtracks, compilations, and his extensive touring as a solo artist and with Genesis. Collins has previously recorded and performed covers of Motown songs in his career. Most famously, his cover of "You Can't Hurry Love" reached No.1 on the UK charts in 1982. In addition, "The Tears of a Clown" appeared as a B-side on the 2003 single "The Least You Can Do", and a live version of "My Girl" first appeared on the Japanese release Live from the Board in 1995 and later on the 2004 album Love Songs: A Compilation... Old and New. There are two editions of the album; one with 18 tracks and a limited special edition with all 29 songs Collins recorded.[3] The album will be promoted with a series of live shows in the summer of 2010.
Background
Collins reported losing his hearing in his right ear in 2000, and in 2003 announced his last solo tour.[4] He called it the "First Final Farewell Tour", a tongue-in-cheek reference to the multiple farewell tours of other popular artists.
Since releasing his seventh solo album Testify in 2002, Collins wrote the music for Brother Bear and a Broadway production of Tarzan. He remarked in several interviews during this time that he was in semi-retirement and even retired from recording music at one stage. [5] The Turn It On Again Tour with Genesis in 2007 included Collins on drums and vocals, but involved no new music or songwriting.
In September 2009, it was reported that Collins could no longer play drums, due to a recent operation to repair dislocated vertebrae in his neck.[6] However, a statement from Collins on the Genesis band website said, "There isn't any drama regarding my 'disability' and playing drums. Somehow, during the last Genesis tour, I dislocated some vertebrae in my upper neck and that affected my hands. After a successful operation on my neck, my hands still can't function normally. Maybe in a year or so it will change, but for now it is impossible for me to play drums or piano. I am not in any 'distressed' state, stuff happens in life."[7]
Despite these statements of retirement and the effects from his spinal operation, it was reported in October 2009 that Collins was to record a Motown covers album. He told a German newspaper, "I want the songs to sound exactly like the originals", and that the album would feature up to 30 songs.[8]
Production
At the press release, Collins said the idea behind the album was "not to bring anything ‘new’ to these already great records, but to try to recreate the sounds and feelings that I had when I first heard them. My intention was to make an ‘old’ record, not a ‘new’ record".[9]
In the summer of 2009, Daryl Stuermer hinted Collins was in the studio working on an album. He was asked to send a transcript of a Temptations song for the album.[10]
Bob Babbitt, Eddie Willis and Ray Monette were the musicians during recording. The three were a part of the famous The Funk Brothers, session musicians who played on several Motown recordings from 1959 until 1972. Recording took place in Switzerland and work began on overdubbing 25 songs for the album on 11th January and finished on the 20th January.[11] Phil said of having the Funk Brothers available to play on the album, "To be able to have three of the surviving Funk Brothers play on all the tracks was unbelievable. There was one moment when they were tracking 'Heat Wave' that I experienced a wave of happiness and wonder that this was actually happening to me!".[12]
In January 2010, Chester Thompson said that the album had been completed and would be released some time soon. He also revealed that Collins managed to play the drums on the album despite the adverse effects of his recent spinal operation.[13] Collins confirmed he has had to tape drumsticks to his hands in order to play. Bob Babbitt on his forum stated that the album would be released in September, and has confirmed that a filmed showcase will take place in Europe and the US during the summer.[11]
Speaking at the 2010 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony, where Genesis were inductees, Collins said of the album: "You know, I mean, I started it for fun, really, and just chose all the Motown songs, the darker songs that I liked, the lesser known ones. And I ended up with about 40 of them and finished, I’ve actually finished about 29 of them".[14]
Promotion and singles
On 10 April 2010 the Phil Collins website was back up and running in anticipation of the album.[15] The site was previously shut down in 2008. The first release of the recordings, "Too Many Fish In The Sea" was given free to new users who signed up to the relaunched website. The title track, "Going Back" started to receive airplay in May and was streamed online on Collins's website soon after.
Collins decided to perform a series of live shows in the summer to promote Going Back. "Up Close & Personal: Phil Collins Plays 60's Motown & Soul" was exclusively devoted to the music from the new album and were not part of an upcoming world tour. The first of these shows were announced on the 14 April, to take place at New York's Roseland Ballroom for 3 nights from 23 June to 25 June. 2 nights in Philadelphia were then added to the list. On 29 April, it was confirmed that Collins was to be part of the opening night of 2010 Montreux Jazz Festival. 2 days later, it was announced that Phil Collins would perform a one-off show in London on 28 June 2010. This show will be broadcast live on ITV1 in September.
| Date | Venue/Title | City | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 June | Electric Factory | Philadelphia | United States |
| 21 June | Electric Factory | Philadelphia | United States |
| 23 June | Roseland Ballroom | New York | United States |
| 24 June | Roseland Ballroom | New York | United States |
| 25 June | Roseland Ballroom | New York | United States |
| 28 June | Phil Collins...For One Night Only | London | England |
| 1 July | Montreux Jazz Festival | Montreux | Switzerland |
Collins was supported by an 18 piece band for the brief 6 show tour. The band included Funk Brothers bassist Bob Babbitt, guitarists Eddie Willis & Ray Monette, Genesis touring musicians Daryl Stuermer on guitar and drummer Chester Thompson, a five-piece horn section, six back-up singers (Amy Keys, Lamont Van Hooke, Lynne Fiddmont-Linsey, Connie Jackson-Comegys, Terry Bradford and Bill Cantos), percussionist Leslie Smith and keyboardist Brad Cole.
Andy Greene, of Rolling Stone, wrote of the final show in New York; "It's very hard not to come off like a glorified wedding band when you play a two-hour concert comprised entirely of Motown and soul covers, but last night in New York, Phil Collins pulled it off". [16]
Towards of the last show of the brief tour at Montreux, record producer Quincy Jones appeared on stage to praise Collins as sounding as if he was from the "south side of Chicago," while Montreux festival founder Claude Nobs said: "He was magnificent. There was a lot of emotion and sincerity. And it's only the beginning of the festival." [17] Collins admitted himself that performing these songs was terrifying; "Numbers like Dancing In The Street are among the greatest singles ever made, but doing them live was terrifying" [18]
Bob Babbitt confirmed that a live DVD of the last show a the Roseland Ballroom in New York was recorded for a release later in the year. [19].
Both "(Love is like a ) Heatwave" and the title track "Going Back" have been confirmed as single releases from the album. On 31 July 2010, Atlantic Records unveiled the music video to support "(Love Is Like a) Heatwave".[20] On 24 August 2010, a music video for "Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)" was released on Phil Collins's official YouTube Channel, confirming it as the next single to be released from the album.[21]
Reception
Initial reception to the album has been positive. David Sheppard of BBC Music said "So faithfully have Collins and his confreres recreated the Sound of Young America – shimmering tambourines drowning out drums, bass compressed to a fat, distorted throb –that it’s hard not to be swept along". [22] The album was also featured as BBC Radio 2's "Album Of The Week" on September 4. [23]
Jack Foley of IndieLondon gave it 3 out of 5 stars, adding "The resulting album is as heartfelt and faithfully recreated as you might expect from an artist of Collins’ calibre…" [24]
Going Back debuted at No.1 in the Dutch Album Charts for the week ending 18th September. [25]
