Peter Gabriel vs. Phil Collins

2. As solo artist, you can't argue that Phil's Disney catalog (Tarzan, Brother Bear are both huge) pretty much answers any 'solo artist' questions.

2. As solo artist, you can't argue that Phil's Disney catalog (Tarzan, Brother Bear are both huge) pretty much answers any 'solo artist' questions.

-- Sociah T Azzahole (stevem7...), August 18th, 2005.

This is true, although I'd rather listen to "Steam" (and have been).

That said:

1. Try as I might, I can't seem to get into the Gabriel-era Genesis. An excess of boring proggy noodling and overly self-aware deliberate strangeness.

And while things got unbearable starting with Invisible Touch and onward, Collins-era Genesis was not always so inexcusable. Abacab has some quite respectable rock on it, for example. So, slight advantage to Collins. I can call to mind a handful of Collins-era Genesis songs that I prefer to anything I've heard of the Gabriel-era Genesis.

2. This is just no question. The Petemeister's solo material is mountains above Phil's. There are defensible tracks on Collins's first two records--"I Missed Again," for example--but nothing that is the equal of even "Sledgehammer."

Gabriel-era Genesis was substantial, as is his solo career. Collins-era Genesis peaked with Trick Of The Tail, and there were only fleeting moments of brilliance afterwards (select tracks on Abacab, Duke and the s/t.)

As for Collins solo career, I wasn't much of a fan of his output after "Hello I Must Be Going". He went for the big brass pop ring, plain and simple. Plus, the best moments on his first two solo albums seemed to be influenced by Gabriel's solo work (I Don't Care Anymore, In The Air Tonight).

But for some reason, post "Hello I Must Be Going", Phil Collins output struck me as monstrously vacuous. And I thought that from my very first listen to "No Jacket Required" back in 1984. I like the early 80s Genesis pop singles just fine (Misunderstanding, Paperlate, That's All, etc.). But when I think of the singles off of "No Jacket" I just don't ever want to hear them again.

I do have a soft spot for "Easy Lover" though. The collab with Philip Bailey.

I just truly love the man on so many levels. As an artist, as an electronics/sound production pioneer, as a champion for human rights, as a proponent for world music and it's integration into mainstream conciousness. I've always respected his art and his actions.

To me, Phil Collins is a phenomenal drummer and talented musician, but he squandered a lot of those talents as his career progressed. A good comparison is Phil's very literal appropriation of r&b stylings, while Gabriel assimilated r&b influences into his own music.

"Sussudio" vs. "Sledgehammer" is a good illustration.

Everything Genesis did through "Invisible Touch" is fine by me, if perhaps tainted by Phil's solo stuff. Everything Gabriel did with Genesis and solo is miles above, however.

Invisible Touch [Atlantic, 1986]
For a while I was tempted to buzz Phil Collins over his former fearless leader. He's a warmer singer, God help them both, and the formerly useless Tony Banks proves adept with the keyb hooks. But in the end I couldn't tolerate the generalization density--not just of the lyrics (where Peter Gabriel's personal and geopolitical details offer some evidence that he's been there) but of the hooks, which end up feeling coercive, an effect unmitigated by Collins's whomping instrumental technique. And just to prove they're still Genesis, we get solos. C+

Without, it's no contest--"Against All Odds" and "In the Air Tonight" vs. "Solsbury Hill," "Sledgehammer," "Steam," "In Your Eyes," "Games Without Frontiers," "Shock the Monkey," "Don't Give Up" and a bunch of others. Gabriel all the way.

Phil Collins 75 72 A

Peter Gabriel 95 128 B

Phil Wins !!!

Ringo Starr, Mick Fleetwood, Mike Joyce, Lindy Morrison, and countless others would like a word with you in the front office.

Don't get me wrong, Pete still wins this one...but I can't not step in and champion "Don't Lose My Number."

Ultimatly, I love both Eras of Genesis, and I love both Phil and Gabriel. But sorry, Phil wins this one. He's the better musician, and he's got the better voice. As far as solo stuff is concerned, I'd say its about equal. Gabriel has songs that are just as poppy, and his other stuff isn't as amazing as people make it out to be. (i.e. Games without Frotiers and Biko to me are below Phil's body of work.) Before I get a bunch of flames, though, I will say this. The one catagory that Gabriel has Phil beat hands down is lyrics. Gabriel is one of the best songwriters of 30 years. Not to say that Phil can't write good lyrics, he can, but Gabriel's Lyrics are better adn more imaginative. I do still enjoy both artists and both eras of Genesis.

See ya,
Braz

I was rather surprised at how many of the tracks they left off their albums were quite superior to some of the crap they actually saw fit to include. It kills me that they nixed tunes like "Evidence of Autumn", "You Might Recall", and other good ones for crap like "Misunderstanding" and "Whodunnit". I'd even gladly substitute "On the Shoreline" for "Hold on My Heart" or "I Can't Dance" or "No Son of Mine" or "Jesus He Knows Me"...

I was just there recently. At the Disney places, you kept hearing his work for cartoon soundtracks. Elsewhere, the radio was playing his earlier solo stuff on multiple stations all the time.

It was scary. I could not escape the man's music!

If the idea of a skronkier, New Wave-y Gabriel appeals to you,
check it out.

Besides, has Phil Collins released versions of his records sung in German? I think not!

Gabriel, of course

2. Which is better solo

Again, Gabriel, of course. Even though I thought otherwise at 14.

"Against All Odds" is a great song. But still cannot compete with greatness of "The Lamia" or even "Mercy Street".

Patrick Bateman
"American Psycho"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ON8lVgJxMQA

Just the way he smiles when he samples himself saying "mummy", or how he enjoys the battery in "rhythm of heat" in a jumpsuit. Its just so adorable.

!!!

You must have been stoned.

I can't tell which of the two is the better singer; I find their vocals equally unpleasant. Are their voices really that similar, or is just that they've both used those strange vocal-filter effects since as long as I can remember?

"Schaust du mich doch an,
Es gibt nur ein Leerraum..."

2. As poppish ear candy, do "Two Hearts" or even "In the Air Tonight" trump "Solsbury Hill" or "Sledgehammer"? On the other hand, is Peter Gabriel 4/Security a perversely pop masterpiece? Is So too lush for its own good? The answer to these questions answers this question.

Anything else. More or less. Those are the worst two tracks on the album. "Heathaze", "Duchess" and "Duke's Travels" all showcase a hint of what they used to be at their best though.

Anything they did in the 70s, at least up to and including "Wind And Wuthering", was absolute genius though.

If you don't really like music, you might buy a PC album. Could be swapped at any time for, say, Mike and the Mechanics, Hootie and the Blowfish, even Sting.