Episode 5: In The Air Tonight by Phil Collins

Wait, Phil Collins did what?

He drowned a guy? Uh...no.

He humiliated a coward? No.

He shamed someone from his childhood? Also, no.

Many stories swirl around the meaning of Phil Collins' breakout hit from 1981, and so many of them aren't true. Collins was in a world of hurt following the breakup of his first marriage, and he channeled a lot of that energy into writing the Face Value album. This week I go into that a little bit (but only a little bit; it gets kind of tawdry), plus I talk about the sound that makes him instantly recognizable on so many records in the 1980s. And it's a sound that's making its way back into popular music these days.

Phil Collins during his appearance at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia during Live Aid. This particular still is from his performance of "Against All Odds".

With all the changes in the weather we've been having, it's been playing havoc with my voice. So if I don't sound quite right, there's a reason for it. Here's hoping I sound a little better next week.

Also: for those of you not in the know, that weird squeaky noise you hear during the Peter Gabriel clip isn't evidence that I use a cheap office chair, although it's true, I do. That sound is part of the Gabriel song.

As usual, if you haven't subscribed via iTunes or your favorite podcast catcher, you can download the file or listen right here:

And of course, I wouldn't be especially upset if you went to iTunes and gave me a positive review. Even if that's not your podcast catcher, every time someone says something nice about me in iTunes, an angel gets his wings. Right, Clarence?

Links Department:

This is a great video from Vox.com that explains the concept of gated reverb in greater detail.

In the podcast, I mention my suspicion that gated reverb is making a comeback. Also from the Vox article is this Spotify playlist which confirms my theory. (I do hope I linked that correctly; if not then go to the Vox link and listen from there.)

Article from the Miami Herald from last year about Phil Collins finally opening up to the story behind the song.

But naturally, his ex is going to speak her piece. See? Tawdry.

I wasn't kidding about Ozzy Osbourne.