UAWIL #220: Phil Collins - No Jacket Required

In 1985, Phil Collins could do no wrong. His album No Jacket Required would eventually hit the top spot in the US and the UK. He'd also have the top album and top song on both sides of the Atlantic. He won a Grammy for Against All Odds (which would hit #1), his duet with Philip Bailey, Easy Lover, was a smash hit around the world and hit duet with Marilyn Martin, Separate Lives, would also go to #1. And after a world tour to support his 25 million selling album No Jacket Required, he played Live Aid in London with Sting and then jumped the Concorde to make it to the US and played RFK with Eric Clapton and a reunited Led Zeppelin. Plus he was on Miami Vice. The man was unstoppable. As No Jacket Required turns 40, we decided to analyze it track by track. Though Collins proved he could navigate the mid-80s recording styles without getting too cheesy on tracks like Sussudio and Inside Out, there are others that aren't great given the strength of the hits like Only You and I Know and I Don't Wanna Know. The album would sell over 12 million in the US alone thanks to hits like Sussudio and the video for Take Me Home not only gave him clout as a bonafide international star but also kept the album selling well into 1986. Phil has received a lot of backlash in latter days due to the fact that he was everywhere in the 80s - chart topping with every Genesis album, every solo record, every duet or movie soundtrack song, every tour, every TV appearance, every music video. Does he deserve the criticism he gets or did he just make the most of his opportunities he was given? We debate that and more on this surely to be divisive episode. Check out our new website: Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices