Phil Collins ...But Seriously 2LP on 180g Black Vinyl. To Be Released 13th November.

Phil Collins ...But Seriously 2LP on 180g Black Vinyl. To Be Released 13th November.

Released in November 1989, ...But Seriously marked a distinct shift in Phil Collins’ solo career as he moved away from the upbeat, synthesizer-heavy dance-pop of No Jacket Required to tackle more mature, socially conscious themes. Written primarily by Collins himself following a major Genesis tour and his starring role in the film Buster, the album explicitly addressed socio-political issues, including homelessness on the anthem "Another Day in Paradise", the Lockerbie bombing on "That's Just the Way It Is", and systemic segregation on "Colours".

For the production, Collins re-teamed with long-time collaborator Hugh Padgham (Co-Producer of Bowie’s Tonight album and the Tin Machine track “One Shot”), making a conscious decision to strip away the heavy vocal effects, harmonisers, and vocal echoes that dominated his previous 1980s work. Rather than building the songs on top of his pre-recorded home demos as he had traditionally done, Collins tracked the material completely from scratch in the studio. He layered his iconic real-world drumming over core keyboard tracks, and enriched the album's sonic texture with an elite lineup of guest musicians, including Eric Clapton delivering a searing guitar solo on "I Wish It Would Rain Down", Steve Winwood on Hammond organ for "All of My Life", and a powerhouse rhythm section anchored by bassist Nathan East and guitarist Daryl Stuermer.

The global public and industry reaction to ...But Seriously was nothing short of monumental, turning it into one of the defining commercial juggernauts of the era. It achieved the rare feat of being the last number-one album of the 1980s and the very first number-one album of the 1990s in both the UK and the US. The album spent an astonishing 15 weeks at the top of the UK charts, becoming the nation's best-selling album of 1990 and ranking as one of the top 40 best-selling albums in British history. Critical and industry peers showered the project with accolades; at the 33rd Annual Grammy Awards, "Another Day in Paradise" won Record of the Year, while the album itself earned nominations for Album of the Year and Producer of the Year. It also secured American Music Awards for Favourite Pop/Rock Album and a Brit Award for British Single, cementing Collins' transition from an 80s pop superstar into a respected, deeply influential elder statesman of adult contemporary pop-rock.

LP 1

• Side A

  • Hang In Long Enough

  • That's Just the Way It Is

  • Do You Remember?

• Side B

  • Something Happened on the Way to Heaven

  • Colours

  • I Wish It Would Rain Down (featuring Eric Clapton)

LP 2

• Side C

  • Another Day in Paradise

  • Heat on the Street

  • All of My Life (featuring Steve Winwood)

• Side D

  • Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (Instrumental)

  • Father to Son

  • Find a Way to My Heart

Craft Recordings Cat. No PCLP 89 2026