Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Collins, Phil
Label: Virgin Records
Released: 1985
Length: 50:27
Rating: 4.5/5
The transformation of cult singer/drummer Phil Collins from gifted prog-rock musician into a worldwide pop-rock phenomenon was one of the bigger musical surprises of the eighties. Phil’s out-of-nowhere commercial success even overshadowed that of his ‘mother ship’ Genesis, who were also mutating into a hatchery of radio hits at the time, though Collins wasn’t the only one behind that shift. After his first two solo albums he stopped hiding his love of soul and r’n’b, and it showed in his singing, which became far more varied than in his early vocal days, when he was still under the clear influence of (former) Genesis comrade Peter Gabriel, another musician who enjoyed a massive commercial boom in the eighties. The peak of Phil’s metamorphosis into king of the hit parade came with the hit single, the love power ballad »Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)«, which won him the prestigious Grammy Award in 1985.
»No Jacket Required« was Collins’ third solo album and his most commercially successful, spinning off no fewer than five hits from its ten tracks and landing among the best-selling albums of 1985 after topping the charts in most Western countries. Not only his musical approach but Phil’s lifestyle too changed considerably around this time: he started hanging out much more with music and film stars, hitting the same select spots as them, and his acting career came back to life as well.
The title »No Jacket Required« came from a bizarre run-in Phil had one evening at The Pump Room, a posh restaurant in Chicago meant strictly for those who can afford it, meaning assorted celebrities and the wealthy. The moment he and Robert Plant walked into The Pump Room, the head waiter turned him away because, unlike the former Led Zeppelin singer, he supposedly wasn’t dressed according to the upscale restaurant’s dress code. The whole thing came off as downright grotesque, especially since Plant was let in even though Collins was wearing a pretty similar jacket that met the code’s guidelines.
Phil naturally lost his cool on the spot and cursed the double standards and snobbery, even after the doormen had already shown him to the exit. Among other things he mused about coming back next time in a proper jacket, spilling some drink on it and flinging a few paintings on the floor on his way through, but in the end he just stomped off grumbling. The bosses at The Pump Room later humbly apologized for the unfortunate incident once they found out who he was, even sending him an apology letter and a symbolic sport jacket. They also offered him unlimited free entry, but from then on Phil never wanted to set foot through the doors of that elitist restaurant again, and he poked fun at them more than once.
Musically, »No Jacket Required« was definitely the most commercially oriented release of Collins’ solo career, with individual tracks piling on horn sections, dance rhythms and ‘glossy’ synth textures. Alongside his old guitar buddy Daryl Stuermer, who was also Genesis’ live guitarist, he teamed up for the first time with the legendary session bassist, the indefatigable ‘old warhorse’ Leland ‘Lee’ Sklar, while on the track »Take Me Home« he got vocal help from Sting (ex-The Police) and his former Genesis buddy Peter Gabriel. As was Collins’ habit, most of the lyrics on »No Jacket Required« are laced with romantic frustration, though there’s some socially critical commentary here and there too.
With the opening dance-rock party-starter »Sussudio« Phil created one of his biggest hits and one of the most recognizable songs of his career, especially that chorus. The programmed drum machine rhythms are backed by subtle layers of Roland 909 synth, assertive guitar passages and crisp horn arrangements, while Phil’s vocal turn heads into r’n’b waters, which is no coincidence, as he confirmed he took The Jackson 5 as his model when crafting this pop evergreen. Interestingly, some critics slammed »Sussudio« on release because its main synth phrase supposedly resembled Prince’s 1982 track »1999«, something Collins never denied, since he was reportedly a big Prince fan himself.
»Only You Know And I Know«, written by guitarist Stuermer, is an energetic pop rocker with lush horn arrangements and clever guitar phrases, mainly there to fuel the playful, upbeat mood that dominates the first half of the album. On the gentle ballad »Long Long Way To Go«, ruled by feather-light keyboard arrangements, Mr. Collins shows his more delicate side for the first time on the record and, with a soulful, heartfelt vocal, once again proves himself a true master of moving power ballads. The melodic rocker, or AOR energy catalyst, »I Don’t Wanna Know« is another superb guitar-driven achievement, mostly thanks to its composer Stuermer, who shines with brilliant guitar passages and a passionate closing solo, while Phil delivers a hypnotic, multi-voiced chorus. It’s without a doubt one of the best moments on »No Jacket Required«, matching the finest work of Collins/Banks/Rutherford-era Genesis in both quality and style.
The love ballad »One More Night«, draped in minimalist synth textures, brought Phil yet another triumphant hit single, even if its somewhat weepy, self-pitying lyrics make it the weakest cut on »No Jacket Required«. The witty »Don’t Lose My Number«, which became a hit in the US partly thanks to an outrageously funny video in which Phil showed off his many comedic talents in fascinating fashion, is on the other hand yet another triumphant moment for the album, even though the lyrics don’t really mean anything and are more or less improvised. Even Collins himself admitted he doesn’t quite understand what the message of this song is supposed to be, or who the heck this Billy is that he so earnestly tells not to lose his phone number. Here too the cult drummer used a drum machine alongside minimalist percussion, while Stuermer thrilled between the choruses with colorful guitar passages.
On the fast-paced »Who Said I Would«, which only came out as a single in 1991, and in a live version at that, the temperamental horn section once again takes the lead, even pulling off a fun saxophone improvisation along the way, while Phil, who sounds downright furious in his vocal delivery, this time also brings in the traditional African instrument kalimba among his rhythmic ‘tools’. The energetic »Doesn’t Anybody Stay Together Anymore«, which Collins co-wrote with Stuermer, is a near-stereotypical Phil Collins solo piece, both in structure and in lyrics. The latter was inspired by real-life experience. Phil, who had a traumatic divorce behind him and was happily married to his second wife Jill Tavelman at the time the song was written (the two ‘created’ the popular Hollywood actress and beauty Lily Collins in the years before their split), was baffled that all the people around him were getting divorced like it was going out of style, which had somehow become a common and totally ordinary social phenomenon in the eighties. The socially aware chorus rides on an incredibly dynamic drum performance, while some splendid guitar passages also help build the mighty atmosphere.
»Inside Out is marked by a lavish synth arrangement and a hefty guitar phrase. Stylistically it could fit on any Genesis release from the eighties, though the synths are missing a master on the level of Tony Banks. The mid-song sax solo adds extra spice to the dramatic mood, while Collins serves up perhaps the most varied vocal performance on the whole of »No Jacket Required«, and the same goes for Stuermer’s superb closing guitar solo. The excellent »Take Me Home«, with Sting and former Genesis comrade Peter Gabriel pitching in on backing vocals, is yet another hit and a beloved Collins evergreen that was on every one of his solo tours. Its lyrics tell the story of a patient in a mental institution and were inspired by the cult book/film ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’. The outstanding vocal lines in the chorus, the work of three top-tier singers, create real magic and do the heavy lifting in getting across the deeply moving message. »We Said Hello Goodbye«, released only on the CD version of the album, is a solid, melodramatic ballad with rich orchestral arrangements that rounds the album off nicely.
»No Jacket Required« still stands up as a pop rock classic and something of a crown jewel in Collins’ solo career. Its arrangement variety and lyrical depth only come through after a few listens, but then the album really pays the listener back, while the production, especially the drums, handled by Collins and his old buddy Hugh Padgham, is downright fascinating. Anyone who usually thinks only of love ballads when they hear Collins’ name should give this a spin, as it’s anything but your average pop rock album. Of all the solo albums in Phil’s career, only the equally excellent »…But Seriously« (1989), which marked the peak of his commercial success, can match »No Jacket Required« for quality. The one big minus on »No Jacket Required«? That truly terrifying cover.
Lineup
Phil Collins – vocals, drums 2–10, percussion, keyboards on 2, drum machine, vocoder, kalimba on 7, backing vocals on 3 and 10, bass guitar on 2
David Frank – keyboards on 1, 7, Mini Moog bass on 1, 7, Oberheim DMX on 1, 7
Daryl Stuermer – guitar on 1–10, keyboards on 4
Lee Sklar – bass guitar on 3–6, 8–11
The Phenix Horns – horn section
Gary Barnacle – saxophone on 4, 7, 8
Don Myrick – saxophone on 5, 9
Arif Mardin – orchestral arrangements on 5, orchestral intro on 11
Sting – backing vocals on 3, 10
Peter Gabriel – backing vocals on 10
Helen Terry – backing vocals on 10
Nick Glennie-Smith – keyboards on 11
Production
Phil Collins and Hugh Padgham
Track list
1. Sussudio
2. Only You Know and I Know
3. Long Long Way To Go
4. I Don’t Wanna Know
5. One More Night
6. Don’t Lose My Number
7. Who Said I Would
8. Doesn’t Anybody Stay Together Anymore
9. Inside Out
10. Take Me Home
11. We Said Hello Goodbye (CD bonus)
