Julian Cope presents Head Heritage

. . . but to bring it back to Phil, there's something about rock ideology that says "teenager music" is important because it captures the energy of youth and all that -- so I can see punk & metal & bubblegum pop getting reevaluated (part of it is those first teen fans grow up and some of them become adults in the industry.)

But Phil Collins' solo work is the very definition of middlebrow and middleclass, so I'm not sure that will become "hip" again (any more than Bing Crosby is going to make a comeback.)

Though the comment about him having some cred in "R&B" circles makes sense. Elton John and Hall & Oates also have a lot more black fans than you might expect (perhaps more than they have white American fans these days.) There's always a few white artists who manage to crossover going the other direction, and he may make it on "beats & hooks & production." "In The Air Tonight" is very beat-heavy for an 80's pop song, for example.

I can't quite understand all the personal animus against the guy -- sure, he made lots of crap records, but no one has to listen to those do they? Why not hate on Traffic because Winwood had that overplayed lame-o "soul" album that was so big circa 1988?

An' another thing -- what's the big deal with Peter Gabriel's solo career? Seems to me he's about the equivalent of Phil ("Big Time" is no better than "Land Of Confusion"), though one appeals to the pretentious college crowd and the other is more populist. Which you prefer may say more about your own self image than the merits of ex-Genesis members!

Niether can hold a candle to Mike & The Mechanics anyway (just kidding!)