In a music career spanning over 30 years Phil Collins has sold 100 million albums, won 7 Grammy Awards, 2 Golden Globes and an Oscar. AGAINST ALL ODDS, PHIL TRIES AGAIN Eighties legend Phil Collins has finally plucked up the nerve to play Against All Odds, for the first time in 23 years. In fact the ex-Genesis drummer has only performed this famous hit three times, labelling it his ‘trouble song’ after stumbling through the piano chord changes in front of 1.5 billion viewers. Collins says, “I played it when I wrote it, and I played it at Live Aid twice in one day and apart from that I’ve never played it.’ Also In this Songbook episode, Collins reveals how his first divorce led him to song writing - the lyrics for In the Air Tonight were angrily scrawled “on the back of the decorator’s notepaper who went off with the wife.” Having not performed, Against All Odds since the 1985 Live Aid concerts in London and Philadelphia, Collins grants Sky Arts a treat with an amazing rendition of his “troublemaker song”. Songs performed: In the Air Tonight Another Day In Paradise Against All Odds You’ll Be In My Heart
Gary Kemp wrote all of Spandau Ballet’s 23 hit singles which led to 30 million album sales. Kemp reveals how The Bishop of Stepney inspired his musical career and how his seminal song, True, was written by Kemp whilst he was sitting on his parents' bed at home. Kemp gives his first acoustic solo performance of the song since he performed it to the rest of the band for the first time back in 1982. Songs performed: Through the Barricades Inexperienced Man True
Scottish band Travis have released 6 albums in 11 years. Lead singer and songwriter Fran Healy reveals in Songbook that his 2001 hit Sing was originally going to be called Swing until he thought it might suggest people “chuck the keys in a bowl, you know?” This and more revelations from Travis' frontman as he talks about his inspirations and plays unplugged on this Sky Arts exclusive. Songs performed: 20 Driftwood Sing Friends
Simply Red have sold 50 million albums worldwide, and enjoyed 5 UK number one albums in their career spanning over 20 years. Having recently announced that the band will be splitting in 2009, Hucknall grants Songbook an intimate reflection on his career spanning 23 years and a rare insight into his creative mind, revealing how he wrote half of Holding Back The Years in under an hour, but only completed the song nine years later. Songs performed: Holding Back the Years For Your Babies You’ve Got It Someday In My Life
Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook have been working for over 35 years together, after having found one another through an ad in a sweet shop. The pair hit it off immediately and had a “creative spark” that inspired one another – Difford to write raw lyrics and Tilbrook to write the accompanying music – as well as many of today’s young rock bands such as Razorlight. Songbook explores the secret behind their partnership, and how their careers have developed from being ambitious teens scribbling songs in the back of a removal van whilst travelling down the A3. Songs performed: Take Me I’m Yours Up The Junction Tempted Some Fantastic Place
David Gray has released 7 albums with sales in excess of 11 million. Music journalist and author Will Hodgkinson interviews singer-songwriter David Gray. Although Gray released his first album in 1993, he did not receive worldwide recognition until his 1999 album White Ladder catapulted him to fame and fortune. With seven albums under his belt, Gray has won two Ivor Novello Awards for songwriting and received a Grammy nomination. Here he describes what inspired him to write the haunting songs, This Year’s Love, The One I love, You’re The World To Me and Breathe, before giving an exclusive performance of them.
The ex-Stranglers' frontman reveals the stories behind some of the band's most famous songs, before giving an exclusive performance of them. Hugh Cornwell was the original guitarist, singer and songwriter for The Stranglers. The band enjoyed massive success, with 21 top 40 singles, but, in 1990, Cornwell left the band to pursue a solo career. Here, the ex-frontman reveals the stories behind some of the band's most famous songs and gives an exclusive performance of: Strange Little Girl Never Say Goodbye Cadiz Layback On Me Pal
Ian McCulloch has enjoyed critical and commercial success both as the lead singer and songwriter of the cult band, Echo and The Bunnymen, and later with his solo work. In Songbook, McCulloch reveals that song writing is his way of dealing with life when things “just aren’t stacking up.” And how he considers songwriting the highest of all art forms: "Michelangelo was pretty handy with a chisel but he didn't have to sing!" Songs performed: Rescue The Killing Moon Nothing Lasts Forever The Fountain
Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker reveals the inspiration behind some of his best-loved hits, before giving an intimate performance.
Legendary songwriter Albert Hammond reveals the inspiration behind some of his best-loved songs, before performing them.
Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan reveals how he wrote his best-loved tracks during a career spanning five decades.
The Lightning Seeds' Ian Broudie discusses the inspiration behind his best-known tracks, including the iconic footy anthem Three Lions, before giving an intimate performance of them.
New Order's Bernard Sumner reveals the secrets of his craft, discussing how some of his best-loved tracks came to be written before playing a selection of them.
The Feeling reveal the secrets of their craft, discussing how some of their best-loved tracks came to be written and explaining the stories behind them.
In the first programme Simon, Nick, Roger and John talk about the formation of Duran Duran; including how Simon Le Bon turned up for his audition carrying a book full of lyrics and wearing pink leopard skin trousers; how the purchase of their first keyboard led to the writing of Planet Earth; their early years rehearsing above the Rum Runner nightclub in Birmingham; how Nick Rhodes came up with the experimental sounds on their massive hit Rio, after Simon wrote the lyrics on the back of napkin in an American cocktail bar. Songs performed are: Planet Earth, Late Bar, The Chauffeur, Rio and Skin Trade.
Programme two covers how depressed they were when their 1983 single Union of The Snake failed to enter the charts at Number One, how a chance meeting between John Taylor and Cubby Broccoli led to Duran Duran collaborating with John Barry to write the Bond theme song View To a Kill, how the tragic death of a friend of Simon Le Bon’s was the inspiration behind Ordinary World; the reunion of the full band line-up in 2001, and the creation of The Valley from their latest album, Red Carpet Massacre. Songs performed are: View To a Kill, Do You Believe in Shame, Ordinary World, Reach Up For The Sunrise and The Valley.
James Blunt talks about the moment he first knew he wanted to dedicate his life to music, learning the guitar as a teenager, starting out as a songwriter and combining this with an army career and the inspiration behind four of his most famous songs. Songbook performances: - You’re Beautiful - Goodbye My Lover - 1973 - Same Mistake
Snow Patrol guitarist, singer and songwriter, Gary Lightbody, talks about the band’s long climb to success, his musical influences, the fans’ varying interpretations and his musical plans for the future. Songbook performances: - Fifteen Minutes Old - Run - Chasing Cars - If There’s A Rocket Tie Me To It
The Oscar winning writer Don Black talks frankly about writing lyrics for stage, screen and chart hits. Recalling his start as a song plugger on Tin Pan Alley and how this led him to eventually make collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber. Don remembers the challenges of writing for Bond films, recalling working with the likes of John Barry, Shirley Bassey, and Tom Jones. Songbook Performances: - Born Free (sung by Don Black) - Ben (sung by Marti Webb) - Tell Me On A Sunday (sung by Marti Webb) - Take That Look Off Your Face (sung by Marti Webb) - As If We Never Said Goodbye (sung by Marti Webb) - Clip of Thunderball (sung by David Arnold) - Clip of Only Myself to Blame (sung by David Arnold) - Clip of The World is Not Enough (sung by David Arnold)
Suede's former frontman talks frankly about: growing up in Haywards Heath, the early days of Suede, living on the dole, brit pop clichés, his prodigious drug use during Suede days and his feelings about drugs now. Songbook Performances: Brett performs two songs from his new album Slow Attack; Hymn and Ashes of Us Two original Suede songs: The Next Life, The Wild Ones, Trash
Sharleen Spiteri and Johnny McElhone, the songwriting partnership behind Texas, talk about their 20 years of success together. Discussing the early days in Glasgow and how they formed their songwriting partnership. How trying to interpret their favourite artists leads them in new musical directions, the excitement they still feel hearing their songs get airplay and how their different personalities combine to create their musical relationship. Songbook performances: - I Don’t Want A Lover - Say What You Want - Black Eyed Boy - Halo - All The Times I Cried
Midge Ure looks back on his Glaswegian youth and how the motivation for forming a band was at first purely to attract girls. The Scottish singer recalls his days with Visage, Ultravox and remembers how his famous collaboration with Bob Geldof came about. Midge talks about leaving the security of writing with bands to launch a solo career and the inspiration behind his hit single If I Was. Songbook Performances: - Fade To Grey - Vienna - Dancing With Tears In My Eyes - Do They Know Its Christmas? - If I Was
Musical legend Ray Davies looks back on his early musical influences – records that his older sister would send from Canada, how the signature Kinks sound was formed by him and his brother playing guitar on a broken amp in their parents’ front room. He talks about their US ban in the 1960s and how it affected the future and the sound of the band; ending the show by talking about the songwriting process and lyrical inspiration behind the Kinks classic song Waterloo Sunset. Songbook performances: - I Need You - Set Me Free - Sunny Afternoon - Waterloo Sunset
Ray Davies continues revealing the inspiration and songwriting process behind some of the Kinks hits. Discussing the process of recently re-recording many of the songs with a choir, going back to his youth as a choirboy, and takes a look at his newer, solo songs, which he personally finds more exposing than writing for a band. Songbook performances: - Autumn Almanac - Picture Book - Johnny Thunder - Shangri La - Working Man's Cafe - After The Fall
Dave Stewart, formerly one half of pop duo Eurythmics, discusses the stories behind the band's most famous hits, and performs Here Comes the Rain Again and Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This). Presented by Will Hodgkinson.
Don McLean, writer and singer of hits including American Pie, Vincent and Crying, discusses his life and career, as well as playing selections from his back catalogue. He reveals how the deaths of his father and Buddy Holly helped to shape his future, and shares his fears for the future of music.
Songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller discuss the inspirations behind some of their most famous hits, including Stand by Me, Hound Dog and Jailhouse Rock. Interviewer Will Hodgkinson gains an insight into the ups and downs of the pair's professional relationship, and discovers why Leiber has a particular problem with Elvis Presley's version of Hound Dog. Singer Solomon Burke also performs a selection of songs from the duo's back catalogue.
Bob Harris talks to Diane Warren, the songwriter behind some of the best-known ballads in pop music history, including Aerosmith's I Don't Want to Miss a Thing, Toni Braxton's Un-Break My Heart, and LeAnn Rimes' How Do I Live. She discusses her career writing for artists including Celine Dion, Roy Orbison, Mariah Carey, Tina Turner and Barbra Streisand, reveals some of the key tools of her trade, and performs a selection of hits from her back catalogue.
Kasabian guitarist and songwriter Serge Pizzorno discusses the creative process behind the Leicester band's string of hit albums, and plays a selection of their best-known songs, including Underdog, LSF and Fire. He also reveals the influence Britpop had on him, and discusses why being raised in the Midlands means he can never take himself too seriously.
Bob Harris interviews singer-songwriter KT Tunstall, who discusses the unusual surroundings in which her debut album Eye to the Telescope was recorded, and reveals how her days as a busker helped shape her later career. She also performs a selection of her best-known songs, including Suddenly I See, Black Horse and the Cherry Tree, Other Side of the World and Hold On.
