'Something's Going On' in Phil Collins autobiography

Having just heard about Phil's antipathy towards Stig for years, it's interesting to hear him articulate it. Two things come from this clip for me.  One, it's nice to hear that they loved Frida and were protective of her.  The footage from the documentary - what looks like the early days of the recording sessions - makes it look like they had relegated to the background.  This passage makes more sense of Frida's effusive sleeve note.  Two, it confirms our suspicions that some of the songs were forced upon the project - and I'm guessing that Stig played a big part there.  I doubt anyone will win medals for suggesting that I Got Something and Threnody were the main contenders in this category (and, for the record, I'm a fan of both songs equally).  But I can't help feeling that Phil is passing the blame for the selection of Here We'll Stay, The Way You Do and maybe even To Turn The Stone.  There is a magazine interview from late 82/early 83 out there, in which Phil and a musical associate discuss SGO and Phil's mate give him a hard time over the song choices, saying that the likes of ABC and Yazoo should have been approached for material instead. 

The album took probably a year to properly grow on me and I really like and appreciate it now more than ever. Of the two 80s albums, Shine feels more "Frida" to me, more her. But SGO is a terrific piece of work that she can stand proudly over.  I agree with Wombat's wife that Stig was probably jealous to have been sidelined from such a terrific album.

The research thing doesn't surprise me, to be honest. It's a self-reverential book and he probably doesn't care whether Frida fans investigate too deeply.



As for Frida's loyalty to Stig.... I realise that I run the risk of projecting here, but could it be that, having known him for years, Frida saw past the addiction, to the more complex man whose brutal behaviour the drunkenness triggered? I'm not necessarily applauding that, because I have seen how that "loyalty" often turns smart people into doormats, but I think that growing to know someone over a number of years creates a more intricate view of the person than someone who has only recently met them (and at their worst too). Still, it must have been horrible to have something so special to her just dismissed in front of the people who had played such a big part in putting it together.  I can't imagine this was an isolated incident of boorishly ugly behayiour either, that Frida was the only one at the receiving end of it, and yet the other three stuck by Stig until they realised that he had swizzed them out of money. 

Sorry, I'd have articulated that more clearly if I had waited until my morning coffee kicked in...  If you need it translated into actual English, let me know! 

Absolutely!