In 1981, Phil Collins wanted his favourite singer on his first record. The phone never rang
Phil Collins wanted David Crosby, one of his favourite singers, to contribute harmonies to his 1981 debut solo album, *Face Value*. Collins later recalled that Crosby was often out on his boat and felt he was not in a good place at the time, so the hoped-for collaboration never happened.
Collins made the album while processing the separation from his wife, and producer Ahmet Ertegun encouraged him to develop his demos into a solo record. The article says Collins later worked with Crosby and Eric Clapton on *But Seriously*, released in 1989, and suggests that waiting gave Collins more time to develop as a songwriter.
In short
- David Crosby did not contribute to Phil Collins’s 1981 debut.
- Collins wanted Crosby to add unusual harmonies.
- They later worked together on *But Seriously*.
Explained simply
Phil Collins was the drummer and singer in the British band Genesis before making solo records. His first solo album, Face Value, came out in 1981, after the end of his marriage; producer Ahmet Ertegun encouraged him to turn his demos into a full album.
David Crosby was an American singer and songwriter, known for his work with the Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash. Collins admired his singing and hoped he would add harmonies to the album. The story also sits within Collins’s later work with Crosby and guitarist Eric Clapton, including the 1989 album But Seriously.