Interview with Eric Clapton and Phil Collins Backstage at the NEC Birmingham, during the 1986 'August' Tour and Broadcast on London's Capital Radio on 17 July 1986.
CR = Capital Radio | PC = Phil Collins | EC = Eric Clapton
CR: How did the idea of these gigs come about?
EC: It was just a joke really; we were just mucking around in the studio, having a great time and someone said 'oh this is too good not to carry on' and before we knew it we were starting to think about it seriously. Over the space of a week it turned from a fantasy into a reality.
CR: Were you up for the idea Phil?
PC: Yeh, absolutely. We were having such a great time recording the album, it just seemed the natural thing to try and do it, to stay together as long as possible, which is probably what it's been, isn't it? I mean we finished the album the day before we started rehearsals; finished the album and then Greg and Nathan came over; we started about four days of rehearsals and it was a labour of love really - it's been great fun.
EC: I don't think I've ever had so much fun with just three other people you know - just like the personalities and the music, the way it all just went, I've never experienced anything like it musically.
CR: Of course, Phil's been producing the album hasn't he? How's he been as a producer?
EC: Well it's been very tough for him because he is playing as well as producing so I think he has done great, perfect, you couldn't ask for more.
CR: And have you had problems keeping Eric in order Phil?
PC: Oh terrible problems. No we're the best of friends and although that doesn't make for great working relationships sometimes, it has in this instance. I mean it's very easy, albums should be easy to make, you shouldn't have to go in there and struggle for six months to get something right. We went in there and we constantly re-thought and re-vamped stuff, if we didn't think it was right and we enjoyed working. I mean a lot of laughing you know - we did 3 or 4 weeks of studio tracks with Greg and Nathan as well as Eric and myself and we didn't stop laughing really the whole time which made the music sound like that and if it's a struggle forget it and this was very easy to do. CR: How did the duet between you and Tina Turner come about? (to EC)
EC: There was talk that she would like to do something on my album and in return I would do something on hers. So we couldn't think off the top of our heads what to get her to do apart from backing vocals so, she was coming down to the studio that night, we'd done the track and I just had to quickly write the song - in fact we wrote it while she was standing there, saying what do you think of this line? No no no no - in fact you could almost say she got writing credits but she didn't actually - she was putting words in my mouth but it was done on the spur of the moment - it's that whole thing of like being inspired by the presence of someone you know? I mean I would have taken longer to do it if she hadn't put me to a deadline but as it was it was all wrapped up in the same night.
CR: You came out tonight and played some of the old songs - some of the songs that we all know and love as well as the new material, do you still enjoy playing those old Cream numbers?
EC: Well in this context, yeh, of course. And it was great to know that Phil and Nathan and Greg knew those songs and so we could pick it up so quickly, it was no struggle to do it and it didn't make me feel ashamed or anything, you know I wasn't embarrassed about doing them because they love the music so it was easy.
CR: And it brings a fresh feel to them doesn't it?
EC: Exactly, yeh.
CR: And did you have to learn those songs Phil?
PC: No, no.
CR: You just knew them all?
PC: No, no I know those songs backwards.
EC: I had to learn them - yes I couldn't remember some of the stuff.
PC: I think the big thing was I knew the records. I mean I've seen Eric live lots of times but - it's like its the same with Genesis, I get used to songs from the last tour, the way we played them, not the original records, and so it's actually getting the feel that Eric wanted that had developed over years as opposed to
EC: But then we took it one step further - I mean the way we're doing them now, no other band's done them. For instance, I Shot The Sheriff - we're doing it now like no other band has done it, so it's something brand new.
CR: Is it still giving you a kick going out live because you've done it for so many years?
EC: It's the biggest kick there is. It's my highest expectation in life, to play well live. It's the thing I aspire to more than anything else in my life. What can I say.
PC: You could be more certain! (Laughs all round)
CR: This is a priceless band, can you get them together again Eric?
EC: I have every intention of pulling them in whenever I can, yeh - it's a priceless unit, I can't think of anything better.
CR: Will you be there? (to PC)
PC: Oh yeh - we've always said that the way this thing has worked out, we can, with a long sound check, we can pick up the pieces anytime. I mean all we need is just 5, well half an hour to sort of say hello again and it is going to be like we never left I think. I think if we hadn't done the live gigs and just done the album and left it at that, it might not have been like that, but we know how it should feel now and we all know what we are supposed to be doing and I think we could pick up the pieces anytime we want, it's just a question of getting the word.
CR: Does playing those long solos, that wonderful music you still stand there and play, does it take a lot out of you now?
EC: Yeh, I'm getting on man - I'll have to be doing it on a pair of crutches soon. As long as they can strap my guitar on I don't mind. Yeh it's hard - it's hard to be imaginative and not do the same thing as you did the night before and that's what it's all about, that's why I love it because it's a challenge.
CR: You said you were going to go home and die now, when you left the stage, what are you going to do, take a rest?
EC: It's easy now, I mean we're all having a good time still but going to bed tonight will be great - I'll wake up tomorrow and by tomorrow night, phew, forget it man, I don't know where I'm going to be.
PC: We've got a party tomorrow.
EC: Oh that's right.
CR: It's going to be quite a depressed party? (Laughs)
PC: It's nice to have something at the end of the thing but we're all going to get together tomorrow and say goodbye as opposed to saying it at the end of the gig which is always a funny' time to do it.
CR: You've been working a long time now, haven't you, you've done the Genesis album, you've done this tour, what are you going to do? Have you got another project lined up?
PC: I'm the one who's probably going to die actually. No my kids are coming over from Canada so I've got five weeks with them and I'll be a dad for five weeks - a full time dad as opposed to a part time dad and after that we start rehearsing with Genesis and then we put the hat back on and off we go - but it's not like work. People say to me how can you keep doing it and it's not like work, doing things that I've been doing. I've never done anything else and its just fun to do. It's great. I'm very lucky to be paid for doing this.
