Songbook

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