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Genesis-“Mama” Album- Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford,Tony Banks

Between 1980 and 1986, the British trio Genesis released a series of four consecutive hit albums, each more successful than its predecessor by as many as five times. Because drummer/singer/songwriter Phil Collins had a parallel solo career take off during that time, reading the critical reviews from many respected music writers in this period imply that Genesis guitarist Mike Rutherford and keyboardist Tony Banks unwittingly, if not unwillingly, were somehow led by Collins in a more mainstream pop direction. However, the simple facts just don't bear out that assumption.
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The Police- Synchronicity- Sting, Stewart Copeland

Arguably the finest, yet the  final, fifth studio recording by the Anglo-American trio The Police, "Synchronicity" put the cuffs on an arresting recorded legacy left by the band...Cops of Rock Stewart Copeland and  Sting open this Police inquiry with me  In the Studio  for the definitive classic rock interview regarding the making  of  "Synchronicity" four decades ago.

The Fixx- Reach the Beach- Cy Curnin, Adam Woods

Cy Curnin and Adam Woods In the Studio for The Fixx 1983 two million-seller "Reach the Beach"!
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ZZ TOP- Eliminator- Billy Gibbons, Frank Beard, the late Dusty Hill

And yes, the series of clever, campy videos on the upstart MTV video channel in America undoubtedly had much to do with that staggering (15 million just in US) level of popularity for "Eliminator" (truly ironic, since manager Bill Ham had steadfastly kept ZZ Top off of U.S. television until then). But the songwriting, musicianship, modern arranging, and state-of-the-art recording on "Eliminator" which I heard that day was truly extraordinary. Billy Gibbons, Frank Bread, & the late Dusty Hill are my guests In the Studio.
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U2- War- Bono,The Edge, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen jr

With the rousing martial rhythms from Larry Mullen jr’s drums on the opening to “Sunday Bloody Sunday”, the tortured passion evident in Bono’s voice over The Edge’s stiletto guitar stabs on “New Year’s Day”, and Adam Clayton’s rolling bass on “Surrender” as well as “Two Heats Beat as One”, War  by U2 was a musical proclamation of a serious contender on the unfolding Eighties rock vista. Hear the fortieth anniversary classic rock interview In the Studio.
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Def Leppard- Pyromania- Joe Elliott, Phil Collen, Rick Savage

Def Leppard “Pyromania” interview with Joe Elliott, Rick Savage, Phil Collen In the Studio.

U2- New Year’s Day- 1987

The 35th anniversary of U2's breakthrough album War   is looming next month, so to celebrate Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen jr returning In the Studio to recall the times, here is a live version of "New Year's Day" from the…