Of one of the more memorable tracks, “Between You and Me,” Collins remembered a particularly creative collaboration between he and McKeehan, “This was a phenomenal song, but in its infancy the demo tracks and lyrics weren’t really vibing. Toby agreed, and asked me, ‘What would you do with it?’”

Immediately, Collins thought it should have a heavier groove. “Toby was thinking the track could be a mixture of, ‘Seal meets Whodini,’ a la the song ‘Friends.’ That beat began to lay the foundation for the groove.”

The producer then spoke to the variety of fashions in which McKeehan creates a track. The legendary front man does not play any instruments, and at that point wasn’t fully confident as a singer. In those days, Collins said, “He completely operated on explaining what he wanted the musicians to do. He would often show up with a demo featuring just a vocal and a guitar, or sometimes a modestly produced track that would eventually be completely transformed.

“[McKeehan’s] learning to sing is a testament to his work ethic, his drive and determination. If he tried to play an instrument, he could probably figure it out,” said Collins. “Now, he’ll competently compose a piano or guitar part, sing it for the session players and producers, and they’ll translate it perfectly on their instruments.”

On the experience as a whole, Collins said, “It was a great time in my career and life. I wish I would have enjoyed it more, especially if I knew what was around the corner and in the future,” he admitted. “I definitely look back on it as a labor of love.

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