Given the weather that night, a jacket was required.

February 16, 2011 7:45 PM

As a follow-up to a recent post regarding the majesty that was Face Value on its 30th anniversary, a parade celebrating Phil Collins occurred yesterday in Brooklyn, featuring a marching band playing--yep, you guessed it.
posted by stannate (51 comments total)

Aw, I was hoping they'd be playing something by Peter Gabriel.
posted by Sys Rq at 7:47 PM on February 16, 2011 [5 favorites]

I was going to guess Su-su-ssudio. (Didn't everyone? Hello ... ?)
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 7:48 PM on February 16, 2011 [4 favorites]

For a brief moment, I though the Phil Collins imitator on the minivan was talking like the South Park version of himself.
posted by stannate at 7:51 PM on February 16, 2011

Aw, I was hoping they'd be playing something by Peter Gabriel.

I did notice "The Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging" featured prominently in the related videos sidebar.
posted by TedW at 8:04 PM on February 16, 2011 [1 favorite]

Is this the same marching band that met up in the parking lot of Jimi's convenience store, directly across the street from my apartment in Dumbo, to practice once a week at 9 pm, all summer long, for 2 years? If so fuck you.
posted by nathancaswell at 8:05 PM on February 16, 2011 [9 favorites]

I was there! I donated $1, so I'm technically an investor.

The band played a montage of hits...from "I Can Feel It Coming In The Air Tonight", to "I Can't Dance", and then ?....

Spoke to one of the girls who organized the event. She and her friend baptized Phil Collins day several years ago when the lived in Washington State. It's a sort of antithesis to Valentine's Day. Let love have it's day, but then we get PHIL!

It was a great time. I bet next year will be much bigger.
posted by Bunsen Betty at 8:10 PM on February 16, 2011 [1 favorite]

I bet it's probably the same band that played Fugazi songs as the "pep band" for the Kickball League in McCarren Park, too. Ugh.
posted by KingEdRa at 8:10 PM on February 16, 2011

I'm so thankful the New York Times discovered Brooklyn last year.
posted by dw at 8:20 PM on February 16, 2011 [3 favorites]

Oh man, Brooklyn has become a parody of itself.
posted by Ad hominem at 8:23 PM on February 16, 2011 [8 favorites]

Phil Collins is evil, and everything he stands for is vile.
posted by koeselitz at 8:48 PM on February 16, 2011 [4 favorites]

Hey, look who's going to be "that guy" for this thread!
posted by hippybear at 9:08 PM on February 16, 2011 [3 favorites]

I was hoping it was the Melvins doing Melvins covers.
posted by I love you more when I eat paint chips at 9:26 PM on February 16, 2011 [1 favorite]

I still remember the dreadful feeling of compulsion and self-loathing I experienced when I was driven to learn the guitar solo in "Easy Lover". I hold Phil personally responsible for that, and he is not forgiven.
posted by Decani at 9:30 PM on February 16, 2011 [1 favorite]

It's all fun and games until someone gets nailgunned.
posted by fleetmouse at 9:35 PM on February 16, 2011 [1 favorite]

No joke: I started watching the second link, while a South Park episode is on TV. The parade started to proceed by me, and then I kept hearing the kids on SP say "Phil Collins Hill" in the background (they're having a sledding race on Phil Collins Hill?). I was confused for a second by the synchronicity, but then enjoyed it very much.
posted by not_on_display at 9:36 PM on February 16, 2011 [1 favorite]

For those who didn't read all the way to the end... Spoiler Alert!

...no autocratic dictators were overthrown as a result of this march.
posted by billyfleetwood at 10:02 PM on February 16, 2011

Christ, in Egypt give the people social media and there's a fucking revolution. In Brooklyn, give the people social media and whatta get? Protests against corrupt plutocrats and corporatists? Nooo...of course not!!

You get a half-assed Phil. Fucking. Collins parade.


This country is finished.
posted by Skygazer at 10:07 PM on February 16, 2011 [10 favorites]

To be fair to Brooklyn, in addition to social media they have abundant supplies of beer, cocaine and mustaches to keep them distracted. Perhaps cut off supplies any there might be a revolution. Or they might just move back to Portland.
posted by Ad hominem at 10:18 PM on February 16, 2011 [2 favorites]

Your parade? I meant to pee on it.
posted by From Bklyn at 10:31 PM on February 16, 2011

To be fair to Brooklyn, in addition to social media they have abundant supplies of beer, cocaine and mustaches to keep them distracted.

Tell me about it. This so called Phil. Fucking. Collins parade took place down the block from me, and I moved to this relatively quiet non-hipster saturated area to get away from the Beer and Cocaine and fucking mustaches, and yet just when I think I've made my escape, the follow me here and have a Phil Collins parade??

I won't have it. I won't.

I haven't figured out my revenge yet, but this is war.
posted by Skygazer at 10:37 PM on February 16, 2011

Christ, in Egypt give the people social media and there's a fucking revolution. In Brooklyn, give the people social media and whatta get? Protests against corrupt plutocrats and corporatists? Nooo...of course not!!

You get a half-assed Phil. Fucking. Collins parade.

Fucking hipsters.
posted by philip-random at 11:21 PM on February 16, 2011 [1 favorite]

Will be sleeping soundly in Washington Heights tonight, that's for sure.
posted by ReeMonster at 11:36 PM on February 16, 2011

Phil Collins is evil, and everything he stands for is vile.

Sussudio is still pretty catchy.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:55 PM on February 16, 2011

Blazecock: Sussudio is still pretty catchy.

Su-su-sudio? Wha-at?!

Du-udde, the man's' finest moment was clearly Turn it On Again.
posted by Skygazer at 12:12 AM on February 17, 2011 [3 favorites]

Next year, I'm going as Patrick Bateman.

And yeah, after the attention this is getting, no one's going to be there next year. It's so over. But that's cool, cuz I'll be the only one there. It'll be SO underground.

(Not to be confused with So Underground, which is where people take over a subway car and play So on a little boombox, every year on the anniversary of its release.)
posted by Eideteker at 1:30 AM on February 17, 2011

Oh, shoot. I came in to be clever, late to the party.

Something something "Yet as danceable as the album is, it also has a stripped-down urgency that not even the overrated Bruce Springsteen can equal. . . . It's the most moving pop song of the 1980s about monogamy and commitment." something something.
posted by exlotuseater at 4:55 AM on February 17, 2011 [1 favorite]

Looks like a good time to me. Stuff like this makes me wish I still lived in Brooklyn.
posted by josher71 at 5:19 AM on February 17, 2011 [2 favorites]

Yeah, man. I totally hate people having fun.
posted by dirtdirt at 6:17 AM on February 17, 2011 [6 favorites]

Okay -- there are a lot of AskMe's I've seen where people say that they're bored and can't think of anything fun and kooky to do, and those questions always get a TON of silly creative whimsical ideas for something to do that's not the endless treadmill of "bar/movie/tv" that passes for pastimes these days, and they go on to get a TON of favorites. And then people trash one of those silly creative whimsical ideas that someone off the site came up with all their own.

So....I can only conclude that all y'all are just jealous that it wasn't a MeFite who thought it up.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:37 AM on February 17, 2011 [1 favorite]

Impromptu parades are one thing. They are excellent fun. It's nice out! Have a parade!


Phil Collins, though, is crossing a Line.
posted by louche mustachio at 6:44 AM on February 17, 2011 [1 favorite]

and I moved to this relatively quiet non-hipster saturated area to get away from the Beer and Cocaine and fucking mustaches,

Really? You moved a block away from Brooklyn Label, Pencil Factory, and the G Train and you thought you were getting non-hipstery?
posted by spicynuts at 6:49 AM on February 17, 2011

If the mail gets delivered, and if schools are open, and if banks too are open--then it does not really count as official, important, or worth noting.
posted by Postroad at 6:51 AM on February 17, 2011

I thought this was gonna be one of those jokes like "what's the shortest parade in the world"?
posted by telstar at 7:23 AM on February 17, 2011

youngish
whiteish
skinnyish

in Brooklyn?

on parade?

HIPSTERS!

*get off my lawnish*
posted by liza at 7:29 AM on February 17, 2011

liza is an ish-ist!!!!!
posted by Mister_A at 7:37 AM on February 17, 2011 [1 favorite]

Phil Collins is highly underrated.
But Greenpoint fucking sucks.
posted by Dr. Wu at 7:45 AM on February 17, 2011

Counterpoint!

Greenpoint does not suck.
posted by josher71 at 7:48 AM on February 17, 2011

I really find the hipster hate tiring. So these young people don't dress and groom themselves the way we would like them to. We hate their silly hats and tight jeans. We don't like their habits or hobbies. They will never amount to anything until they cut their hair and get a day job.

Anyone have anything to say about the parade?
posted by The Violet Cypher at 7:56 AM on February 17, 2011

featuring a marching band playing--yep, you guessed it.

Tusk, right?
posted by tommasz at 8:00 AM on February 17, 2011 [2 favorites]

Just feel kind bad for the people trying to sleep through that racket. I do kinda hate fun though.
posted by Ad hominem at 8:02 AM on February 17, 2011

Um I can't believe you all are still talking about that whole Phil Collins parade? That is SO over. Seriously, that was cool like, maybe yesterday, now it's all like "Oh hey, did you hear about the Phil Collins parade" and I'm like, "Um yeah, I only own all the Phil Collins parade cassette singles and have been playing them in my Sony Walkman like since before you even knew who the Phil Collins parade was. Never mind the fact that I knitted a Phil Collins mask for the parade". Now all these yuppies have ruined it. I seriously hope the same thing doesn't happen to the Lionel Richie parade
posted by WickedPissah at 8:09 AM on February 17, 2011 [1 favorite]

The G train was the GG train until 1985. It's been dead to me ever since it changed it's name to be all hip and cool. I am no longer on good terms with the RR train either.
posted by Ad hominem at 8:37 AM on February 17, 2011 [2 favorites]

Phil Collins sings about his Time Lord heritage.
posted by Eideteker at 9:06 AM on February 17, 2011

Phil Collins earned my disgust years ago when he chose to squander his considerable talents on horrifyingly insipid music. But I have a hard time mocking him anymore, since he can no longer wipe his own bottom.
posted by scatman at 10:04 AM on February 17, 2011

But I have a hard time mocking him anymore, since he can no longer wipe his own bottom.

I have a hard time feeling sorry for him, cos he can pay people to wipe it for him. With hundred dollar bills.
posted by elsietheeel at 10:42 AM on February 17, 2011

But I have a hard time mocking him anymore, since he can no longer wipe his own bottom.

Or sign autographs.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:46 AM on February 17, 2011

Phil Collins awakened me to the plight of "illegal aliens" back in the 1980's, namely that it's no fun being one.
posted by not_on_display at 12:18 PM on February 17, 2011

Phil Collins is evil, and everything he stands for is vile.

You're going to have to work a little harder on your palindromes.
posted by Joey Michaels at 3:48 PM on February 17, 2011 [1 favorite]

But Greenpoint fucking sucks.

It didn't back when my uncles vinny and nicky grew up there back in the '50s and '60's (actually it did, but in a different way). and ol' Phil Collins has his moments: "in the Air Tonight" was cool and I always dug "Man On The Corner" and "Abacab" from his Genesis days.
posted by jonmc at 5:00 PM on February 17, 2011

But I have a hard time mocking him anymore, since he can no longer wipe his own bottom.

Yeah, that sucks.

Losing his singing voice -- I could sorta cheer along with that. Then we could focus on stuff like this ...
posted by philip-random at 5:41 PM on February 17, 2011 [1 favorite]

The line of traffic
comes to a standstill
for the love king, dressed in his skinny jeans
I find the underground bar I started from
Phil Collins calling, this time I follow

Hipster parade
posted by anthom at 6:03 AM on February 18, 2011