August (album)

August
Studio album by Eric Clapton
Released	November 1986
Recorded	1986
Genre	Blues-rock
Length	55:31
Label	Reprise Records
Producer	Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, Tom Dowd
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link Rolling Stone link
Eric Clapton chronology
Behind the Sun (1985) August (1986) Crossroads (1988)

August is an album by blues rocker Eric Clapton released in 1986. Primarily produced by Phil Collins in association with longtime Clapton associate Tom Dowd, it became Clapton's biggest-selling LP to date. Among the highlights are the Dowd/Clapton-produced signature tune "It's in the Way You Use It" (co-written with Robbie Robertson, and featured in the Paul Newman-Tom Cruise film The Color of Money) and three Collins-produced numbers -- the up-tempo, horn-laden "Run" and the guitar-laden rockers "Tearing Us Apart" (with Tina Turner) and "Miss You." Clapton's studio band for the album included drummer/vocalist Collins; bassist Nathan East and keyboard player Greg Phillinganes; saxophonist Michael Brecker, trumpeters Randy Brecker and Jon Faddis, and trombone player Dave Bargeron. Veering between Collins soul/pop and Clapton blues/rock, August cemented Clapton's comeback. Clapton, drummer/vocalist Collins, bassist East and keyboard player Phillinganes would recreate their studio roles in for Clapton's acclaimed live appearances over the next two years.

Track listing

1. "It's in the Way That You Use It" (Eric Clapton/Robbie Robertson) – 4:11
2. "Run" (Lamont Dozier) – 3:39
3. "Tearing Us Apart" (Clapton/Greg Phillinganes) – 4:15
4. "Bad Influence" (Robert Cray/Phillinganes) – 5:09
5. "Walk Away" (Richard Feldman/Marcello Levy) – 3:52
6. "Hung Up on Your Love" (Dozier) – 3:53
7. "Take a Chance" (Clapton/Phillinganes) – 4:54
8. "Hold on" (Clapton/Phil Collins) – 4:56
9. "Miss You" (Clapton/Bobby Columby/Phillinganes) – 5:06
10. "Holy Mother" (Stephen Bishop/Clapton) – 4:55
11. "Behind the Mask" (Chris J. Mosdell/Ryuichi Sakamoto/Michael Jackson) – 4:47
12. "Grand Illusion" (Bob Farrell/Dave Robbins/Wesly Stephenson)– 6:23

Personnel

• Eric Clapton - guitar, vocals, producer
• Phil Collins - drums, vocals
• Tina Turner - vocals
• Nathan East - bass guitar
• Henry Spinetti - drums
• Michael Brecker - saxophone
• Jon Faddis - trumpet
• Gary Brooker - keyboards and vocals
• Leon Pendarvis - horn arrangements
• Greg Phillinganes - keyboards and vocals
• Richard Feldman - keyboards
• Laurence Cottle - bass
• Dave Bargeron - trombone
• Randy Brecker - trumpet
• Richard Cottle - synthesizer
• Katie Kissoon - vocals
• Magic Moreno - vocals, engineer
• Tessa Niles - vocals
• Stephen Chase - engineer
• Paul Gommersall - engineer
• Peter Hefter - engineer
• Terry O'Neill - photography

Charts

Album – Billboard (North America)

Singles – Billboard (North America)