Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and later became the lead singer of the rock bandGenesis and had a successful solo career, achieving three UK number-one singles and seven US number-one singles as a solo artist. In total, his work with Genesis, other artists and solo resulted in more US top-40 singles than any other artist throughout the 1980s.[5] His most successful singles from the period include "In the Air Tonight", "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)", "One More Night", "Sussudio", "Another Day in Paradise", "Two Hearts" and "I Wish It Would Rain Down".
Born and raised in west London, Collins began playing drums at the age of five. During the same period he attended drama school, which helped secure various roles as a child actor. His first major role was theArtful Dodger in theWest End production of the musicalOliver!. As an accomplished professional actor by his early teens, he pivoted to pursue a music career, becoming the drummer for Genesis in 1970. He took over the role of lead singer in 1975 following the departure ofPeter Gabriel. During the second half of the 1970s, in between Genesis albums and tours, Collins was the drummer of jazz rock bandBrand X. While continuing to perform and record with Genesis, Collins began a successful solo career in the 1980s, initially inspired by his marital breakdown and love ofsoul music, releasing the albumsFace Value (1981),Hello, I Must Be Going (1982),No Jacket Required (1985) and...But Seriously (1989). Collins became, in the words ofAllMusic, "one of the most successful pop andadult contemporary singers of the '80s and beyond".[6] He became known for a distinctivegated reverb drum sound on many of his recordings.[7] He played drums on the 1984 charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?" and, in July 1985, he was the only artist to perform at bothLive Aid concerts. He resumed his acting career, appearing inMiami Vice and subsequently starring in the filmBuster (1988).
Collins was given a toydrum kit for Christmas at the age of five, and later, his two uncles made him a makeshift set with triangles and tambourines that fitted into a suitcase.[21] These were followed by more complete sets bought by his parents as he grew older.[22] Collins practised by playing along to music on the television and radio.[23] During a family holiday atButlin's, a seven-year-old Collins entered a talent contest, singing "The Ballad of Davy Crockett"; he stopped the orchestra halfway through to tell them they were in the wrongkey.[24][17]The Beatles were a major early influence on him, including their drummerRingo Starr.[25][26][27] Collins followed the lesser-known London bandthe Action, whose drummer he would copy and whose work introduced him to the soul music ofMotown andStax Records.[25] He was also influenced by thejazz andbig band drummerBuddy Rich,[28] whose opinion on the importance of thehi-hat prompted him to stop using twobass drums and start using the hi-hat.[29]
Collins received basic piano and music tuition from his father's aunt at around the age of 12.[30] He studieddrum rudiments underLloyd Ryan and later under Frank King, and considered this training "more helpful than anything else because they're used all the time. In any kind of funk or jazz drumming, the rudiments are always there."[29] Collins never learned to read or writemusical notation and devised his own system, which he regretted in later life. "I've always felt that if I could hum it, I could play it. For me, that was good enough, but that attitude is bad."[29]
Collins attended Nelson Primary School until the age of 11.[21] He was accepted intoChiswick County Grammar School, where he took to football and formed the Real Thing, a school band that had Andrea Bertorelli, his future wife, and friend Lavinia Lang, as backup singers. Both women would have an impact onhis personal life in later years.[31] Collins's next group was the Freehold, with whom he wrote his first song, "Lying, Crying, Dying",[32] and played in a group named the Charge.[33] He was childhood friends withJack Wild, who would become famous for playing theArtful Dodger in the filmOliver! (1968). June spotted Wild when he and Collins were playing football together in the park, and the boys both attended the Barbara Speake Stage School.[34]
Collins attended the Barbara Speake stage school inEast Acton, west London
Collins quit school at fourteen to become a full-time pupil at Barbara Speake. He had an uncredited part as an extra in the Beatles' filmA Hard Day's Night (1964), where he is among the screaming teenagers during the television concert sequence.[35] Later in 1964, Collins was cast as theArtful Dodger in twoWest End runs of the musicalOliver![36] He was paid £15 a week, and called the role "the best part for a kid in all London".[37][18] His days as the Dodger were numbered when his voice broke during a performance and had to speak his lines for the rest of the show.[19] Collins starred inCalamity the Cow (1967), a film produced by theChildren's Film Foundation. After a falling out with the director, Collins decided to quit acting to pursue music.[38] He was to appear inChitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) as one of the children who storm the castle, but his scene was cut.[39] Collins auditioned for the role of Romeo inRomeo and Juliet (1968), but the role went toLeonard Whiting.[40] In 1967, he travelled the UK teaching people the "crunch" dance made popular by aSmith's crisps advertising campaign.[33]
Collins's enthusiasm for music grew during his acting years.[36] He frequented theMarquee Club on Wardour Street so often that eventually the managers asked him to set out the chairs, sweep the floors, and assist in the cloakroom. It was here where Collins saw the Action and newcomersYes perform, which greatly influenced him.[41] When auditions forVinegar Joe andManfred Mann Chapter Three were unsuccessful,[42] Collins secured a position in the Cliff Charles Blues Band and toured the country. This was followed by a stint in the Gladiators, a backing band for a black vocal quartet, which included Collins's schoolmateRonnie Caryl on guitar.[43] Around this time, Collins learned that Yes were looking for a new drummer and spoke to frontmanJon Anderson, who invited him to an audition the following week. Collins failed to turn up.[44]
In 1969, Collins and Caryl joinedJohn Walker's backing band for a European tour, which included guitarist Gordon Smith and keyboardistBrian Chatton.[43] The tour finished, and the quartet formed a rock band, Hickory, which recorded one single ("Green Light"/"The Key"). Still in 1969, they were renamedFlaming Youth. They signed toFontana Records and recordedArk 2 (1969), aconcept album written and produced byKen Howard andAlan Blaikley that tells the story of man's evacuation from a burning Earth and its voyage into space. Each member sings a lead vocal.[45][46]
In May 1970, after Flaming Youth split, Collins played congas onGeorge Harrison's song "Art of Dying", but his contribution was omitted.[25] Years later, Collins asked Harrison about the omission. Harrison sent Collins a recording allegedly containing Collins's performance; Collins was embarrassed to hear that the performance was poor. When Collins apologised, Harrison confessed that the recording was a prank, which Collins accepted in good humour.[47]
1970–1980: Genesis, later role as lead singer, and Brand X
In July 1970, the rock bandGenesis had signed withCharisma Records and recorded their second albumTrespass (1970), but suffered a setback following the departure of guitaristAnthony Phillips. They decided that their drummerJohn Mayhew, though talented, was not of the high calibre they wanted,[48] and placed an advert in theMelody Maker for a drummer "sensitive to acoustic music" and a 12-string acoustic guitarist.[49][50] Collins recognised Charisma ownerTony Stratton Smith's name on it, who he had been acquainted with for years, and he and Caryl went for the auditions.[51] The group, who had been a full-time working band for less than a year, consisted of school friends fromCharterhouse School, a private boarding school: singerPeter Gabriel, keyboardistTony Banks, and bassist/guitaristMike Rutherford. Collins and Caryl arrived early, so Collins took a swim in the pool at Gabriel's parents' house and memorised the pieces the drummers before him were playing.[52] He recalled: "They put onTrespass, and my initial impression was of a very soft and round music, not edgy, with vocal harmonies, and I came away thinkingCrosby, Stills and Nash."[53] Gabriel, a former drummer, said he could tell just by the way Collins sat in front of the drum kit that he knew what he was doing, and was also impressed when Collins mentioned the session with George Harrison.[54] On 8 August 1970, Collins became their fourth drummer. Genesis then took a two-week holiday, during which Collins earned money as an exterior decorator.[55] Rutherford thought Caryl was not a good fit, and for over a month Genesis wrote songs, rehearsed, and toured as a four-piece.[56] In January 1971, the band enlistedSteve Hackett.[57]
Collins on tour with Genesis in 1977, their second with him as lead vocalist
From 1970 to 1975, Collins played drums, percussion, and backing vocals on Genesis albums and concerts. Rutherford commented that "on drums Phil was immediately a huge lift. We had never had that kind of energy from the engine room before; it was just a whole different level."[58] Rutherford and Banks continued to contribute vocal harmonies to songs like "Harlequin", but before long Collins became the group's primary backing vocalist, since they found multi-tracking Collins and Gabriel's vocals was faster and produced better results than all four of them singing.[59] They also discovered that Collins and Gabriel's singing voices were so similar that when they sang a part together, it sounded like one exceptionally strong voice rather than two voices. This technique was employed on the band's first hit single, "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)".[60]
During this period Collins participated in the songwriting jams which produced much of Genesis's material, but did little independent songwriting compared to the other four members.[61] Collins's more notable songwriting contributions during 1970-75 include composing thestaccato rhythm which acts as the main theme of the live favourite "Watcher of the Skies".[62] His first album as a member,Nursery Cryme, features the acoustic song "For Absent Friends" that has Collins singing lead vocal. He sang "More Fool Me" on their 1973 albumSelling England by the Pound[63] and on the subsequent tour, marking the first time he assumed the role of Genesis lead vocalist in a live setting.[64] In 1974, Collins played drums onBrian Eno's second albumTaking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy) after Eno had contributed electronic effects to two songs onThe Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.[65]
In August 1975, Gabriel's departure from the band was publicly announced. Genesis advertised for a replacement inMelody Maker and received around 400 replies. After a lengthy auditioning process, during which he sang backup vocals for applicants, Collins became the band's lead vocalist during the recording of their albumA Trick of the Tail.[66] The album was a commercial and critical success, reaching number three in theUK Albums Chart and 31 in the US.[67]Rolling Stone wrote that Genesis "has managed to turn the possible catastrophe of Gabriel's departure into their first broad-based American success."[68] For the tour, former Yes andKing Crimson drummerBill Bruford played drums on sections where Collins sang. In 1976, Collins brought in American drummerChester Thompson, formerly ofFrank Zappa andWeather Report, who became a mainstay of Genesis's and Collins's backing bands until 2010. When Collins, Banks, and Rutherford decided to continue Genesis as a trio in 1977, they recorded...And Then There Were Three.... This included the band's first UK Top 10 and US Top 40 single, "Follow You Follow Me".[69][70] The level of commercial success that Genesis had reached by this time allowed Collins and his wife to move into Old Croft, a home inShalford, Surrey, in the spring of 1978.[71]
After Genesis finished touring in December 1978, the group went on hiatus after Collins went toVancouver, Canada, to try to save his troubled marriage.[78] The attempt failed, leaving his wife to return to England with their children while living apart from Collins, who returned to their home in Surrey. Their divorce was finalised in 1981. Banks and Rutherford were recording their first solo albums during this time, so Collins rejoined Brand X for their albumProduct and its accompanying tour. He also played onJohn Martyn's albumGrace and Danger and started writing demos of his own at home.[78] This was followed by Genesis resuming activity, recording and touring with their albumDuke (1980). Collins was becoming more involved as a songwriter, with Banks saying that he was "coming up much more to be a kind of equal" in the band onDuke.[79] Collins wrote "Please Don't Ask" and "Misunderstanding" for the album.[80] It became their first album to reach number one in the UK and was their most successful to date in the US, reaching number 11.[79]
1981–1984: Solo debut withFace Value andHello, I Must Be Going!
In February 1981, Collins released his debut solo albumFace Value. He signed withVirgin Records and WEA for American distribution in order to distance himself from the Charisma label, and oversaw every step of its production; he wrote the liner notes himself and by hand.[81] His divorce was the focus of its lyrical themes and song titles: "I had a wife, two children, two dogs, and the next day I didn't have anything. So a lot of these songs were written because I was going through these emotional changes."[82] Collins produced the album in collaboration withHugh Padgham, with whom he had worked on Peter Gabriel'sself-titled 1980 album.[83]Face Value reached number one in seven countries, including the UK,[67] and number seven in the US, where it went on to sell five million copies.[84] "In the Air Tonight", the album's lead single, reached number two in theUK singles chart. The song is known for thegated reverb effect used on Collins's drums, a technique developed by Padgham when he worked as an engineer on Gabriel's song "Intruder", on which Collins played drums.[83]
Following an invitation by record producer Martin Lewis, Collins performed live as a solo artist at anAmnesty International benefit showThe Secret Policeman's Other Ball at theTheatre Royal, Drury Lane in London in September 1981, performing "In the Air Tonight" and "The Roof Is Leaking".[85] Collins worked again with John Martyn in this year, producing his albumGlorious Fool.[86] In September 1981, Genesis releasedAbacab. This was followed by its 1981 supporting tour and a two-month tour in 1982 promoting the Genesis live albumThree Sides Live. In early 1982, Collins produced and played onSomething's Going On, the third solo album byAnni-Frid Lyngstad ofABBA,[87] and performed most of the drum parts onPictures at Eleven, the first solo album byLed Zeppelin singerRobert Plant.[88] In October 1982, Collins took part in the one-off Genesis reunion concertSix of the Best held at theMilton Keynes Bowl in Buckinghamshire, which marked the return of Gabriel on lead vocals and Hackett on guitar.[89]
Collins's second solo album,Hello, I Must Be Going!, was released in November 1982. His marital problems continued to provide inspiration for his songs, including "I Don't Care Anymore" and "Do You Know, Do You Care". The album reached number two in the UK and number eight in the US, where it sold three million copies.[69][84] Its second single, a cover of "You Can't Hurry Love" bythe Supremes, became Collins's first UK number one single and went to number ten in the US.[67] Collins supported the album with theHello, I Must Be Going! tour of Europe and North America from November 1982 to February 1983. Following the tour, Collins played drums on Plant's second solo album,The Principle of Moments,[88] and produced and played on two tracks forAdam Ant's albumStrip, "Puss 'n Boots" and the title track.[90] In spring 1983, Collins, Banks and Rutherford recorded theself-titled Genesis album, which was released in October that year; its tour ended with five shows inBirmingham, England, in February 1984. The latter shows were filmed and released asGenesis Live – The Mama Tour.[91]
1984–1989:No Jacket Required and commercial ubiquity
Collins wrote and recorded "Against All Odds", the main theme for the Americanromantic film of the same name, which demonstrated a more pop-orientated and commercially accessible sound than his previous work. Released in February 1984, it was the first single of his solo career to reach number one on theBillboard Hot 100 chart; it peaked at number two in the UK. Collins won aGrammy Award forBest Pop Vocal Performance, Male.[70] The song earned him anAcademy Award nomination forBest Original Song, and he arranged his 1985 tour to accommodate the possibility of performing it at the awards ceremony. However, a note to Atlantic Records from show producerLarry Gelbart explaining a lack of invitation stated: "Thank you for your note regarding Phil Cooper [sic]. I'm afraid the spots have already been filled", and Collins watched actress and dancerAnn Reinking perform it.[92] TheLos Angeles Times said: "Reinking did an incredible job of totally destroying a beautiful song."[93] Collins would introduce it at subsequent concerts by saying: "I'm sorry Miss Ann Reinking couldn't be here tonight; I guess I just have to sing my own song."[94]
Collins's third album,No Jacket Required, was recorded in 1984 and marked a turning point in his output. He departed from lyrics about his personal life and wrote more upbeat and dance-orientated songs with strong hooks and melodies, with Collins stating beforehand, "I have a notion of what I want to do: break out of this 'love song' box that I've found myself in. I'll make a dance album. Or, at least, an album with a couple of uptempo tracks."[15]Sting,Peter Gabriel, andHelen Terry contributed backing vocals.No Jacket Required was released in February 1985 and became a huge worldwide success, reaching number one in several countries.[67] "Sussudio" and "One More Night", topped the US singles chart, the latter reaching number four in the UK to become his fourth solo UK top ten, and "Don't Lose My Number" and "Take Me Home" made the US top ten. The album remains the most successful of his career, selling over 12 million copies in the US, where it was certifieddiamond, and 1.9 million in the UK, where it was thesecond-best-selling album of 1985.[97]
Referring to the album's success,David Fricke ofRolling Stone wrote: "After years on theart-rock fringe, Collins has established himself firmly in themiddle of the road. Perhaps he should consider testing himself and his new fans' expectations next time around."[98] "Sussudio" attracted negative attention for sounding too similar toPrince's "1999", a charge that Collins did not deny.[99]No Jacket Required earned Collins the first two of his sixBrit Awards, winningBest British Male and Best British Album.[100] Collins had three US number one songs in 1985, the most by any artist that year.[70]No Jacket Required won threeGrammy Awards includingAlbum of the Year.[101]
On 13 July 1985 Collins played atLive Aid at the oldWembley Stadium (exterior pictured) in London, before taking a transatlanticConcorde flight to perform at the Philadelphia leg of the event later that day.
The No Jacket Required World Tour saw Collins perform 85 shows between February and July 1985. On 13 July, Collins took part in theLive Aid concerts, a continuation of the fundraising effort started by Band Aid. Collins was the only performer to appear at the London concert atWembley Stadium and the US concert atJFK Stadium in Philadelphia on the same day.[102] After performing whatUltimate Classic Rock called "an especially crowd-pleasing selection of songs" in London, including "Against All Odds", "In the Air Tonight", and playing alongsideSting, Collins flew to Philadelphia on aConcorde to perform his solo material, play drums for Clapton, and drum with Plant andJimmy Page for aLed Zeppelin reunion.[102] The latter performance was poorly received and later disowned by the band.[103] Page later said that Collins had not learned his parts for the set.[104] Collins responded that the band "weren't very good", that a "dribbling" Page had made him feel uncomfortable, and he only continued with the set rather than leave the stage in order to avoid negative attention.[105] In November 1985, the song "Separate Lives", a duet featuring Collins andMarilyn Martin for the musical drama filmWhite Nights, was released and became a US number one hit.[70]
Collins in the 1980s
By the end of 1985, the music press noted that Collins's astronomical success as a solo artist had made him more popular than Genesis.[106] Before the release ofNo Jacket Required, Collins insisted that he would not leave the band and that he felt "happier with what we're doing now, because I feel it's closer to me."[106] In October 1985, he reunited with Banks and Rutherford to record Genesis's thirteenth album,Invisible Touch. Released in 1986, it became the group's biggest selling album with six million copies sold in the US, and 1.2 million sold in the UK.Its title track was released as a single and reached No. 1 in the US, the only Genesis song to do so. The group received a Grammy Award (their only one) and a nomination for theMTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year in 1987 for "Land of Confusion", which features puppet caricatures from the satirical television programmeSpitting Image.[107] Several music critics drew comparisons between the album and Collins's solo work, butRolling Stone'sJ. D. Considine praised the album's commercial appeal, stating, "every tune is carefully pruned so that each flourish delivers not an instrumental epiphany but a solid hook".[108] March 1986 saw the release of "No One Is to Blame", a hit single byHoward Jones which included Collins on drums, backing vocals, and co-production alongside Padgham.[109] Collins provided backing vocals, produced and played drums on most of Eric Clapton's 1986 albumAugust.[110] He toured parts of Europe with Clapton in support of the album, of which two concert videos were released;Live at Montreux 1986 andEric Clapton and Friends Live 1986. In each of those videos, Collins is featured as the drummer and performs "In the Air Tonight" with Clapton, bassistNathan East and keyboardistGreg Phillinganes backing him.
After touring with Genesis in 1987, Collins was aware that his music had gained too much exposure and took a year off from writing and recording. He took on his first acting role since the late 1960s, starring asBuster Edwards oppositeJulie Walters (who played his wife, June) in the romantic comedy drama-crime filmBuster which centred around theGreat Train Robbery from 1963 inLedburn, Buckinghamshire. Reviews for the film were mixed and controversy ensued over its subject matter;Prince Charles andPrincess Diana declined an invitation to the première after it was accused of glorifying crime.[111] Collins contributed four songs to the film's soundtrack; his ballad rendition of "A Groovy Kind of Love", originally bythe Mindbenders, became his only single to reach No. 1 in the UK and the US. The film spawned the US #1 single "Two Hearts", which he co-wrote withLamont Dozier and won the pair aGolden Globe for Best Original Song and anOscar nomination in the same category. Film criticRoger Ebert said Collins "played [the role of Buster] with surprising effectiveness".[112] In 1988, Collins was the subject of an episode of the British TV seriesThis Is Your Life.[113] In 1989, Collins was among the musicians who donated their own clothes toMadame Tussaud's Rock Circus, an exhibition held at theLondon Pavilion celebrating the history of rock and pop music featuring its major figures recreated in wax.[114]
1989–1995:...But Seriously,Both Sides, and leaving Genesis
A sample of "Another Day in Paradise" from...But Seriously (1989). Collins wrote the song to bring attention to the problem of homelessness. It became his finalBillboard Hot 100 #1 single.
In August 1989, Collins appeared as a special guest forthe Who on their1989 tour for two shows, performing "Fiddle About" as Uncle Ernie and "Tommy's Holiday Camp" from their rock operaTommy (1969).[115]
From April to October 1989, Collins recorded his fourth album...But Seriously in England and the United States, which saw him address social and political themes in his lyrics. The album was released in November 1989 to worldwide commercial success, spending fifteen weeks at No. 1 in the UK charts and in the US for three.[69] It became the UK'sbest-selling album of 1990 and is among thebest-selling albums in UK chart history.[116] It isone of the best-selling albums in Germany.[117] Its lead single "Another Day in Paradise" is an anti-homelessness song and featuresDavid Crosby singing backing vocals. Upon its release in October 1989, it went to No. 1 in the US to become the final number one single there of the 1980s. Despite its success, the song was heavily criticised and became linked to allegations of hypocrisy made against Collins.[118][119] Responding to criticism of the song, Collins stated: "When I drive down the street, I see the same things everyone else sees. It's a misconception that if you have a lot of money you're somehow out of touch with reality."[120] In 1991, "Another Day in Paradise" won theGrammy Award forRecord of the Year.[121][122] Other songs from...But Seriously reached the top-five in the US: "Something Happened on the Way to Heaven", "Do You Remember?", and "I Wish It Would Rain Down", the latter featuringEric Clapton on guitar.[69][70]
...But Seriously was supported with the Seriously, Live! World Tour which ran between February and October 1990 and covered 121 dates. The tour spawned the live albumSerious Hits... Live!, which sold 1.2 million copies in the UK and over four million in the US. In February 1990, Collins performed "Another Day in Paradise" at the1990 Brit Awards which wonBritish Single of the Year, and in September he performed "Sussudio" at the1990 MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles.[123] He also played drums on the 1989Tears for Fears single "Woman in Chains".[124]
Collins worked on his fifth studio album,Both Sides, in 1992 and 1993. It marked a departure from his more polished and up-tempo songs on recent albums to material more experimental in nature, with Collins performing all the instruments and producing the record himself, because the songs written "were becoming so personal, so private, I didn't want anyone else's input". The decline of his second marriage was a focal point of the album.[127] Released in November 1993,Both Sides reached No. 1 in eight countries, including the UK, and No. 13 in the US. It marked a drop in sales in the latter when compared to his previous records, only reaching a single platinum certification by the end of the year. Its two biggest singles were "Both Sides of the Story" and "Everyday". The Both Sides of the World Tour saw Collins perform 165 shows across four legs between April 1994 and May 1995. Collins turned down the chance to contribute toTower of Song: The Songs of Leonard Cohen, an album of covers ofLeonard Cohen songs, due to his touring commitments.[128]
1996–2006: Phil Collins Big Band,Dance into the Light, Disney work, andTestify
On 29 March 1996, Collins's decision to leave Genesis to concentrate on his solo career was publicly announced.[129] In the months surrounding his departure from Genesis, Collins formed thePhil Collins Big Band, seating himself on the drums. He had wanted to undertake the project for some time and felt inspired from theBurning for Buddy project that drummerNeil Peart had put together. Having moved to Switzerland, an invitation to perform at theMontreux Jazz Festival led to the band coming together, which featuredQuincy Jones as conductor andTony Bennett on vocals.[130] The group toured summer jazz festivals in July 1996 with a set of jazz renditions of Genesis and Collins's solo material. Their first date was at theRoyal Albert Hall for aPrince's Trust concert with Queen Elizabeth II andNelson Mandela in attendance. To learn his parts, Collins devised his own notation on sheets.[130] The band then went on hiatus until a US and European tour in the summer of 1998, which spawned the live albumA Hot Night in Paris.
In October 1996, Collins released his sixth solo album,Dance into the Light. It reached No. 4 in the UK and No. 23 in the US. The album was received negatively by the music press and sold less than his previous albums.Entertainment Weekly reviewed by saying that "even Phil Collins must know that we all grew weary of Phil Collins".[131] Singles from the album included "Dance into the Light", which reached No. 9 in the UK, and the Beatles-inspired "It's in Your Eyes".[67] The album wascertified Gold in the US. Collins toured the album throughout 1997 with his Trip into the Light World Tour, covering 82 dates. He performed "In the Air Tonight" and "Take Me Home" at theMusic for Montserrat benefit concert in London alongsidePaul McCartney,Elton John, Eric Clapton,Mark Knopfler, and Sting.[132]
In October 1998, Collins released his first compilation album,...Hits, which contained a new track, a cover of "True Colors" byCyndi Lauper, produced byKenneth "Babyface" Edmonds.[133] The album was a commercial success worldwide, reaching No. 1 in the UK charts and selling 3.4 million copies in the US by 2012.[134]
Collins on his First Farewell Tour in 2005
In the mid-1990s Collins was recruited to write and perform songs for Disney's adventure filmTarzan (1999), integrated with a score byMark Mancina. Collins also sang his songs in French, Italian, German, and Spanish for the dubbed versions of thefilm's soundtrack. His song "You'll Be in My Heart" was released in June 1999 and spent 19 weeks at No. 1 on theBillboardAdult Contemporary chart, the longest time ever up to that point. In 2000, the song won Collins anAcademy Award and aGolden Globe Award, both for Best Original Song. He performed "Two Worlds" at that year's ceremony and the Disney-themedSuper Bowl halftime show.
On 11 November 2002, Collins released his seventh solo album,Testify.Metacritic's roundup of album reviews found this record to be the worst-reviewed album at the time of its release, though it has since been surpassed by three more recent releases.[139] The album's single "Can't Stop Loving You" (aLeo Sayer cover) was a number-one Adult Contemporary hit.Testify sold 140,000 copies in the US by year's end.[140]
In October 2009, it was reported that Collins was to record aMotown covers album. He told a German newspaper, "I want the songs to sound exactly like the originals", and that the album would feature up to 30 songs.[148] In January 2010, Chester Thompson said that the album had been completed and would be released some time soon. He also revealed that Collins managed to play the drums on the album despite a spinal operation.[149] The resulting album,Going Back, was released on 13 September 2010. It reached number one on theUK Albums Chart.[150] In summer 2010, Collins played six concerts with the music fromGoing Back. These included a special programme,Phil Collins: One Night Only, aired onITV1 on 18 September 2010. Collins also promotedGoing Back with his first and only appearance on the BBC's music seriesLater... with Jools Holland, broadcast on 17 September 2010.[151]
In March 2010, Collins was inducted into theRock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Genesis at a ceremony in New York City.[152] As of January 2011, Collins has spent 1,730 weeks in the German music charts—766 weeks of them with Genesis albums and singles and 964 weeks with solo releases.[153] On 4 March 2011, citing health problems and other concerns, Collins announced that he was taking time off from his career, prompting widespread reports of his retirement.[154] On 7 March his UK representative told the press, "He is not, has no intention of, retiring."[155] Later that day, Collins posted a message to his fans on his own website, confirming his intention to retire to focus on his family life.[156][157] In July 2012, Collins's greatest hits collection...Hits re-entered the US charts, reaching No. 6 on theBillboard 200.[158]
In November 2013, Collins told German media that he was considering a return to music and speculated that this could mean further live shows with Genesis, stating: "Everything is possible. We could tour in Australia and South America. We haven't been there yet."[159] Speaking to reporters in Miami, Florida in December 2013 at an event promoting his charity work, Collins indicated that he was writing music once again and might tour again.[160]
On 24 January 2014, Collins announced in an interview withInside South Florida that he was writing new compositions with fellow English singerAdele.[161] Collins said he had no idea who Adele was when he learned she wanted to collaborate with him.[162] He said, "I wasn't actually too aware [of her]. I live in a cave."[161][163] Collins agreed to join her in the studio after hearing her voice.[162] He said, "[She] achieved an incredible amount. I really love her voice. I love some of this stuff she's done, too."[164] In September 2014, Collins revealed that the collaboration had ended and he said it had been "a bit of a non-starter".[165] In May 2014, Collins gave a live performance of "In the Air Tonight" and "Land of Confusion" with young student musicians at theMiami Country Day School in Miami, Florida.[166] Collins was asked to perform there by his sons, who were students at the school.[167] In August 2014, Collins was reported to have accepted an invitation to perform in December at a benefit concert in Miami in aid of his Little Dreams Foundation charity. He ultimately missed the concert due to illness.[168]
2015–present: Out of retirement, Not Dead Yet Tour and second Genesis reunion
In May 2015, Collins signed a deal withWarner Music Group to have his solo albums remastered and reissued with previously unreleased material.[169] In October of that year, he announced that he was no longer retired and had started plans to tour and make a new album.[170][171] By mid-2016, all eight of his albums were reissued with the artwork updated to display Collins as his older self; the exception beingGoing Back, which had a new cover.[172] In 2019, the additional digital only releasesOther Sides andRemixed Sides followed.[173]
In October 2016, Collins's autobiographyNot Dead Yet was published.[174] At a press conference held at theRoyal Albert Hall in the same month, Collins announced hisNot Dead Yet Tour which initially took form as a short European trek from June 2017.[175] The tour included five nights at the Royal Albert Hall which sold out in fifteen seconds, prompting the announcement of Collins's headline spot at the 2017BST Hyde Park festival which became his largest solo concert.[176] His band included his sonNicolas on the drums. A review inThe Telegraph stated: "Unlike the body, the voice is largely unravaged by time. It's still soulful, sometimes silky, occasionally bruised."[177] In 2017, the tour was extended worldwide and ran until October 2019 for a total of 97 shows.[178][179][180]
In March 2020, Collins, Banks, and Rutherford announced they had reformed Genesis once more to undertakeThe Last Domino? Tour. This time the band were joined by Collins's son Nic on the drums, leaving his father to handle lead vocals. After the tour was rescheduled twice due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, it began in September 2021 and finished in London on 26 March 2022.[181] At the last show, atThe O2 Arena in London, Collins said on stage: "It's the last show for Genesis".[182]
On 20 August 2024, music executiveSimon Napier-Bell said that Collins was updating his home studio by Lake Geneva, with new music possibly in the works.[183] In February 2025, Collins said he had no plans to make more music and was "not hungry" enough to do so due to his ongoing health issues.[184] In July 2025, rumours circulated that the musician was in hospice, but Collins’s spokesperson dismissed the claims. The spokesperson toldPeople that while Collins was indeed hospitalised, it was for knee surgery, not a terminal illness.[185]
In his book on the "legends" who defined progressive rock drumming, American drummer Rich Lackowski wrote: "Phil Collins's grooves in early Genesis recordings paved the way for many talented drummers to come. His ability to make the drums bark with musicality and to communicate so convincingly in odd time signatures left many a drummer tossing on the headphones and playing along to Phil's lead."[186] In 2014, readers ofRhythm voted Collins the fourth most influential progressive rock drummer for his work on the 1974 Genesis albumThe Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.[187] In 2015,MusicRadar named Collins one of the six pioneers of progressive rock drumming.[188] In 2005,Planet Rock listeners voted Collins the fifth greatest rock drummer in history.[189] Collins was ranked tenth in "The Greatest Drummers of All Time" list byGigwise and number nine in a list of "The 20 greatest drummers of the last 25 years" by MusicRadar in 2010.[190][191] In 1987, Collins said of his fast playing in Brand X and early Genesis: "I actually can't play like that anymore".[192]
Foo Fighters drummerTaylor Hawkins cited Collins as one of his drumming heroes.[193] He said, "Collins is an incredible drummer. Anyone who wants to be good on the drums should check him out – the man is a master."[194] In the April 2001 issue ofModern Drummer,Dream Theater drummerMike Portnoy named Collins in an interview when asked about drummers he was influenced by and had respect for.[195] In another conversation in 2014, Portnoy lauded his "amazing progressive drumming" back in the early and mid-1970s.[196]Rush drummerNeil Peart praised his "beautiful drumming" and "lovely sound" on the 1973 Genesis albumSelling England by the Pound, which he called "an enduring masterpiece of drumming".[188]Marco Minnemann, drummer for artists includingJoe Satriani andSteven Wilson, described Collins as "brilliant" for the way "he composes his parts, and the sounds he gets". He said, "Phil is almost likeJohn Bonham to me. I hear his personality, his perspective." He singled out the drumming on "In the Air Tonight" as an example of "ten notes that everybody knows" and concluded "Phil is [an] insanely talented drummer."[197]
Modern Drummer readers voted for Collins every year between 1987 and 1991 as Pop/Mainstream Rock drummer of the year. In 2000, he was voted asBig Band drummer of the year. In 2012, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.[13]
A left-handed drummer, Collins usedGretsch Drums, Noble & Cooley solid snare drums, Remo heads,Sabian cymbals and his signature Promark sticks. Past kits he used were made byPearl andPremier.[207]
Collins had cameo appearances inSteven Spielberg'sHook (1991) and theAIDSdocudramaAnd the Band Played On (1993). He starred inFrauds, which competed for thePalme d'Or at the1993 Cannes Film Festival.[211] He supplied voices to two animated features: Amblin'sBalto (1995) and Disney'sThe Jungle Book 2 (2003). A long-discussed but never completed project was a film titledThe Three Bears; originally meant to star Collins,Danny DeVito, andBob Hoskins. He often mentioned the film, though an appropriate script never materialised.[212] Collins's music is featured in theblack comedy horror filmAmerican Psycho, with psychotic lead characterPatrick Bateman (played byChristian Bale) portrayed as an obsessive fan who reads deep meaning into his work, especially with Genesis, while describing his solo music as "...more commercial and therefore more satisfying, in a narrower way." Bateman delivers a monologue praising Collins and Genesis during a sequence in which he engages the services of two prostitutes while playing "In Too Deep" and "Sussudio". Collins told theNew Musical Express: "I don't think him being a psychopath and liking my music is linked – my music was just omnipresent in that era."[213]
During the 1980s, Collins was among the celebrities caricatured on theITV satirical television puppet showSpitting Image—the show's creators were then commissioned by Genesis to create puppets of the entire band to appear in their 1986music video "Land of Confusion".[214] Collins twice hosted theBillboard Music Awards on television, which were produced and directed by his longtime music video and TV special collaborators, Paul Flattery and Jim Yukich of FYI (Flattery Yukich Inc). In 1985, he also appeared in an episode of the seriesMiami Vice, entitled "Phil the Shill", in which he plays a cheatingcon-man. In the 1980s he appeared in several comedy sketches withThe Two Ronnies onBBC One.[215]
Collins's star on theHollywood Walk of Fame was awarded to the musician for his contribution to recording. It is located at 6834 Hollywood Boulevard.
In 2001, Collins was one of several celebrities who were tricked into appearing in a controversial British comedy series,Brass Eye, shown on public service broadcasterChannel 4. In the episode, Collins endorsed a hoax anti-paedophile campaign wearing aT-shirt with the words "Nonce Sense" and warned children against speaking to suspicious people. Collins was reported by the BBC to have consulted lawyers regarding the programme, which was originally pulled from broadcast but eventually rescheduled. Collins said he had taken part in the programme "in good faith for the public benefit", believing it to be "a public service programme that would be going around schools and colleges in a bid to stem child abduction and abuse". Collins also accused the makers of the programme of "some serious taste problems" and warned it would prevent celebrities from supporting "public spirited causes" in the future.[216]
In 2006, Collins played a fictional version of himself in thePSP andPS2 video gameGrand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. Set in 1984, he appears in three missions in which the main character,Victor, must save him fromMafia-hired hitmen, who are trying to kill Collins because his manager refused to pay his $3 million debt to them. The final mission occurs during his concert, where the player must defend the scaffolding against saboteurs while Collins is performing "In the Air Tonight". After this, the player is given the opportunity to watch this performance of "In the Air Tonight" for the cost of 6,000 in-game dollars. "In the Air Tonight" is part of the officialVice City Stories soundtrack, and can be also heard on the in-game radio station Emotion 98.3. The song has also been featured in films such asAqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters (2007) andThe Hangover (2009).[217]
"In the Air Tonight" featured in the 2007Gorilla commercial forCadbury'sDairy Milk chocolate. Many believed that Collins himself was the drummer. When asked aboutGorilla, Collins jokingly commented that "Not only is he a better drummer than me, he also has more hair. Can he sing too?"[218] The advertisement—which won Gold at theBritish Television Advertising Awards in 2008—helped the song re-enter the New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart at No. 3 in July 2008, the following week reaching No. 1, beating its original 1981 No. 6 peak.[219] "In the Air Tonight" was alsosampled in the song "I Can Feel It" onSean Kingston'sself-titled debut album.[220]
Collins was portrayed in the cartoonSouth Park in the episode "Timmy 2000" holding his Oscar throughout, referring to his 1999 win for "You'll Be in My Heart", which defeated "Blame Canada" fromSouth Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut. The show's creators admitted resenting losing to Collins, as they felt theirother competitors were more worthy.[221] The episode "Cartman's Silly Hate Crime 2000" involves a sled race down the landmark known as Phil Collins Hill, which has an impression of Collins's face in the side. The Phil Collins character returns once more and gets killed off in the episode200. Collins appears briefly in the Finnish animated sitcomPasila in the episode "Phil Collins Hangover". The music of this episode is a pastiche of Collins's "Another Day in Paradise".[222] Collins was mentioned in thePsych episode "Disco Didn't Die. It Was Murdered!" as resemblingShawn Spencer's father, Henry, portrayed by actorCorbin Bernsen.[223]
Collins has been married three times. From 1975 to 1980, he was married to Canadian-born Andrea Bertorelli. They met as 11-year-old students in a London drama class and reconnected in 1974 when Genesis performed in Vancouver. They married in England in 1975 when both were 24,[224] after which Collins legally adopted Bertorelli's daughterJoely (b. 1972), who became an actress and film producer.[225] They also had a son,Simon Collins (b. 1976), who is the former vocalist and drummer of the progressive rock bandSound of Contact. In 2016, Bertorelli took legal action against Collins pertaining to his account of their relationship in his autobiography.[226]
In 1984, Collins married American Jill Tavelman. They have one daughter,Lily Collins (b. 1989), who became an actress.[227] While married to Tavelman, Collins twice had an affair with Lavinia Lang while touring with Genesis in 1992. Lang was a former drama school classmate with whom Collins had been engaged.[227] In 1994, Collins stated that he had filed for divorce from Tavelman, which was finalised in 1996. As part of the settlement, Collins paid her £17 million.[227][228]
In 1999, Collins married Orianne Cevey, a Swiss national who worked as his translator at the start of his 1994 tour when she was 22 and he was 43.[229][230] They have two sons,Nicholas andMathew.[231] Nicholas is a professional drummer, while Matthew was an aspiringfootballer for the youth squad ofWSG Tirol, having previously played in the youth systems ofBundesliga clubHannover 96 andAstoria Walldorf.[232] He has since gone on to play in the WSG Tirol's regional leagues.[233][234] The family lived in the former house ofJackie Stewart inBegnins, Switzerland. In 2006 Cevey and Collins divorced. Collins paid £25 million to Cevey, which became the largest settlement in a British celebrity divorce.[235] Collins continued to live inFéchy, Switzerland, while he also maintained homes in New York City andDersingham, Norfolk.[236]
From 2007 to 2016, Collins was in a relationship with American news anchorDana Tyler.[136] In 2008, Cevey and her two sons moved to Miami, Florida. Collins recalled: "I went through a few bits of darkness; drinking too much. I killed my hours watching TV and drinking, and it almost killed me." He said in 2015 that he had beenteetotal for three years.[237] In January 2016, after moving toMiami Beach, Florida in the previous year to be closer to his two youngest sons,[237] Collins reunited with Cevey and they lived together in Miami.[238] In October 2020, Collins filed an eviction notice against Cevey after she secretly married another man in August.[239] Collins sold his Miami home in 2021 for $39 million.[240]
Collins's brotherClive was a cartoonist. Phil appeared at his brother's investiture ceremony atBuckingham Palace in 2012 when he was awarded anMBE for services to art, with Phil stating, "I shared a bedroom with him when we were boys and he was always drawing. He used to do Christmas cards and birthday cards for the family."[241]
In 2012, Collins was estimated to be the second-wealthiest drummer in the world, surpassed only byRingo Starr.[242] Collins was estimated to have a fortune of £120 million in theSunday Times Rich List of 2018, making him one of the 25 wealthiest people in the British music industry.[243]
On 29 March 2000, Collins launched a case against two former musicians from his band to recoup £500,000 in royalties that were overpaid.Louis Satterfield and Rahmlee Davis claimed their contract entitled them to 0.5 per cent of the royalties fromSerious Hits... Live!, a live album recorded during Collins's Seriously, Live! World Tour in 1990. They claimed they were an integral part of the whole album, but Collins responded that the two should only receive royalties from the five tracks in which they were involved.[244] On 19 April 2000, theHigh Court in London ruled that the two musicians would receive no more royalty money from Phil Collins. The amount that Collins was seeking was halved, and Satterfield and Davis (who originally brought the suit forward in California) would not have to repay any of it. The judge agreed with Collins's argument that Satterfield and Davis should have been paid for only the five tracks on which they performed, including the hit "Sussudio".[245]
In 2000, Collins developed sudden hearing loss in his left ear following a recording session in Los Angeles. He consulted three doctors, who reportedly told him that there was nothing they could do and that the chance of a full recovery was slim. Two years later, he had recovered most of his hearing.[246] Collins later found that it was caused by a viral infection, and it was resolved after treatment.[136]
In April 2009, Collins had surgery on his upper neck to correct a problem that began while drumming on the 2007 Genesis tour. Following the operation, he lost feeling in his fingers and could only grip drumsticks if they were taped to his hands.[247] In 2010, Collins alluded to feelings of depression and low self-worth in recent years and said he had contemplated suicide, but he resisted for the sake of his children.[248] In 2014, Collins said that he was still unable to play the drums and that it was not arthritis, but an undiagnosed nerve problem.[249] In 2015, he underwent a spine operation.[250] In 2016, he said he was still unable to drum with his left hand. His doctor advised him that if he wanted to play the drums again, he would need to take it "step by step" and "practice".[136][251][252]
In his 2016 autobiography, Collins acknowledged that he had struggled with alcoholism following his retirement and third divorce. He wrote that he had been sober for three years.[253] In January 2017, Collins said he was atype 2 diabetic and had received treatment with ahyperbaric chamber after developing a diabetic abscess on his foot that became infected.[254] In June 2017, Collins cancelled two shows after he slipped in his hotel room during the night and hit his head on a chair as he fell, resulting in stitches for a severe gash close to his eye. The fall was caused by hisfoot drop, resulting from his back operation.[255] He subsequently had to use a cane to assist with walking,[256] and sit in a chair while performing on stage.[257]
Collins is often reported in the British press to have left the UK and moved to Switzerland in protest at the Labour Party's victory in the1997 general election.[265][266] Shortly before the2005 election, when Collins was living in Switzerland, the musician and Labour supporterNoel Gallagher was quoted: "Vote Labour. If you don't and the Tories get in, Phil Collins is threatening to come back and live here. And let's face it, none of us want that."[267][268] Collins stated that although he did once say many years earlier that he might leave Britain if most of his income was taken in tax, which was Labour Party policy at that time for top earners, he had never been a Conservative Party supporter and he left Britain for Switzerland in 1994 because he started a relationship with a woman who lived there. He said of Gallagher: "I don't care if he likes my music or not. I do care if he starts telling people I'm a wanker because of my politics. It's an opinion based on an old, misunderstood quote."[269]
Despite his statement that he did not leave Britain for tax purposes, Collins was one of several wealthy figures living in tax havens who were singled out for criticism in a 2008 report by the charityChristian Aid.[270]The Independent included Collins as one of their "ten celebrity tax exiles", erroneously repeating that he had left the country when Labour won the 1997 general election and that he threatened to return if the Conservatives won in 2005.[271] Referring to the 1997 general election in his article "Famous men and their misunderstood politics" forMSN, Hugh Wilson stated: "Labour won it in a landslide, which just goes to show the influence pop stars really wield." He also wrote that Collins's reported comments and subsequent move to Switzerland led to "accusations of hypocrisy" since he had "bemoaned the plight of the homeless" in his song "Another Day in Paradise", making him "an easy target when future elections came round".[119] ThePaul Heaton andJacqui Abbott song "When I Get Back to Blighty", from their 2014 albumWhat Have We Become?, made reference to Collins as "a prisoner to his tax returns".[272]
Questioned about his political views byMark Lawson in a 2009 interview for the BBC, Collins said: "My father was Conservative but it wasn't quite the same, I don't think, when he was alive. Politics never loomed large in our family anyway. I think the politics of the country were very different then."[273] In a 2016 interview inThe Guardian, Collins stated that talking about politics toThe Sun was one of his biggest regrets. When asked whether he had ever voted Conservative, he said: "I didn't vote, actually. And that's not something I'm proud of. I was just so busy that I rarely was here."[274]
Collins is a member of the Canadian charity Artists Against Racism and has worked with them on campaigns including radio PSAs.[275]
In October 2020, Collins issued a cease and desist order toDonald Trump andhis campaign for playing "In the Air Tonight" at a rally.[276][277]
Collins has a long-standing interest inthe Alamo. He has collected hundreds of artefacts related to the 1836 battle inSan Antonio, Texas, narrated a light and sound show about the Alamo, and has spoken at related events.[278] In 2012, he published a book,The Alamo and Beyond: A Collector's Journey.[279] On 26 June 2014, at a press conference held from the Alamo, Collins announced that he was donating his collection to the Alamo via the State of Texas.[280] On 11 March 2015, in honour of his donation, Collins was named an honorary Texan by the state legislature.[281]
In February 2000, Collins and Cevey launched the Little Dreams Foundation, a non-profit organisation that aims to "...realise the dreams of children in the fields of sports and art" by providing future prodigies aged 4 to 16 years with financial, material, and mentoring support with the help of experts in various fields.[291] Collins took the action after receiving letters from children asking him how they could break into the music industry. Mentors to the students who have benefited from his foundation includeTina Turner andNatalie Cole. In 2013 he visitedMiami Beach, Florida, to promote the expansion of his foundation.[292]
Collins supports the South African charityTopsy Foundation, which provides relief services to some of South Africa's most under-resourced rural communities through a multi-faceted approach to the consequences ofHIV/AIDS and extreme poverty. He donates all theroyalties earned from his music sales in South Africa to the organisation.[293][294]
According to a 2000BBC News biography of Collins, "critics sneer at him" and "bad publicity also caused problems", which "damaged his public profile".[295] Rock historianMartin C. Strong wrote that Collins "truly polarised opinion from the start, his ubiquitous smugness and increasingly sterile pop making him a favourite target for critics".[296] According toGuardian writerPaul Lester, Collins would "regularly" call music journalists to take issue with negative reviews.[297] Over time, he came to be personally disliked;[298] in 2009, journalistMark Lawson told how Collins's media profile had shifted from "pop's Mr.Nice guy, patron saint ofordinary blokes", to someone accused of "blandness, [being a]tax exile and ending a marriage by sending a fax".[273] Collins has rejected accusations oftax avoidance, and despite confirming that some of the divorce-related correspondence between him and second wife, Jill Tavelman, was by fax (a message from Collins regarding access to their daughter was reproduced for the front cover ofThe Sun in 1993),[224] he states that he did not terminate the marriage in that fashion.[273] Nevertheless, the British media has often repeated the fax claim.[295][261][299][236] Collins has been the victim of scathing remarks in regard to his allegedright-wing political leanings. Caroline Sullivan, a music critic ofThe Guardian, referred to his cumulative negative publicity in her 2007 article "I wish I'd never heard of Phil Collins", writing that it was difficult for her to hear his work "without being riven by distaste for the man himself".[261]
Several critics have commented on Collins's omnipresence, especially in the 1980s and early 1990s.[298][300][301][302] Journalist Frank DiGiacomo wrote a 1999 piece forThe New York Observer titledThe Collins Menace; he said, "Even when I sought to escape the sounds [of Collins] in my head by turning on the TV, there would be Mr. Collins ... mugging for the cameras—intent on showing the world just how hard he would work to sell millions of records to millions of stupid people."[300] In his 2010 article "Love Don't Come Easy: Artists We Love to Hate",The Irish Times critic Kevin Courtney expressed similar sentiments. Naming Collins as one of the ten most disliked pop stars in the world, he wrote:"[Collins] performed atLive Aid, playing first at Wembley, then flying over to Philadelphia viaConcorde, just to make sure no one in the U.S. got off lightly. By the early 1990s, Phil phatigue [sic] had really set in."[298] Tim Chester of theNew Musical Express alluded to the backlash against Collins in an article titled, "Is It Time We All Stopped Hating Phil Collins?". Chester said of the unrelenting derision he has suffered, "a lot of it he brings on himself." He also said that Collins was "responsible for some of the cheesiest music ever committed to acetate".[303] Erik Hedegaard ofRolling Stone mentioned that Phil Collinshate sites had "flourished" online, and acknowledged that he had been called "the sellout who took Peter Gabriel's Genesis, that paragon of prog-rock, and turned it into a lame-o pop act and went on to make all those supercheesy hits that really did define the 1980s".[304]
According to authorDylan Jones in his 2013 publication on 1980s popular music, many of Collins's peers "despised" him.[305] Some fellow artists have made negative comments about Collins publicly. In 1990, formerPink Floyd frontmanRoger Waters criticised Collins's "ubiquitous nature", including his involvement inthe Who's 1989 reunion tour.[306]David Bowie dismissed some of his own 1980s output as his "Phil Collins years/albums".[307][308] In addition to the song's negative press from music journalists, singer-songwriter and political activistBilly Bragg criticised Collins for writing "Another Day in Paradise", stating: "Phil Collins might write a song about the homeless, but if he doesn't have the action to go with it he's just exploiting that for a subject."[309]Oasis songwriterNoel Gallagher criticised Collins on multiple occasions,[310][267] including the comment: "Just because you sell lots of records, it doesn't mean to say you're any good. Look at Phil Collins."[311] Collins said he has "at times, been very down" about Noel Gallagher's comments.[312] Gallagher's brother, Oasis singerLiam, also recalled the "boring" Collins's chart dominance in the 1980s and stated that, by the 1990s, it was "time for some real lads to get up there and take charge".[313] Appearing on the BBC television seriesRoom 101 in 2005, in which guests discuss their most hated things and people, Collins nominated the Gallaghers to be sent into theeponymous room. He described them as "horrible" and stated: "They're rude and not as talented as they think they are. I won't mince words here, but they've had a go at me personally."[314]
Collins acknowledged in 2010 that he had been "omnipresent". He said of his character: "The persona on stage came out of insecurity ... it seems embarrassing now. I recently started transferring all my VHS tapes onto DVD to create an archive, and everything I was watching, I thought, 'God, I'm annoying.' I appeared to be very cocky, and really I wasn't."[315] Collins concedes his status as a figure of contempt for many people and has said that he believes this is a consequence of his music being overplayed.[312][310] In 2011 he said: "The fact that people got so sick of me wasn't really my fault. ... It's hardly surprising that people grew to hate me. I'm sorry that it was all so successful. I honestly didn't mean it to happen like that!"[312][316] He described criticism of his physical appearance over the years as "a cheap shot",[305] but has acknowledged the "very vocal element" of Genesis fans who believe that the groupsold out under his tenure as lead vocalist.[317] Collins denied that his retirement in 2011 was due to negative attention[156] and said that his statements had been taken out of context. He said: "I have ended up sounding like a tormented weirdo who thinks he was at theAlamo in another life, who feels very sorry for himself, and is retiring hurt because of the bad press over the years. None of this is true."[157][303]
Collins performing to 65,000 atHyde Park, London on 30 June 2017. Music criticNeil McCormick wrote, "He could barely walk but Phil Collins still knocked it out of Hyde Park".[318]
In 2004,Death Cab for Cutie andthe Postal Service musicianBen Gibbard described Collins as a "great vocalist".[322] Collins was championed by his contemporary, theheavy metal singerOzzy Osbourne,[323]David Crosby called him "a dear friend" who helped him "enormously",[324]Queen guitaristBrian May called him "a great guy and an amazing drummer",[325] andRobert Plant paid tribute to him as "the most spirited and positive and really encouraging force" when commencing his own solo career after the break-up of Led Zeppelin.[88] Collins has been championed by modern artists in diverse genres, includingindie rock groupsthe 1975,[297]Generationals,[326]Neon Indian,Yeasayer,St. Lucia[327] andSleigh Bells,[328]electronica artistLorde,[321] andsoul singerDiane Birch, who said in 2014, "Collins walks a really fine line between being really cheesy and being really sophisticated. He can seem appalling, but at the same time, he has awesome production values and there's a particular richness to the sound. It's very proficient in the instrumentation and savvy about melodies."[321]
Genesis bandmateMike Rutherford has praised Collins's personality, saying that "he always had abloke-next-door, happy-go-lucky demeanour about him: let's have a drink in the pub, crack a joke, smoke a cigarette or ajoint".[329] In 2014, former Genesis frontmanPeter Gabriel, who worked again with Collins in the 1980s, referred to him as the "workaholics' workaholic".[330] He has been characterised by favourable critics as a "rock god",[329][331] and an artist who has remained "down to earth".[295] InThe New Rolling Stone Album Guide, published in 2004,J. D. Considine wrote: "For a time, Phil Collins was nearly inescapable on the radio, and enormously popular with the listening public — something that made him an obvious target for critics. Despite hislumpen-pop appeal, however, Collins is an incisive songwriter and resourceful musician."[301]
Tim Chester of theNew Musical Express described Collins as "the go-to guy for ironic appreciation and guilty pleasures" and stated he was responsible for "some moments of true genius (often accompanied, it must be said, by some real stinkers)".[303]Creation Records founderAlan McGee wrote in 2009 that there was a "non-ironic revival of Phil Collins" happening. According to McGee: "The kids don't care about 'indie cred' anymore. To them, a great pop song is just that: a great pop song. In this time of revivals, nothing is a sacred cow anymore, and that can only be a good thing for music." Commenting on Collins's popularity with hip-hop acts, he argued: "It's not surprising. Collins is a world-class drummer whose songs immediately lend themselves to being sampled."[332]
In 2010, Gary Mills ofThe Quietus made an impassioned defence of Collins: "There can't be many figures in the world of pop who have inspired quite the same kind of hatred-bordering-on-civil-unrest as Collins, and there can't be too many who have shifted anything like the 150 million plus units that he's got through as a solo artist either ... The disgrace of a career bogged entirely in the determined dross ofNo Jacket Required however is simply not justified, regardless of how Collins gained either his fortune, or his public image."[333] David Sheppard wrote for the BBC in 2010: "Granted, Collins has sometimes been guilty of painting the bull's-eye on his own forehead (that self-aggrandising Live Aid Concorde business, the cringe-worthy lyrics to 'Another Day in Paradise',Buster, etc.), but nonetheless, the sometime Genesis frontman's canon is so substantial and his hits so profuse that it feels myopic to dismiss him merely as a haughty purveyor of tortured, romantic ballads for the middle income world."[334]
Rolling Stone journalist Erik Hedegaard expressed disapproval of the widespread criticism which Collins has received, suggesting that he has been "unfairly and inexplicably vilified".[304] Martin C. Strong stated in 2011 that "the enigmatic and amiable Phil Collins has had his fair share of mockers and critics over the years, although one thing is sure, and that is his dexterity and undeniable talent".[296] In a piece the following year, titled "10 Much-Mocked Artists It's Time We Forgave",New Musical Express critic Anna Conrad said Collins had been portrayed as a "villain", and wrote: "Was the bile really justified? ... come on, admit it. You've air drummed to 'In the Air Tonight', and loved it."[335]The Guardian journalist Dave Simpson wrote a complimentary article in 2013; while acknowledging "few pop figures have become as successful and yet reviled as Phil Collins", he argued "it's about time we recognised Collins's vast influence as one of the godfathers of popular culture".[319]
^Browne, David (1 November 1996)."Dance into the Light Review".Entertainment Weekly.Archived from the original on 3 October 2013. Retrieved30 September 2013.
^abcLawson, Mark (4 January 2009). "Phil Collins".Mark Lawson Talks To. Season 4. Episode 1.BBC Four. BBC.Collins has had to endure two very different profiles in the media. Originally pop's Mr. Nice Guy, patron saint of ordinary blokes, he has more recently been accused of blandness, tax exile and ending a marriage by sending a fax.
^Modell, Josh (18 June 2013)."My dad toured with Phil Collins".The A.V. Club. Retrieved11 August 2014.Seriously, try to go a few days without accidentally hearing a snippet [of Collins] somewhere.
^Fitzpatrick, Rob. "'I'm The Antichrist of Music' Immensely popular for decades, yet a permanent resident on music's outermost fringes of fashionability, Phil Collins would like to apologise. Are you ready to forgive?".FHM. April 2011.
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McCann, Graham (2009).Bounder! The Biography of Terry-Thomas. Aurum Press.ISBN978-1-845-13441-9.
Röttgers, Philipp (2015).Two Eras of Genesis? – The Development of a Rock Band. Tectum Wissenschaftsverlag.ISBN978-3-828-86270-8.
Thompson, Dave (2004).Turn It On Again: Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins and Genesis'. BackBeat Books.ISBN978-0-879-30810-0.
Whitburn, John (2000).The "Billboard" Book of Top 40 Hits: Complete Chart Information About the Artists and Their Songs, 1955 to 2000 (7 ed.). Billboard Books.ISBN978-0-823-07690-1.
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