Phil Collins, the drummer and lead singer of Genesis, is a super famous musician with eight Grammy awards! He’s one of only three artists, along with Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney, who have sold over 100 million albums both as a solo artist and in a band.
Phil was born on January 30, 1951, in London, England, to creative parents who inspired his love for music.
When he was just five years old, his uncle made him a drum set using tambourines, triangles, cymbals, and toy drums. Collins remembered that people often said, “Well, at least it will keep him quiet,” as he shared in Interview Magazine.
Before long, he was performing in shows at his parents’ boating club.
When I got serious about playing music, the English beat scene was just starting up with bands like the Shadows. It was the early 1960s, Collins remembered.
“I can still picture myself buying the album Please Please Me. I would blast the record player and set up my drums so I could see myself in the mirror. That way, I wouldn’t focus too much on what I was doing.
“When I turned fourteen, I decided to take lessons to learn how to read drum music. I thought that once the rock-and-roll craze was over, I might need to earn a living playing in a dance band or an orchestra. So, I learned to read drum music, but I realized that I was much better at playing by feel than reading the notes.”
In the 1970s, Collin’s life took a big turn. He was already jamming with some bands when he saw an ad from a group called Genesis that needed a drummer. He reached out to them, and that was the start of something amazing. In the early years of Collins joining the band, they released five albums, and some of their songs even made it to the charts.
When the original lead singer of Genesis left, Collins stepped up to take over. He became both the singer and the drummer. Although he mentioned that he wasn’t very comfortable in this new role, he filled in because the band couldn’t find anyone else.
Along with being in Genesis, Collins also built a fantastic solo career. With huge hits like “In The Air Tonight,” “You Can’t Hurry Love,” and “I Don’t Care Anymore,” he quickly became one of the top names in the music world.
When he chose to part ways with the group and concentrate on his solo career, Collins mentioned, “After being with Genesis for 25 years, I thought it was time to take a different path in my music journey.
“Now, I want to focus on making music for films, explore some jazz projects, and of course, work on my solo career. I wish the guys in Genesis all the best for the future. We’re still great friends.”
But in 2017, he made the decision to get back together with the band. Last year, they revealed a world tour called The Last Domino, but they had to pause it because of the pandemic.
As fans eagerly anticipated the chance to see the group perform together, Collins shared an interview with BBC Breakfast that raised worries about his health. He and his bandmates revealed that Collins’ son, Nicholas, would be taking over the drumming duties while Collins would focus on singing.
“Nic is an awesome drummer, and he can really capture the sound of early Phil. For Mike and me, that was always really thrilling,” said Tony Banks, a member of Genesis.
“This allows us to play some songs that we haven’t performed with Phil on drums in a long time.”
The musician talked about why he can’t play the drums anymore. He said, “I really want to, but honestly, I can hardly hold a drumstick with this hand. There are some physical issues that make it tough for me.”
He mentioned feeling a bit physically challenged, which is really frustrating because he wishes he could perform with his son. He also shared that he’s not sure if he wants to go on tour anymore.
“We’re all getting older, and I think it’s time to slow down,” he explained. “For me, I just don’t know if I want to hit the road again.”
Collins has faced some health problems over the last few years that made it hard for him to recover. In an interview with Billboard, he shared that after having surgery in 2009, he ended up with a dislocated vertebra and nerve damage. He also had a broken foot, which made him feel like he was walking on sticks.
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