“The Genius Of Phil Collins” – Photographs by Stuart Barnes, Oystein Hage And Alan Hewitt. Memorabilia: TWR Archive.
The word “Genius” is bandied about much too often these days and applied to many for whom the epithet is inappropriate. Not so in the case of Phil Collins.
| From his humble beginnings as a teenage film actor and budding drummer to the superstar we all know so well, Phil's career has been a constant surprise – in some cases to him as well as us I suspect! Getting the job in Genesis; a band of fractious Public Schoolboys at the time; could have been a very short lived affair but it was here that we first see that genius at work. Phil's gifts weren't just of the percussive kind, as the band were soon to discover. He had that rarest of gifts; an instinctive “ear” for melody and when something was right. His sense of humour was also to pour oil on many a troubled water in those early days and “man management” is another talent that many lack – Phil has it in spades! | |
His vocal abilities were soon recognised and put to good use when he frequently harmonised with Peter Gabriel. In fact, he was so good at blending in with Peter that when Peter left and Phil finally got to “wiggle his bum” up front it was left to the band's manager, Tony Smith to remark...”He sounds like Peter, I think you've found you man...” The rest, of course, is history!
But Phil was never keen to rest on his laurels, and he soon became involved with several other band projects the most memorable of which was the Jazz-Fusion outfit Brand X whose story you can read elsewhere. He was with the band for several years managing to slot it in between increasingly busy periods with Genesis. Therein lies genius of another sort; managing to perform in two such totally different musical environments and yet being equally at home in both. Phil eventually, although very reluctantly at first, followed both Mike and Tony down the solo artist path, and it is astonishing to think now that back in 1980 Phil was not even sure if he could produce an album's worth of material worth releasing! His creative genius in the studio also affected his former band mate, Peter Gabriel when he, along with studio producer Steve Lilywhite created the “Drum Sound” that pretty much defined the Eighties beginning with Intruder on Peter's third album and more famously still on the debut single from Face Value; the incredibly dramatic In The Air Tonight. A sound frequently emulated but never equalled. |
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As a child actor it was not surprising that he eventually returned to that world as well with several memorable performances not least as the Great Train Robber; “Buster” Edwards in the 1988 film “Buster” a film which incurred some degree of controversy at the time. Phil's performances have always been well performed – not surprising as this young Padawan was well trained at stage school and he has also shown eminently good sense in not embarking on the perilous path of a full time acting career even though I am sure he could have made a good fist of it had he decided to do so.
Instead Phil showed another facet of his genius by turning to writing film scores – and winning awards for them too! His soundtracks for Tarzan and Brother Bear for the Disney Corporation are impeccably put together and Phil applied himself diligently to learning the “craft” of working to image – a field in which Genesis founder member Anthony Phillips could have given him a few lessons. During the Eighties and Nineties and the early Noughties too, Phil also flexed his creativity with a wide range of production credits and guest appearances on other artists' work in a wide variety of styles and the Plays Well With Others set demonstrates the sheer diversity of those extracurricular activities. |
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Phil's health issues slowed him down somewhat but he was finally able to return to his first love and bring us the delightful selection of Motown classics: Going Back another album which quite rightly demonstrated that Phil's nous was spot on. The album reached the number one spot here in the UK.
Since then, Phil has, as we all know, been embroiled in a particularly messy divorce – although he hasn't written an album about this one yet! He did finally succumb to writing his own story however with the humorously titled Not Dead Yet. A refreshingly honest effort which does not shy away from his issues. Those issues may have curtailed some of his activities. Sadly he can no longer drum but anyone who saw him on the Not Dead Yet or Last Domino tours will tell you, the man can still sing! From child actor to singing drummer and global superstar, Phil has managed to balance so many disparate demands on his time with what looks like such consummate skill and ease and if that isn't genius, what is? |
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