Phil Collins
At the end of the month, Phil Collins will release his much anticipated album called Going Back. It sparked my interest to go back, and recap the career of this man who’s voice I find unmatched. Most famous for his role as lead singer in the band Genesis, Phil Collins has been singing ballads and progressive rock anthems since the 70s.
He started his musical career as a drummer, and in fact had responded to an ad that the band Genesis had ran in London searching for a new bang man. He would land the gig, and only sporadically provide vocals. Eventually, following Peter Gabriel’s departure, Collins’ would find his way into lead vocalist, and would debut this talent on the band’s 1976 album A Trick of the Tail.
By the turn of the decade, Phil sought to pursue his solo career, all the while remaining an active member of Genesis. The hits that came from him during the 80s would enable him to make his stake in the industry, and reach successes far beyond what he could have had he remained a drummer for Genesis. You can find them all over the internet on music download sites, fan sites, remixes by DJs, covers, etc. The first solo single that was an instant hit was 1981′a In the Air Tonight. In 1984, Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now), followed the next year by Sussudio, Take Me Home, and Separate Lives. More hits would come that are still revered today including 1989’s Another Day In Paradise, 1990’s Something Happened On the Way to Heaven.
Here is a video of Phil Collins performing his hit song Another Day in Paradise live:
Hits continued to come from Phil well through the nineties, including 1999’s You’ll Be In My Heart. By this time his career had started to wane, but most likely due to the change in tastes of music throughout the world. Rock, punk, funk, dance, metal, and hip hop started to become more mainstream and take over the earlier era of progressive rock and alternative. Throughout the peak of his career he snatched up seven Grammy Awards, three American Music Awards, an Academy Award, two Golden Globes, and a plethora of nominations. He also branched off into children’s music working on numerous productions.
After losing hearing in his right ear at the start of 2000, he also announced that due to a spinal injury, he would also no longer be able to play the drums. A sad announcement for his millions of fans around the world. Yet he is soon to release his 8th studio album which contains renditions of old classic hits. I’m sure many fans will be anxious to hear him after a long hiatus, knowing that the years of seeing him perform live are unfortunately over.
Tags: Alternative, Another Day In Paradise, Genesis, In the Air Tonight, Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, progressive rock, Take Me Home