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Early Life

Philip David Charles Collins was born on January 30, 1951, in Chiswick, London. The son of June Collins, a talent agent, he grew up close to the performing arts and attended the Barbara Speake Stage School, where he received training in acting and music. As a child he performed on stage and for television, and he began playing drums at a young age, developing a fascination with rhythm that would shape his life. In his teens he joined local groups and eventually the band Flaming Youth, recording and touring as a professional even before his 20th birthday.

Joining Genesis

In 1970 Collins answered a newspaper ad placed by the English band Genesis, then fronted by Peter Gabriel and led by keyboardist Tony Banks and guitarist-bassist Mike Rutherford. He won the audition and brought a crisp, musical drumming style that grounded the group's ambitious, theatrical rock. His first recordings with Genesis appeared on Nursery Cryme (1971), followed by Foxtrot (1972) and Selling England by the Pound (1973), albums that established the band's reputation for intricate arrangements and dynamic performances. Guitarist Steve Hackett completed the classic-era lineup, and the group's international touring began in earnest.

When Gabriel left in 1975, Genesis tested numerous vocalists. Collins, who had sung harmonies from behind the kit, eventually moved to the microphone, becoming lead singer while continuing to drum on record and in the studio. A Trick of the Tail (1976) and Wind and Wuthering (1977) showed a band reinventing itself. Touring required reinforcement: Chester Thompson joined on drums so Collins could front the band live, and Daryl Stuermer became a mainstay on guitar and bass. With ...And Then There Were Three... (1978), Duke (1980), Abacab (1981), Genesis (1983), and Invisible Touch (1986), the group shifted toward concise, radio-friendly songs without abandoning musicianship, earning stadium-level success.

Brand X and Studio Craft

Alongside Genesis, Collins explored fusion with Brand X, playing with John Goodsall, Percy Jones, Robin Lumley, and others. The project honed his agility and improvisational instincts. In the studio he developed a signature drum sound with engineer-producer Hugh Padgham, first spotlighted on Peter Gabriel's 1980 track Intruder. The gated reverb effect, later central to Collins's own work, became one of the defining textures of 1980s pop and rock.

Solo Breakthrough

Collins's solo debut, Face Value (1981), transformed him into a global star. In the Air Tonight, built around sparse keys and that explosive drum entry, captured a stark, confessional mood. Hello, I Must Be Going! (1982) continued his momentum, including a hit cover of You Can't Hurry Love. With No Jacket Required (1985), featuring Sussudio, One More Night, Don't Lose My Number, and Take Me Home, he dominated charts and won major awards. His songwriting blended personal themes with polished hooks, while his drumming remained central to the sound.

In 1985 he became a symbol of Live Aid's scale, performing in London, drumming for Sting, then flying on the Concorde to Philadelphia to play with Eric Clapton and sit in for the reunion of Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, and John Paul Jones. The day highlighted his range as both singer and drummer at the peak of his fame.

Collaborations and Screen Work

Collins's collaborative instincts produced enduring hits. He duetted with Philip Bailey on Easy Lover, which he also produced. He worked with Robert Plant on early 1980s solo projects and reconnected with Eric Clapton on several occasions, including the soaring I Wish It Would Rain Down. He produced Anni-Frid Lyngstad's (Frida of ABBA) album Something's Going On, anchoring it with his distinctive drum sound. On his own social-minded ballad Another Day in Paradise, David Crosby added harmonies, helping the song win wide acclaim.

Collins also pursued acting, notably in the feature film Buster (1988) opposite Julie Walters. The soundtrack yielded chart-toppers including A Groovy Kind of Love and Two Hearts, the latter co-written with Lamont Dozier, further demonstrating his command of classic pop idioms. On television he made a memorable guest appearance on Miami Vice.

1990s and Beyond: Songwriting, Film Music, and Later Albums

The 1989 album ...But Seriously addressed themes from homelessness to personal responsibility, with Another Day in Paradise becoming one of his signature songs. Both Sides (1993) was a deeply personal project on which he wrote and performed nearly all parts. After leaving Genesis in 1996, he released Dance into the Light and continued to tour internationally.

Collins expanded into film scoring with Disney's Tarzan (1999), writing and performing songs that he recorded in multiple languages. You'll Be in My Heart earned major awards, including an Academy Award. He later contributed original songs to Brother Bear (2003) and wrote for the Tarzan stage musical, broadening his role as a composer beyond the pop charts. Testify (2002) returned him to the studio, while compilation releases and live recordings chronicled his extensive catalog.

Returns, Reunions, and Health Challenges

Genesis reunited in 2007 for the Turn It On Again tour, with Collins, Tony Banks, and Mike Rutherford revisiting their arena-era catalogue alongside Chester Thompson and Daryl Stuermer. Health issues gradually affected Collins's ability to drum, including nerve problems and back surgeries that limited his mobility and led to periods of retirement. He spoke candidly about struggles with alcohol following an earlier retirement and later about his recovery.

In 2016 he published a memoir, Not Dead Yet, opening a new chapter that included the Not Dead Yet tour, where he performed seated, with his son Nic Collins on drums. In 2021, 22, Genesis returned once more for The Last Domino? tour, with Nic again on drums as Collins fronted the band in a seated role. These shows served as a farewell for a group that had helped define progressive and pop rock across five decades.

Family and Personal Life

Collins's personal life is woven through his music. He married Andrea Bertorelli in 1975 and adopted her daughter, Joely Collins, later a performer and actress; their son Simon Collins became a musician. His second marriage, to Jill Tavelman, brought the birth of Lily Collins, who established her own career as an actress and author. His third marriage, to Orianne Cevey, resulted in two sons, Nicholas (Nic) and Matthew. Family relationships, separations, and reconciliations often surfaced in the themes of his albums, lending a diaristic quality to his work.

He supported charitable causes throughout his career, including major benefit concerts and long-standing involvement with the Prince's Trust. Beyond music, he became a noted collector of artifacts from the Battle of the Alamo and later donated his extensive collection to aid preservation efforts in Texas.

Musicianship and Legacy

Phil Collins occupies a rare position as both a world-class drummer and one of the most successful singer-songwriters of his era. With Genesis he helped steer a complex progressive band toward a streamlined, modern sound without losing musical sophistication. As a solo artist he bridged experimental studio craft and mainstream appeal, turning intimate stories into global hits. His partnership with Hugh Padgham crystallized the drum aesthetic of the 1980s, while his collaborations with artists such as Peter Gabriel, Eric Clapton, Robert Plant, Philip Bailey, and David Crosby connected him to multiple generations of popular music.

Honors have included multiple Grammy Awards and an Academy Award, and in 2010 Genesis were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Despite significant health setbacks, Collins's voice, songwriting, and interpretive phrasing continued to resonate on stage late into his career, often with Nic Collins at the drum kit. His recorded legacy, spanning progressive rock epics, fusion workouts, crystalline pop ballads, and film scores, has influenced drummers, producers, and songwriters alike, securing his place as one of the defining British musicians of the late 20th century.