Phil Collins Biography

(Drummer & Lead Singer of the Rock Band 'Genesis')

Birthday: January 30, 1951 (Aquarius)

Born In: Chiswick, Middlesex, London, United Kingdom

Phil Collins (Philip David Charles Collins) is an English musician, drummer, singer, and actor, who mostly worked solo and was also part of the famous rock band ‘Genesis.’ Starting his career with acting in the mid-60s, he identified his passion for music in the 70s. ‘Genesis’ turned out to be a game changer for Phil. Phil rocked the music charts in the 80s with his solo outings, and he is one of the very few artists who have proved their worth in both group and solo music endeavors. He became a cultural rage in the 80s and has had more US top 40 singles than any other artist of his time. Some of his most powerful singles from that time are ‘In the Air Tonight,’ ‘One more Night,’ and ‘Another Day in Paradise.’ Having sold about 34 million copies of records, across eight albums, Collins is certainly one of the best-selling artists of this generation. During his illustrious career, he has been showered with multiple awards, which include six ‘Brit Awards,’ seven ‘Grammy Awards,’ two ‘Golden Globe Awards,’ and one ‘Academy Award,’ recognizing his service to the field of music and acting.

65
Quick Facts

British Celebrities Born In January

Also Known As: Phillip David Charles Collins

Age: 73 Years, 73 Year Old Males

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Andrea Bertorelli, Jill Tavelman, Orianne Cevey

father: Greville Collins

mother: June Collins

children: Joely Collins, Lily Collins

Partner: Orianne Cevey (2016)

Born Country: England

Left Handed School Dropouts

Height: 5'6" (168 cm), 5'6" Males

City: London, England

More Facts

education: Chiswick School, Barbara Speake Stage School

  • 1

    What are some of Phil Collins' most popular songs?

    Some of Phil Collins' most popular songs include "In the Air Tonight," "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)," "Another Day in Paradise," "Sussudio," and "Easy Lover."
  • 2

    Has Phil Collins ever acted in movies?

    Yes, Phil Collins has appeared in several movies, including "Hook" and "Buster," for which he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor.
  • 3

    What inspired Phil Collins to write the song In the Air Tonight?

    Phil Collins has stated that the song "In the Air Tonight" was inspired by feelings of betrayal and anger, particularly in reference to a personal experience.

  • 4

    Did Phil Collins ever reunite with the band Genesis?

    Yes, Phil Collins reunited with the band Genesis for a successful tour in 2007, marking their first collaboration in over a decade.
  • 5

    What unique musical technique is Phil Collins known for?

    Phil Collins is known for his distinctive drumming style, characterized by his powerful use of drum fills and innovative use of drum machines in his solo work and with Genesis.
Childhood & Early Life
Phil Collins was born Philip David Charles Collins, on January 30, 1951, in Chiswick, London, England. His father, Greville Philip Austin Collins, was an insurance agent, while his mother, Winifred June Strange, was a theatrical agent.
While his father worked a mundane job, it was his mother’s job that interested Phil, as a kid. He would accompany her to the theaters and watch actors perform on stage. This inspired him and led to an increased interest in the performing arts, as he grew up.
He received a drum kit from his parents on his birthday, as a five-year-old kid. The kit, though a mere toy, delighted him and grabbed his attention. He spent hours practicing it, and as he grew up, he started getting more professional kits as gifts. Slowly, he acquired enough interest to start taking professional training for the same.
His professional training in acting and singing began at the tender age of 14 in ‘Barbara Speake Stage School.’ Music was just another hobby for him at that time, and acting was the thing that he loved the most. Learning acting from professionals had him falling in love with it and just a couple of years later, he began playing lead roles in various theatrical productions, along with several films and TV series.
He listened to ‘The Beatles’ and was inspired by their ‘no-nonsense’ approach to music, which further fueled his desire to be a musician. Their drummer, Ringo Starr, was his personal hero. Phil was also fond of the drummer of the lesser known British band ‘The Action.’
Phil attended high school at the ‘Chiswick County School for Boys,’ where he started a band of his own, named ‘Real Thing.’ After it was disbanded, he joined ‘Freehold,’ with which he wrote his first song, ‘Lying Crying Dying.’
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Career
Phil began acting as a child, and his mother’s contacts with the talent agencies helped him in bagging his initial roles in theatrical productions. He played a few small roles in ‘Calamity the Cow’ and ‘A Hard Day’s Night,’ but somewhere deep down, acting did not satisfy him. Hence, he gravitated toward music during his high school days.
In the mid-70s, the rock band ‘Genesis’ posted an advertisement for the requirement of a drummer, and Collins became the band’s new drummer in August 1970, after an audition. For the next five years, Collins toured with the band and played drums and percussions in their albums. Their first album, ‘Nursery Cryme,’ released in 1971.
In the mid-70s, the band’s lead singer quit and before the band could hire a suitable singer, Collins filled in as the lead singer, for a while. ‘A Trick of the Tail’ was the first ‘Genesis’ album for which Collins sang. The album became a roaring success in both the US and the UK. The chart-topping success of the album made ‘Genesis’ rethink the prospect of hiring a vocalist, as they already had Phil.
In 1978, the band took a break. Meanwhile, Phil tried to keep his personal life in check, but he failed to do so, and his relationship with his wife soured significantly. Meanwhile, he played drums on two albums, namely, ‘Grace and Danger’ and ‘Product.’ Although he was getting hired by many bands for their album productions, Phil was not ready to go solo yet.
By the 80s, Phil had finally started working on his debut solo album, titled ‘Face Value.’ At the time, ‘Genesis’ had reunited and had completed their work on the album ‘Duke,’ which was released in 1980. The album received huge commercial and critical response.
His first solo album, ‘Face Value,’ was released in 1981 and featured a different style of music, which was more inclined towards funk and faster beats. The album became an international success, topping the charts in seven countries.
His second solo album, ‘Hello I Must Be Going!,’ was released in 1982, and Collins garnered international success again. In 1985, Collins presented his most successful album of all time, titled ‘No Jacket Required,’ which topped the charts in both the US and the UK.
Several media houses took notice of Phil’s international success and claimed that Phil was more famous and successful as a solo artist. In the late 90s, he released another solo album ‘...But Seriously’ which was received well in both the UK and the US.
Following a growing demand for more solo efforts, he quit the band ‘Genesis’ in the mid-90s and started concentrating on his solo endeavors. He laid the foundation of the ‘Phil Collins Big Band’ and took over the drums. The scenario changed significantly, when his 1996 solo album, ‘Dance into the Light,’ turned out to be a failure.
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Critics said that his time was over and that his fans were growing tired of his music. His next album, ‘Testify,’ faced the same fate, and some critics and media houses termed it the worst album of his life.
By the turn of the century, his career was reduced to shambles. However, his past musical milestones had kept his credibility alive, and he received several honors in the 2000s. In 2006, Collins reunited with two former ‘Genesis’ members and embarked on a tour called ‘Turn it on Again: The Tour,’ which was a success.
In March 2010, Collins was honored with a place in the ‘Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,’ and in 2011, he announced his retirement for a short time. In October 2016, Phil announced his ‘Not Dead Yet Tour.’ The tour was executed successfully, and he received positive reviews.
As an actor, Phil has appeared in various films, such as ‘Hook,’ ‘Frauds,’ and ‘Balto,’ apart from featuring in a number of TV series, such as ‘The Two Ronnies’ and ‘Miami Vice.’
Personal Life
Phil Collins has married three times in his lifetime. His first marriage was to Andrea Bertorelli. The couple got married in 1975. However, the marriage lasted only for five years and ended in 1980. The aftermath of this divorce had a serious impact on Phil’s mental health and he plunged into a depressive state for some time.
He then went on to marry Jill Tavelman in 1984, and this union lasted for 12 years. Phil’s third wife was Orianne Cevey. They married in 1999 and divorced in 2008. The divorce settlement of 25 million pounds was the biggest in British history.
Collins went through depression for the next few years. However, Collins and Cevey got back together in 2016 and have been living together since.
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Facts About Phil Collins
Phil Collins is an accomplished actor, having appeared in several films and TV shows, including a memorable role in Disney's "Tarzan" as the voice of the character Turk.
He is an avid collector of Alamo memorabilia and even donated his extensive collection to the Alamo museum in Texas.
Phil Collins is known for his philanthropic efforts, particularly his work with organizations like PETA and the Prince's Trust.
Despite his success in music, Collins has also explored other artistic endeavors, such as writing a memoir titled "Not Dead Yet" and creating a collection of his own artwork.

Phil Collins Movies

1. Calamity the Cow (1967)

  (Family, Comedy)

2. A Hard Day's Night (1964)

  (Comedy, Musical, Music)

3. The Secret Policeman's Private Parts (1984)

  (Music, Comedy, Documentary)

4. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)

  (Adventure, Musical, Family, Fantasy)

5. Hook (1991)

  (Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy, Family)

6. Buster (1988)

  (Comedy, Romance, Drama, Crime)

Awards

Academy Awards(Oscars)
2000 Best Music, Original Song Tarzan (1999)
Golden Globe Awards
2000 Best Original Song - Motion Picture Tarzan (1999)
1989 Best Original Song - Motion Picture Buster (1988)
Grammy Awards
2000 Best Soundtrack Album Tarzan (1999)
1991 Record of the Year Winner
1989 Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or for Television Buster (1988)
1988 Best Concept Music Video Winner
1986 Album of the Year Winner
1986 Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male Winner
1986 Producer of the Year (Non-Classical) Winner
1985 Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male Winner
ASCAP Film And Television Music Awards
2004 Top Box Office Films Brother Bear (2003)
2000 Top Box Office Films Tarzan (1999)
2000 Most Performed Songs from Motion Pictures Tarzan (1999)
MTV Video Music Awards
1985 Best Overall Performance in a Video Philip Bailey & Phil Collins: Easy Lover (1984)
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See the events in life of Phil Collins in Chronological Order

How To Cite

Article Title
- Phil Collins Biography
Author
- Editors, TheFamousPeople.com
Website
- TheFamousPeople.com
URL
https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/phil-collins-8996.php

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