Movies - Phil Collins

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Philip David Charles Collins (born January 30 1951 in London), better known as Phil Collins, is a British rock/pop musician. Collins’ presence on popular music was most evident in the mid-to-late 1980s. He is best known as the lead singer of progressive rock group Genesis and as a Grammy winning solo artist.

In total, Collins sang the lead vocals on eight American chart-toppers between 1984 and 1989, inclusive of seven as a solo artist and one with Genesis. His singles, often dealing with lost love, ranged from the drum-heavy “In the Air Tonight”, the dance pop of “Sussudio”, and the political statements of his most successful song, “Another Day in Paradise”. His international popularity transformed Genesis from a progressive rock group to a regular on the pop charts and an early MTV mainstay.

Collins’ professional career began as a drummer, first with obscure rock group Flaming Youth and more famously with Genesis. Although Collins supplied backing vocals for original front man Peter Gabriel, it wouldn’t be until 1976 that he became the group’s lead singer. As the decade closed, Genesis' first international hit, “Follow You, Follow Me”, demonstrated a drastic change from the band’s early years. His concurrent solo career, heavily influenced by his personal life, brought both him and Genesis commercial success. According to Atlantic Records, Collins' total worldwide sales as a solo artist, as of 2002, were over 100 million.

Early life and career

Collins received a toy drum for Christmas when he was five. Later, his uncle made him a makeshift kit, and as Collins grew they followed with more complete sets bought by his parents. He practiced by playing alongside the television and radio. He never learned to read and write conventional musical notation. Instead, he uses a system of his own devising.

Collins looked for every opportunity to perform. His professional training began at fourteen when he entered Barbara Speake Stage School. He began a career as a child actor and model. He won his first major role as the Artful Dodger in a London production of Oliver!
. He appeared as an extra on The Beatles’ A Hard Day's Night, although as part of a crowd scene. He also auditioned for the role of Romeo in Romeo and Juliet
(1968).

Despite the beginnings of an acting career, Collins continued to gravitate toward music. During high school he formed a band called The Real Thing and later joined The Freehold. With The Freehold, he wrote his first song titled "Lying Crying Dying."

Collins' first record deal came as drummer for Flaming Youth, an obscure British rock group which released a single album, Ark 2 (1969). A concept album inspired by the recent media attention surrounding the moon landing, Ark 2 failed to make much commercial success despite positive critical reviews. Melody Maker featured the album as "Pop Album of the Month", describing it as "adult music beautifully played with nice tight harmonies". The album's main single, "From Now On", failed on the radio. After a year of touring, band tensions and the lack of commercial success dissolved the group.

Genesis era

In 1970, Collins answered a Melody Maker classified ad for “...a drummer sensitive to acoustic music, and acoustic twelve-string guitarist". Genesis placed the ad after having already lost three drummers over two albums. The audition occurred at the home of Peter Gabriel's parents. Prospective candidates performed tracks from the group’s sophomore album Trespass (1970). Collins arrived early. He listened to the other auditions and memorized the pieces before his turn.

Collins won the audition, and a year later, Nursery Cryme (1971) was released. Although Collins' role would remain drummer and occasional backing vocalist for the next five years, he twice sang lead vocals on “For Absent Friends” (from Nursery Cryme) and “More Fool Me” (from Selling England by the Pound) (1973).

In 1975, following the final tour supporting concept album The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, Gabriel left the group to pursue solo projects. Collins became lead vocalist after an unfruitful search for Gabriel’s replacement. The group recruited former Yes drummer Bill Bruford and later Chester Thompson to play drums during live shows, although Collins continued to play for longer pieces. The first album with Collins as lead vocalist, 1976’s A Trick of the Tail, reached the American Top 40, and climbed as high as #3 on the UK charts. Said Rolling Stone, "Genesis has managed to turn the possible catastrophe of Gabriel's departure into their first broad-based American success."

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Movies - Phil Collins

Early life and career

Genesis era

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