English singer and drummer Phil Collins was born as Philip David Charles Collins 73 years ago in Wandsworth, London, is divorced and has 5 children. He is also a musician, record producer and actor, best known as the drummer and lead singer of rock band Genesis.
When he was just 5, Phil was gifted with a toy drum kit and later was given several makeshift sets of tambourines and triangles. He used to listen to music on radio and TV and practise along. His biggest influences were the Beatles, particularly their drummer Ringo Starr, Buddy Rich and the Action.
As a teenager, Phil formed a couple of bands named the ‘Real Thing’ and the ‘Freehold’ and was also a member of the ‘Charge’. During the 60s, Collins was cast in a couple of movies as well as performed in a West End musical. He also had a job in a club where he developed more interest in music and succeeded in joining a band that performed there and embarked on a tour with them around the UK. Afterwards, he became a member of another group but they split in 1970.
That same year, Phil joined ‘Genesis’ and initially played several instruments as well as acted as backing vocalist. Following the departure of Peter Gabriel 5 years later, Phil took his place as lead singer. Whilst with ‘Genesis’, Collins also collaborated with other artists and bands both as singer and musician.
Phil’s first solo album was released in 1981 and was a huge success both in his native country and internationally, reaching number one on the charts. It featured the number two UK hit ‘In the Air Tonight’. Collins was still part of ‘Genesis’ and continued to issue albums with them as well.
Three more solo albums followed during the rest of the 80s, which included a string of successful hits like ‘You can’t hurry Love’, ‘Against All Odds’, Sussudio’, ‘Don’t lose my Number’, ‘One more Night’, ‘Take me Home’, ‘Easy Lover’, sung in duet with Philip Bailey, ‘Another day in Paradise’, ‘Something happened on the way to Heaven’, ‘Do you Remember?’ and ‘I wish it would rain Down’. In 1996, Phil decided to leave the group to fully focus on his solo career.
To date, Phil had 36 albums, 50 singles, 41 music videos, 1 EP and 2 box sets, excluding the material issued with ‘Genesis’. Record sales amount to over 150 million copies worldwide. Collins received 8 Grammy, 3 American Music, 6 Brit, 4 Billboard Music, 6 Ivor Novello, 1 Academy and 2 Golden Globe Awards, amongst others. He was also honoured with 4 Doctorates of Music, Jazz & Pop Music, History and Fine Arts.
Collins is also an active philanthropist and supports various charitable institutions regarding animal rights, children, youths and poverty.
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