Phil Collins Quits

SurferJoe46 · #1 03-05-2011, 08:55 PM

The famed Genesis drummer and vocalist (and successful solo artist) cited medical issues as the reason for his retirement, saying years of drumming resulted in a variety of health issues, including hearing loss, a dislocated vertebrae and nerve damage in his hands.

Read more: http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b229...#ixzz1Fmvuyuwt

SoonerMatt · #2 03-05-2011, 09:03 PM

I was going to make a snide remark about it, but after reading the article I feel kinda bad for the guy.

Quote:

Collins seemed resigned to the abuse, telling FHM, "I'm sorry that it was all so successful. I honestly didn't mean it to happen like that. It's hardly surprising that people grew to hate me."

seanm · #3 03-05-2011, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoonerMatt

I was going to make a snide remark about it, but after reading the article I feel kinda bad for the guy.

+1 That was my initial feeling too.... but he does come across as a nice guy in the article.

PaulMacCnj · #4 03-05-2011, 09:15 PM

Phil has had an incredible music career. I believe he is ranked as the number 3 best selling artist of all time. That's quite an accomplishment. While I still enjoy his vintage Genesis and Brand X work the best, I did see him in 2004 at Madison Square Garden on his "First Final Farewell Tour". Phil proved throughout the night that he was a great entertainer, one of the best drummers around, was a strong song writer and could belt out those vocals after all the years.

I wish him well in his retirement and I must say a big "Thank You" for all his great contributions to music.

elgecko · #5 03-05-2011, 09:19 PM

I've been a big Genesis fan ever since the release of their 1980 album, Duke. Before that, I really didn't understand any of their work. Too artsy, too intellectual. It was on Duke where Phil Collins' presence became more apparent. I think Invisible Touch was the group's undisputed masterpiece. It's an epic meditation on intangibility. At the same time, it deepens and enriches the meaning of the preceding three albums. Christy, take off your robe. Listen to the brilliant ensemble playing of Banks, Collins and Rutherford. You can practically hear every nuance of every instrument. Sabrina, remove your dress. In terms of lyrical craftsmanship, the sheer songwriting, this album hits a new peak of professionalism. Sabrina, why don't you, uh, dance a little. Take the lyrics to Land of Confusion. In this song, Phil Collins addresses the problems of abusive political authority. In Too Deep is the most moving pop song of the 1980s, about monogamy and commitment. The song is extremely uplifting. Their lyrics are as positive and affirmative as anything I've heard in rock. Christy, get down on your knees so Sabrina can see your ********. Phil Collins' solo career seems to be more commercial and therefore more satisfying, in a narrower way. Especially songs like In the Air Tonight and Against All Odds. Sabrina, don't just stare at it, *** **. But I also think Phil Collins works best within the confines of the group, than as a solo artist, and I stress the word artist. This is Sussudio, a great, great song, a personal favorite.

mmbongo · #6 03-05-2011, 09:25 PM

What? Why now? Why not 1983??

SoonerMatt · #7 03-05-2011, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elgecko

I've been a big Genesis fan ever since the release of their 1980 album, Duke. Before that, I really didn't understand any of their work. Too artsy, too intellectual. It was on Duke where Phil Collins' presence became more apparent. I think Invisible Touch was the group's undisputed masterpiece. It's an epic meditation on intangibility. At the same time, it deepens and enriches the meaning of the preceding three albums. Christy, take off your robe. Listen to the brilliant ensemble playing of Banks, Collins and Rutherford. You can practically hear every nuance of every instrument. Sabrina, remove your dress. In terms of lyrical craftsmanship, the sheer songwriting, this album hits a new peak of professionalism. Sabrina, why don't you, uh, dance a little. Take the lyrics to Land of Confusion. In this song, Phil Collins addresses the problems of abusive political authority. In Too Deep is the most moving pop song of the 1980s, about monogamy and commitment. The song is extremely uplifting. Their lyrics are as positive and affirmative as anything I've heard in rock. Christy, get down on your knees so Sabrina can see your ********. Phil Collins' solo career seems to be more commercial and therefore more satisfying, in a narrower way. Especially songs like In the Air Tonight and Against All Odds. Sabrina, don't just stare at it, *** **. But I also think Phil Collins works best within the confines of the group, than as a solo artist, and I stress the word artist. This is Sussudio, a great, great song, a personal favorite.

I'm glad someone else said it so I didn't have to.

SurferJoe46 · #8 03-05-2011, 09:36 PM

I certainly don't know much about him - but his 'Face Value' CD from 1981 was pivotal to me.

Recently I saw him in The Prince's Trust Show with a lot of other artists, and I think he held his own pretty good, although he bowed to the Mighty Clapton.

MIJ-VI · #9 03-05-2011, 10:09 PM

Mr. Collins is a creative soul. Perhaps he will now produce & mentor some young bands.

pbasswil · #10 03-05-2011, 10:15 PM

I think he's a terrific musician. Just listen to his drumming in earlier Genesis. He's passionate, original, and -- he just executes.

The later criticism is of his more sentimental and pop-py vocal career.

Well I personally have nothing against pop songs that grab the average unsophisticated listener. On the contrary, I respect the hell out of his intuitive ability to connect. It seems to me that if you don't like Phil's more sentimental pop, then you can't like much of Paul McCartney's solo career either.

I think the guy has a huge musical heart, and like McCartney, he doesn't discriminate between sophisticated and simple. He's sure capable of both -- in spades. To him, it's all just music.

I wish him nothing but happiness and peace in his retirement. I hope he finds a way to continue to express his musical heart, though -- without undue strain on that poor aching body.

pedulla-2007 · #11 03-05-2011, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulMacCnj

Phil has had an incredible music career. I believe he is ranked as the number 3 best selling artist of all time. That's quite an accomplishment. While I still enjoy his vintage Genesis and Brand X work the best, I did see him in 2004 at Madison Square Garden on his "First Final Farewell Tour". Phil proved throughout the night that he was a great entertainer, one of the best drummers around, was a strong song writer and could belt out those vocals after all the years.

I wish him well in his retirement and I must say a big "Thank You" for all his great contributions to music.

I have to admit that I was given two tickets by a friend and driven to the concert because I would not spend my gas to see Phil or Genesis, mainly because everything they touch turns to gold. I arrived and wondered who the opening act was only to be amazed at the vocal talent of a man rapidly approaching 60 who performed without an opening group & sang for 4 hours flawlessly without a flat or sharp note all night. Quite the opposite of a Paul McCartney concert I attended in Dallas. One reason I go to hear live music is to enjoy the human element,(a few mistakes), during the course of a song,because in over 28 years of playing, I still manage at least one mistake a song. The musicianship of the group was incredible to say the least, and every song was played without any studio tricks, and Phil's piano playing gave me chills. Their choreography was silly & Phil did loose a stick but did not miss a beat as the show had me waiting to use the restroom till the end of the show. I will personally miss him and I wish him the best in his retirement.

avvie · #12 03-06-2011, 11:10 AM

Folks, take it from a longtime Phil-basher who was convinced that he was the Gatekeeper to Rock And Roll Hell (with Peter cetera as the dark Overlord): Phil was a victim of the times.

Nearly every great rock band got "re-directed" in the 80's by the recording industry to "show their sensitive side".... mainly because there was an ENORMOUS amount of revenue being missed out on in the teeny-girl demographic. Collins can take a little heat for those awful movie soundtrack tunes, but it's me understanding that the bulk of the Genesis material came from Tony Banks, who apparently wanted to either cash in or at least keep up.

Journey... Heart.... Chicago....Starship... even The Who. Is what Genesis did really any more offensive than what these bands did? Was it the band or the producers who wrecked rock and roll?

But lets be fair here... rock and roll by this time had become a mockery of itself with it's extended jamming, ridiculously long solos and bushy mustaches. Pop genius flashed in 1978-79 to save us in the form of The Cars, Elvis Costello, The Knaack, Joe Jackson, etc... giving way to the 80's in which rock was told to get a haircut and get that stoner muddiness out of the sound and replace it with cocaine-soaked trebley tininess so dogs can jam along.

Phil was great at what he did, and big ups to him for accidentally creating that massive drum sound (on Gabriel's first solo album, no less... "I want NO metallic sounds!!") He has a style all his own, and will be missed in the music world because of it.

JAUQO III-X · #13 03-06-2011, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by avvie

Phil was great at what he did, and big ups to him for accidentally creating that massive drum sound (on Gabriel's first solo album, no less... "I want NO metallic sounds!!")

How do you know it was accidental?

avvie · #14 03-06-2011, 11:37 AM

Quote:

The whole thing came through the famous "listen mic" on the SSL console. The SSL had put this massive compressor on it because the whole idea was to hang one mic in the middle of the studio and hear somebody talking on the other side. And it just so happened that we turned it on one day when Phil [Collins] was playing his drums. And then I had the idea of feeding that back into the console and putting the noise gate on, so when he stopped playing it sucked the big sound of the room into nothing.

While "accidental" can be argued semantically, it certainly seems that this wasn't planned.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Padgham

tripp2k · #15 03-06-2011, 11:47 AM

If your only experience of Phil is from the 80s on, you have sorely slighted the gentleman. Hats off to Phil and I hope he continues to contribute to music as music could surely use his contribution.

jerry · #16 03-06-2011, 12:41 PM

Very talented cat who later made some cash, I'll never begrudge a man for that.

Rockmusician · #17 03-06-2011, 12:45 PM

Phil is extremely talented. It's too bad his health problems are forcing him to quit. He had a great career for a guy who was afraid to sing when he was first asked to come from behind the drums and front Genesis.

Jumbotron · #18 03-06-2011, 12:52 PM

I read his statement a couple of days ago and really felt for him. Makes me feel bad for having bashed the direction his career took several times over the years, though I've long maintained that for a while, he was one of the best drummers on the planet.

Meanwhile, American Psycho arrived via netflix on the same day that he said he's retiring. Coincidence? I think not.

Chrisk-K · #19 03-06-2011, 12:52 PM

Quote:

I believe he is ranked as the number 3 best selling artist of all time.

I don't think it's correct.

I can easily think of more than 2 artists that have sold more than Collins: Elvis, Beatles, Michael Jackson, Zeppelin, AC/DC, Madonna, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, ABBA, Queen, etc.

stflbn · #20 03-06-2011, 01:12 PM

The issue has been talked about before and is not just being revealed. I remember hearing about it a year or two ago at least.

IMHO, whining about touring is one thing... but talking about nerve damage or a health problem can 'help' others to either look for help, or watch out for possible problems or causes.