Tag Archives: Phil Collins

Phil Collins, Gig Review. Echo Arena, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *

Perhaps it was the sense of occasion, the bugle and drum pattern of history that could be felt amongst the Echo Arena crowd that signified a return, the memories of all who attended the first Phil Collins gig in many years, the first time that even without the other members of Genesis by his side that the drummer, the front man of many a music hit of his generation had stepped out in front of a crowd and sang a note of implication and beautiful awareness; perhaps it was the occasion, more likely it was the city and its people, for this was a welcome never to be forgotten, never to be anything but fantastic.

Phil Collins, Hello I Must Be Going. 30th Anniversary Retrospective.

Like all the members of the Progressive Rock giants Genesis, Phil Collins had launched his solo career with a certain amount of music acumen and good will bestowed upon them by the group’s followers. By the time Phil released his second solo offering, Hello, I Must Be Going, he was already becoming one of the leading men in 1980’s pop/rock.

Phil’s debut album, the 1981 release of Face Value, had made sure that Phil’s popularity as the Genesis vocalist, a position he took over when Peter Gabriel left the band after the tour for The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway album, would see him reach number one at the first attempt. For his follow up album, it would be a case of more of the same with demands from the label, the fans and seemingly from the artist himself.

Genesis, Foxtrot. 40th Anniversary Retrospective.

Genesis, especially the classic line up of Tony Banks, Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford and Steve Hackett would become one of the U.K.’s favourite Progressive Rock bands on the strength of the 1972 album Foxtrot.

This eccentric band packed to the rafters with burgeoning talent had already broken parts of Europe with Trespass and the charming Nursery Cryme but as had up to that point failed to break the U.K top 20 album chart. Their first album From Genesis to Revelation had failed to convince the British public that their music was worth listening to, Trespass saw them make inroads and Nursery Cryme make friends, it was however the pastoral feel combined with an abundance of British eccentricity that would convince music listeners that these five performers had something worthwhile to say.