Happy 74th Birthday to Phil Collins!
Happy birthday to the guy who brought us hit songs like “In the Air Tonight,” “Against All Odds,” and “Sussudio!”
Phil David Charles Collins is 74 today!
The singer, songwriter, drummer, record producer, and actor was first part of the band Genesis, and then went on to have a successful solo career.
In fact, he’s said to have had more U.S. Top 40 singles than any other artist throughout the 1980s, also due to his work with other artists.
In honor of his 74th birthday, here’s 7 Things To Know About Phil Collins – PLUS 7 of our favorite songs!
- He started drumming at age 5. He was given a toy drum kit for Christmas and practiced by playing along to music he heard on the radio and on TV. He has said the Beatles and Ringo Starr were big musical influences. He has now retired from drumming, admitting that years of doing so had taken a toll on his health.
- Despite all of his successes, Collins reportedly never learned to read or write musical notation! He has said that was a mistake. “I’ve always felt that if I could hum it, I could play it. For me, that was good enough, but that attitude is bad,” Collins said.
- Collins joined the band Genesis in 1970, when he was just 19 years old, as their drummer. Lead singer Peter Gabriel left the band in 1975, and Collins became the new lead singer!
- Collins moved between Genesis and his solo endeavors throughout the ’80s and ’90s, until 1996, when he ‘officially’ left Genesis. He rejoined the band for tours in 2007 and 2020.
- He’s used his marital problems as fodder for his songwriting. “In the Air Tonight,” “I Missed Again,” “You Know What I Mean,” “This Must Be Love,” “I Don’t Care Anymore” and “Do You Know, Do You Care” are all said to reflect the pain of separation and divorce.
- His awards include five Grammys, an Academy Award for Best Original Song for “You’ll Be In My Heart” from “Tarzan,” and he is a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
- He is a father of five, including daughter Lily Collins, who appeared in the movie “The Blind Side,” and stars in the Netflix series “Emily in Paris.”
There you have it, 7 Things To Know About Phil Collins! Now, here’s our list of Throwback’s 7 Favorite Phil Collins Songs!
