Workaholic and Watschenmann
Peter Jebsen -Playboy November 1993

Mr. Nice Guy on the Ego Trip? Skirt millionaire Phil Collins, as genesis fellow combatants and a Clapton producer hochkaraetige company used, brought his recent solo work in in the single-handed attempt with itself at home.

Only a hidden plaque announces, what hides itself behind the inconspicuous entry at a highway in the English west Sussex: the Fisher Lane farm - 50 hectares the large Refugium of Phil Collins. Several million Marks expensive messuages, on that itself among other things a two-story country house from that 19. Century, a High Tech Tonstudio and expanded fields find, the 42jaehrige Workaholic in various parallel careers gained - as a third of the money donkey genesis, as Solist, producer, rent Drummer and a filmschauspieler.

Despite all commercial (and private) benediction one are missing to it to the completed luck: Respect. For the occupation Zyniker of the British press Phil Collins one is the preferential Watschenmaenner; and even a musician colleague such as Ray Davies of the Kinks did not describe it times as money-greedy Workaholic, which with impact things photographs between the Beats always on the noble Rolex look, over its next lucrative job to miss..

"if the people me criticize, because they do not like my music, reads my answer completely simply: ' Fuck them!' ", Phil Collins announces with the interview in the cosy living room. Which really disturbs it, are doubts about its motives: "in the English press the question often becomes: posed ' why it counts not its money and strikes off?' But that is not it, about what I am! I am not a businessman, who wants to earn still another quantity more money. I have enough of it - I could already myself have set in the year 1985 to the peace, if I had wanted that!"

Also today still, then he explains, is the Songschreiben for him not only occupation, but also hobby (beside the model railway of his son). "I do not work now times in a bank or in a shop, about which I would have to escape on the weekends," get straight it. That this empty lip-service is not only, of it also the music equipment developed in its Privatgemaechern tells...

From the production way of its new album Both Sides , that partially at home with a rather primitive demo recorder (and not a short footpath further in the 48-Spur-Soundschmiede) supplied Phil Collins resulted to its critics themselves ammunition for new reproaches ("the skirt star on the Ego Trip!"): Phils youngest one is a genuine solo work, on which the musician plays for the first time all instruments.

to "I could have here-gotten people natural such as Eric Clapton, which would have contributed surely beautiful passages. But on this LP the Songs is extremely personally guessed/advised; and I wanted to avoid the danger that by the participation other one is watered the original feeling, "explain Phil Collins, whose texts represent no competition to skirt poets of the impact of a Billy Joel, but nevertheless - tying at Another Day in Paradise - more than only the usual Pop Konfektionsreime to offer.

Phil Collins radiates modesty, which does not work with him however touched down. One removes it from it, if he stresses that he catch-feel still sporadic felt. For example with friend "Slowhand": "although I already know, think it since 1978 I me with our meetings still: ' that is Clapton ! That is the type, from which I collected in former times souvenirs and plates! And now I play schlagzeug behind it... ' One pinches oneself and asks themselves: ' are real that I?' "

And Phil Collins admits with a verlegenen smile that he asks some its Idole still today for autographs - in his star album the signatures of sizes are like the Crooner Tony Bennett, the "Soul one" SAM (of SAM & Dave) and Audrey Hepburn. Therefore Collins's understands usually those of his fans, who to (unguarded) Fisher the Lane farm pilgern and suddenly vorm living room windows. In no case to disturb one may do it however at a place, which is still holier him: in the village Pub, in which it -, twice per week with local buddies barley beverages takes.

Beside the eternal "Mr. Nice Guy" image, which it tries to konterkarieren with fiesen film-Rollen, nervt it still another further prejudice: "I can make naturally nothing against it if the people see my music as ' Mainstream '; that is finally their opinion. I do not see it naturally in such a way - because I do not like ' Middle OF the Road' music! Me only things, which are differently or original... and if I did not consider myself original for differently or, interest then I for mine style would probably change."

With Collins as a front man even the old Schlachtross surprises genesis from time to time still times with originality - the TV Prediger satire Jesus He Knows ME for example proved a certain risk joy in view of the widespread Puritanismus in the USA (nevertheless the chief market of the dinosaur Trios)...

For the moment however it genesis does not mean "purely nothing at all": "you must hold yourself before eyes that I terminated a straight production, which is the most personal, which I made ever - and the associated high feeling will stop probably still another one while." Which will be also necessary, because the workhorse Phil Collins is again in the midst of the used cycle, which runs on full routes: Solo production, graduation agitation by Concorde and a following concert route around the world. If then still the next film with the actor Phil Collins, which can be expected, is turned off, again genesis at the row might be. - end openly!


Translated from Original Source: Copyright © 1993 Peter Jebsen