Phil Collins, 75, will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist on Nov. 14, marking his second induction after being recognized with Genesis in 2010. The English drummer, songwriter, and frontman has enjoyed a sprawling career marked by massive pop success, critical acclaim, and personal turmoil. He has sold over 100 million solo albums and another 100 million with Genesis, winning eight Grammy Awards and an Oscar for “You’ll Be in My Heart” from Disney’s “Tarzan.” Collins described himself as “lucky” and “surprised” by the induction, calling it “a pat on the back.” His music, once dismissed as anodyne, is now being reevaluated for its emotional depth and rhythmic intensity. Songs like “Another Day in Paradise” have seen recent revival through the Hulu series “Paradise.”
Collins’s most personal work emerged from heartbreak. His first two solo albums, “Face Value” and “Hello, I Must Be Going!,” were written after his first divorce. “Both Sides,” released in 1993, explored the collapse of his second marriage, which was complicated by an affair with a high-school girlfriend. In his 2016 autobiography, “Not Dead Yet,” he wrote, “My love life is a cauldron of conflictions of which I am far from proud.” He has been divorced three times and struggled with alcoholism. Despite his global fame, he has often felt overlooked or mocked as uncool.
Decades of intense touring left Collins with chronic back and leg pain. Frequent use of prednisone, a corticosteroid prescribed to protect his voice, further weakened his bones. He now uses a walker and moves slowly. “Everything that could go wrong, did,” he said. He has rarely appeared in public recently and, after severe medical issues, stated he is “not match-fit” and unlikely to perform again. Despite this, Collins remains reflective about his legacy, viewing his music as a chronicle of his life’s emotional journey. He grew up making music with makeshift instruments, never learned to read music, and credits his self-taught approach for his unique style.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing