While I attended college in the early '90s, I once had a conversation with a particular classmate. Sporting the typical look of the time—flannel shirt, ripped-up long shorts, and Doc Martens—he fronted a grunge band and had a too-cool air about him. At one point he expressed admiration for Phil Collins. Now, this was the last person I'd ever expect to be a Collins fan—Collins had lost any "edge" he had by that time, and unsentimental rock dominated the charts. When I asked my fellow student why, he said, "Do you know how hard it is to write a good pop song? Phil Collins is a master at that. I respect the guy."
This long-ago chat came roaring back to me after I read about Collins' apparent retirement from the music business. Citing health issues, including nerve damage and hearing loss, he also expressed regret at his success. In a recent interview with FHM, excerpted in The Telegraph, he stated that he became "the pop star that nobody likes."
"The music was being played so incessantly people wanted to strangle me," he said "It's hardly surprising that people grew to hate me. I'm sorry that it was all so successful. I honestly didn't mean it to happen like that!" Collins also admitted that derogatory comments about his career hurt him, and that "I don't think anyone's going to miss me. I'm much happier just to write myself out of the script entirely."
Well, here's one person who will miss you.
Over the years, the term "pop music" has become a negative label that reeks of triviality. Yes, some pop songs are little more than novelty songs, like "Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini," "Yummy Yummy Yummy," or "Barbie Girl." But ask legendary pop songwriters like Leiber and Stoller, Carole King, Neil Diamond, or Lionel Richie, and they will tell you: writing a memorable, tuneful song that lingers in the listener's mind is a huge challenge. Imagine: as a songwriter, you have to compose a tune that will break through all of the noise on Top 40 radio. You have to tell a story in five minutes or less, using memorable lyrics that evoke powerful images. What will the subject be? What can you write about that will resonate with as much of the potential audience as possible? Finally, the songwriter must devise a melody, a riff, and a beat that stays with people for years to come. During a concert, how many times have audiences cheered a song after hearing just the first few notes? These difficult tasks all comprise the job of a successful pop composer.
Article comments
1 - Jordan Richardson
Count me as another one who'll miss him. Nice article, Kit. And "In the Air Tonight" is one of the greatest songs of all time. Period.
2 - Brendowski
As Phil himself said "I don't care anymore." Good riddance!!!
3 - Boeke
For Phil Collins fans: Ira Glass had a nice segment on "This American Life" about Collins helping a young woman write an appropriate "breakup song" after her own breakup.
4 - El Bicho
He certainly was a dominant force in music for a spell in the '80s, but you make it sound like Rutherford and Banks were his backing band in Genesis. Considering Mike & the Mechanics scored their own #1 hit, Collins might not have been alone in driving the band toward pop.
I enjoyed Genesis between their prog and pop phases, but after reviewing his Going Back Blu-ray for another site, Collins made the right call to retire.
5 - Kit O'Toole
Thanks for commenting, everyone!
@ Boeke: Thanks for the heads up--I think I heard about that a while back. I'll have to go to the NPR site.
@ El Bicho: Oh, absolutely Banks and Rutherford were creative forces in the group (as well as founding members, of course). Rutherford did craft some hits with Mike & The Mechanics, as you point out. I guess I just feel that Collins steered the group into such an obviously pop direction after he took over lead singing duties--Invisible Touch and We Can't Dance had Collins' footprints all over them.
6 - Beth Ann
He was amazing in his time; some of those Genesis songs were the soundtrack to early college. But, I agree that he lost his luster later on. Thanks for a fun read, Kit.
7 - Kit O'Toole
Thanks, Beth Ann! Wow, you're a fast reader! :)
8 - Triniman
Apparently, he's taking a break instead of retiring?
9 - Josh Hathaway
Phil is guilty of some cringe-inducing, schmaltzy moments and he should have scorn heaped on him for those BUT...
He has written some pop songs that are among the best of any era! His best work is amazing and I will always love those songs no matter how uncool he is to some.
10 - Kit O'Toole
Thanks, Josh! Yes, as I said, his 90s work just didn't resonate with me at all. But he has much to be proud of, too.
11 - Ron
It is sad that a musician that has influenced and touched so many for so many years is apologizing. A great solo career along side the collaboration with Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks in Genesis shows the many sides of this artist. Even today when I surf the radio stations I can not pass a Genesis/Collins song. I hope you heal and get to relax and enjoy your children. You will not be forgotten.
12 - Kit O'Toole
Thanks for commenting, Ron, and well said!
13 - Duhjake3
Thanks Kit for a spot-on synopsis of Phil Collins and Genesis over the years. Phil is by far my all-time favorite artist, and will always be. He is the most verstile artist/song writers I have ever encountered. I'm so sad to see him retire. Would love to see him (solo) in concert at least one more time. He will be missed.
14 - Kit O'Toole
Thanks, Duhjake3, for the nice comment. I too am sorry to see him retire, but at least he's left a great body of work we can enjoy for years to come.
15 - doogie
great article. i agree that writing a good pop song that will stick around for years is harder than people think, yet Phil mastered it. i still hear his stuff a lot on retro-pop commercial radio. and i don't think he ever started to really suck, it's just that musical tastes change over time. stars from the 80s can't stay cool or relevant forever, especially when new sounds in pop are more in style. i remember by the mid 90s, me and my other teenager friends thought stars like Phil Collins, and similar others like Huey Lewis, were just "dorks from the 80s," when they were huge only 10 years earlier. so yeah, i think he became uncool just because so much changed in pop music from the 80s to the 90s, not because his music really started to blow.
16 - Alex Cheyney
Count me among those who think a lot of Phil Collins as a musical force and performer with Genesis and on his own.
Did he have a few clunkers? Absolutely. Virtually all artists have them. Phil's problem was that there were actually people who liked them. They were among some of his biggest hits (Susudio ick).
Still, that doesn't take away the power his songwriting and performance on songs like "In the Air Tonight", "Don't Let Him Steal Your Heart Away", "The Roof Is Leaking" (etc.) or his turns with Genesis like "Man on the Corner", "Turn It On Again", "Mama", "Heathaze" (etc.).
Phil, you've left the musical landscape much better for you living there. Don't forget that. Anybody who appreciate good Rock/Pop will remember you fondly.
The drunk losers who were screaming your lesser songs at the top of their lungs in the mid/late 80s who revile you, now are not worth your regret. You've meant a lot more than that to people over the years. and I, nor the countless others who love your music will not forget you.