Phil CollinsBesprekingen

Not Dead Yet: The Memoir reminded me of how pervasive, ubiquitous, the music of Phil Collins was in the 1980s. Some evenings while reading Not Dead Yet I listened to Collins-era Genesis and Collins solo, thinking that I didn't know many of his songs. I listened to something like 45 songs and I knew more than I didn't know. Collins was in the air, seeped into the pores of your skin. In many ways, Collins was the 1980s.

(I also listened to the first few Genesis records, when Phil either was not with them yet or solely behind the drum kit; not very familiar with the band, I was surprised to discover how proggy and arty their early stuff is; really liked it.)

But Phil is more than that. I didn't know much about all-pervasive Phil. His career has been long and relatively varied. He's a fascinating person. Also an infuriating one. By the time he romantically reconnected with a high-school sweetheart, risking yet another divorce and the dissolution of yet another family, I was literally shouting in frustration at the printed page.

Not Dead Yet is decently written and engaging, fascinating, informative, aggravating. Phil lays it all out there: the divorces, the relentless projects and work and touring, the health problems and crises, the end-of-career alcoholism. He's taken responsibility, he's shouldered his regrets, he's frequently danced through the fire to the edge of a cliff and he's come through it all. He's not dead yet.

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Tracklist

1 Phil Collins– Another Day In Paradise 6:20
2 Phil Collins– True Colors 4:33
3 Philip Bailey And Phil Collins– Easy Lover 5:03
4 Phil Collins– You Can't Hurry Love 2:53
5 Phil Collins– Two Hearts 3:25
6 Phil Collins– I Wish It Would Rain Down 5:28
7 Phil Collins– Against All Odds 3:23
8 Phil Collins– Something Happened On The Way To Heaven 4:52
9 Phil Collins And Marilyn Martin– Separate Lives 4:06
10 Phil Collins– Both Sides Of The Story 6:39
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11 Phil Collins– One More Night 5:13
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12 Phil Collins– Sussudio 4:23
13 Phil Collins– Dance Into The Light 4:24
14 Phil Collins– A Groovy Kind Of Love 3:28
15 Phil Collins– In The Air Tonight 5:32
16 Phil Collins– Take Me Home 5:51

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CDCOL | Compilation | Duet Voices |

TRACKLIST

1 Phil Collins– Another Day In Paradise 6:20
2 Phil Collins– True Colors 4:33
3 Philip Bailey And Phil Collins– Easy Lover 5:03
4 Phil Collins– You Can't Hurry Love 2:53
5 Phil Collins– Two Hearts 3:25
6 Phil Collins– I Wish It Would Rain Down 5:28
7 Phil Collins– Against All Odds 3:23
8 Phil Collins– Something Happened On The Way To Heaven 4:52
9 Phil Collins And Marilyn Martin– Separate Lives 4:06
10 Phil Collins– Both Sides Of The Story 6:39
11 Phil Collins– One More Night 5:13
12 Phil Collins– Sussudio 4:23
13 Phil Collins– Dance Into The Light 4:24
14 Phil Collins– A Groovy Kind Of Love 3:28
15 Phil Collins– In The Air Tonight 5:32
16 Phil Collins– Take Me Home 5:51

Getting out of the way that I was a Genesis super-fan (and attached to that, a lover of Phil Collins music) when I was 13 through 15 or so, this book had more for me than I imagine it would for most.

That said, there's a lot of of being defensive about things in the tabloids that I literally never heard of, much less cared about, much less wanted to hear rehashed. And there is not a lot about the actual creation of music other than "In the Air Tonight," (attempting to put rumors to rest) "Against All Odds," and his later solo work. If this had dug in to the creation of the Genesis albums (I'm fairly certain some section of his output can be explained by a song from Abacab) other than noting that they all have insane time signatures (I wasn't aware "Turn it on Again" was 13/8, but I did previously know it is nearly impossible to drum), I would have appreciated it more.

As regards the second to last chapter, I'm a bit concerned that while Collins is clean, now, certain rooms would recommend he do a bunch more work on himself. There is an aphorism in those rooms that goes "Poor me. Poor me. Pour me another drink." Likewise, his tendency to narratively roll forward, then duck back in time to his personal life puts a gloss on fairly bad behavior. One doesn't need to be a psychiatrist to note that while he disclaims his title as "workaholic" (saying he just couldn't say "no" to the projects he was offered), he spent a lot more time avoiding his families than he did with them.

The audiobook is entertaining in that his obliviousness and lack of self-knowledge play so straightly that it makes him seem charming instead of caddish.

Love Phil Collins and him narrating the memoir himself made it a 5 star experience for me.

He's also not only a very funny guy, but a good writer as well.

1 Hang In Long Enough 4:44
2 That's Just The Way It Is 5:20
3 Do You Remember? 4:36
4 Something Happened On The Way To Heaven 4:51
5 Colours 8:51
6 I Wish It Would Rain Down 5:27
7 Another Day In Paradise 5:22
8 Heat On The Street 3:51
9 All Of My Life 5:35
10 Saturday Night And Sunday Morning 1:25
11 Father To Son 3:28
12 Find A Way To My Heart 6:10

A great album, hit after hit on this one. 1985 all over again.

A good read, but I have to say I struggle between the story of the man and the quality of the autobiography. I have followed Genesis and Phil for years, but for such an outstanding musician and songwriter, his failings in his treatment of those he loves is dire. However he is very honest in his autobiography on the selfish nature of being a workaholic. Interesting.

Love Genesis. Big Phil Collins fan. Seems open in his writings. Shares the good and bad. He sounds like an ass. Really devoted to music over family. Hence 3 divorces. Didnt know about the drinking issues. gave some good insight into meanings behind his solo albums

In Not Dead Yet: The Memoir, Phil Collins provides a candid look at his life and career, from humble beginnings in an “end-of-the-line” London neighborhood to drummer and then frontman/vocalist for the progressive rock band Genesis to international superstardom as a solo performer and songwriter. Collins demonstrates a sharp wit in tracing the trajectory of his career, dropping many familiar names and recalling some terrific behind-the-scenes stories from recording sessions and the seemingly endless run of concert tours. He also recounts with evident sadness and regret his inability to balance the touring demands with his family obligations, his three failed marriages, extramarital affairs, battles with alcohol abuse, and the profound effect all of this had on his children. The combination of humor and pathos makes this an intriguing memoir.

Born on January 30, 1951, in Middlesex, London, Phil Collins had drumming in his blood from the age of three when his parents gave him a drum to play with for a Christmas gift. When he was older, his brother Clive and his sister Carole would design a drum kit for him until his mother and he could combine their money when he was ten and buy his first real kit.

But drumming wasn't his only interest. His mother was an agent for young actors (actually she became one after he became an actor and she saw a need in the area for one). He played the Artful Dodger in Oliver! on West End. That wouldn't be the only character he'd portray in that play. When his voice broke he'd have to give up playing the Artful Dodger, but he would go back at different times in his youth and play various parts. It was a way to make money to afford a way to see acts of the day and to buy equipment. Later in life, he would act again for television and for the movies (He was even considered for the part of The Master on Dr. Who).

He would join bands that went nowhere except for the band Hickory that became Flaming Youth once the brilliant producers Howard and Blaikley get a hold of them. They write them an odd concept album Ark 2 that does so well that Melody Maker picks it as album of the month for October 1969 over Led Zepplin II. But performing the album live proved difficult and writing new material also proved difficult so the band broke up.

With nothing to do he gets a fateful chance to play on George Harrison's All Things Must Pass. This isn't his first time meeting a Beatle. He was an extra in a scene in the movie A Hard Day's Night. But don't look for him in the concert scene. He got cut. The song is "The Art of the Dying" and they need a bongo player. He's never played bongos in his life but that's not going to stop him. He gets his check in the mail and waits eagerly for the three-sided album to come out. He isn't in the liner notes and then he can't hear himself in the song. All he can think is that they went in another direction. He finally gets a chance to ask George but he says he can't remember much of making that album. Then George plays a dirty trick on Collins and tells him they found his tracks. He sends him some atrocious bongo playing with George at the end saying can we try it at the top without the bongo player.

Now he's looking for a new band and on a fateful day, he would answer the advertisement for Genesis who were looking for a drummer and a guitarist. Genesis would go through drummers like Spinal Tap, though none went up in spontaneous combustion. Peter Gabriel, Tony Banks, and Mike Rutherford were private school boy chums as were the members of the band that had quit. Now they need someone to take their place. He wins them over and gets the gig and becomes the comic relief in a band where Tony and Peter are often going at each other with Mike playing peacemaker. The guitarist is Steve Hackett.

That lineup would continue for several albums until the fateful Lamb Lies Down on Broadway that didn't do so well when Peter announces that he is leaving the band while they are on tour. He is convinced to stay for the tour, but now Genesis needs to find a new lead singer. Eventually, they'll realize that they have a lead singer with Phil Collins and what they need is a new drummer. Bill Bruford, the former drummer from Yes would drum for them for a year then they'd get Chester Thompson who'd stay with them till the end.

While Genesis is going on Phil reconnects with an old girlfriend who is living in Vancouver and has a daughter, Joley. The two get married and move to England, but the stress of his life of making albums and touring put a strain on their marriage and she cheats on him with the man who is supposed to be helping her fix their house up. Still, he tries to save his marriage as Genesis takes a break so the guys can do their own personal projects. By this time they have a son, Simon and she's moved back to Vancouver, but there's no saving the marriage. He pours his heart out into some songs that would end up on his solo album Face Value, such as "In the Air Tonight", "I Missed Again", "If Leaving Me Was Easy" and one that ended up a single "Against All Odds". But one of the songs on the album was a love song based on his new romance with Jill Tavelman "This Must Be Love". At this time Genesis would put out Duke and will have a real breakthrough with the song "Misunderstanding" that Phil wrote.

Genesis is a juggernaut that keeps going and when Genesis isn't going he is on solo projects or he's doing producing with others such as Eric Clapton and Robert Plant. His marriage is strong and he has a daughter named Lily from it, but not strong enough to withstand him running into a former girlfriend whom he still has feelings for. He has an affair and they make plans to leave their spouses but she backs out and the short-lived affair ends with him writing an album about it, Both Sides. On top of that, he meets a woman with whom he falls in love with in Switzerland named Orianne.

This book also talks about the mistakes made at Live Aid and what happened. Phil Collins was the only person to play at both stadiums in London and Philadelphia during the concert. How Sting told him before going on that he sometimes changes the words to his songs which left Phil who had learned the words to the songs for the concert at a loss and singing the wrong words. And the "Led Zepplin" debacle. At least Eric Clapton went well.

Collins takes you behind the scenes into his life and his songs and his time with Genesis and his time spent with other famous people and his medical problems and his addiction problems. He really puts it out there and holds nothing back. Sadly, this wasn't a well-written book. There were many times I wanted to put it down because of its writing but the stories kept me coming back. In the end, I'm a huge fan of Phil Collins and Genesis and the book was worth reading for that alone. I give this book three and a half stars out of five.

Quotes

People hate a break-up, but they love a break-up song.

-Phil Collins (Not Dead Yet: A Memoir p 186)

But wisdom comes with age, and I now feel I have a master’s degree in divorce and people management. I will come to view my adult life as forty years of negotiation.

-Phil Collins (Not Dead Yet: A Memoir p 220)

"Music made me, but it also unmade me."

A quote from the audiobook I just finushed listening to. I've been a Phil Collins fan and a listener of the later Genesis music.

I liked the book. He has a humorous way of telling his story, not avoiding the parts he looks bad in.
The choices he made caused a lot of his emotional pain, the career he choose a lot of his physical problems.
I would have thought him wiser than to grab a bottle to drown his sorrow, but he's 'only human' like the rest of us.

Interesting and pleasantly read. I enjoyed it!

Phil is one of my all-time favourite composers/singers/drummers. I was a big fan in the 80s. The book got to be a little boring when it became clear that he feels badly for neglecting his wife and children (giving priority to his career) and losing his wife and children, over and over again. Apparently there is indeed a price for success. But Phil makes it seem as though he is surprised by it, each and every time. So, after a while, one stops feeling sorry for him.

Phil Collins. Musical juggernaut, impassioned family man, now memoirist.

He is a household name and multi-hyphenated talent (not to mention a personal favorite of mine). With Not Dead Yet, Collins reveals himself with one part unbridled charisma, one part self-deprecation. He is clearing the air, defending and accepting his mistakes along the way, while sharing the difficulties that come with international successes.

I'm impressed. Not Dead Yet is decidedly better than I expected. Even if partially ghost-written—I honestly have no idea—Phil Collins weaves a concise autobiography complete with all the ups and downs of celebrity. There's hardly a dull moment from beginning to end. Expect him to air his dirty laundry when the topic gets personal, and it gets very personal the farther along you get, but hearing him tell all comes across as a bit disingenuous. Just slightly, as if he's holding something back. Then again, it could be who he is. I've known plenty of self-centered people. The feelings of others aren't their strong suit. He does try though, bless him. Makes me wish I could hear both sides of Phil's story. This is especially true when it pertains to any of his wives. They all sound like nice people until the relationship gets inevitably strained, which always happens. (Weird. Just as I write this, Phil actually utters the words "dirty laundry" so there you go—I'm listening to the audiobook and he's the reader.)

Honestly, it's not all about sex and women. No, that's barely half of it. For the most part Phil Collins was a workaholic. In his own words, he feels he hit 10,000 hours of drumming before he was a teenager. And the 80's, according to him, was a blur of producing and touring. The quality and sheer quantity of his output during his prime years is in a league of its own.

I honestly don't believe one can achieve the kind of international fame Phil Collins has achieved—i.e. a successful singer/musician of two bands, a semi-successful actor and a media personality—without a critical level of narcissism. The two go together, for better or worse. I didn't know the man from his music. I also wasn't a fan until the early 90's and by then the celebrity-obsessed public was long tired of seeing his mug everywhere. Nevertheless, we wouldn't be here discussing this or that about his life if it weren't for his songs. His music (and the music of Genesis) spans decades and is irrevocably fused with the pop culture of the 80's and 90's.½

Not Dead Yet by Phil Collins is a 2016 Crown Archetype publication.

My luck with rock memoirs this year has been lukewarm at best. I’ve been disappointed, or unimpressed or bored to tears for the most part, with only one or two exceptions.

So, being a huge fan of Genesis and Phil Collins, I was a little wary about reading this one, but noticed the book has had a very favorable response from readers, so I decided to give it a try.

Well, this one wins best rock/music memoir of 2016 award from me!

Phil told his story with so much humor and honesty!! This is a very refreshing approach to take with a memoir and Phil is incredibly personable and despite his fame, he seems to have a self-deprecating manner, especially when speaking of his foibles. Only once or twice was there a hint of snark, but it was so light it hardly counted.

My favorite segment of this book was about ‘Live Aid’. This was a crazy adventure for Phil, who participated in both shows, with mixed success. I ended up laughing out loud about some of the absurdities of that day.

Once the nineties rolled around and Phil left Genesis, I lost track of him, except for the scandal involving his divorce from his second wife. But, here in America, I don’t recall it being such a big thing, but, apparently, it was a pretty big deal in the British tabloids. His reputation took a big hit and his career started to slow down during this time as well, which led to a slow downward spiral.

He did, while describing this tumultuous period, did do a little whining, and of course I did not approve of his decisions, but he doesn’t gloss over his misdeeds or make excuses either. He was a cad and he knew it, and owned up to it, for the most part.

I was lucky enough to have attended a Genesis concert, as well one of Phil’s solo performances. Both shows were outstanding and I am thankful I got to experience the wonderful musicianship and talent Phil brought to the table. Reading this novel brought back so some wonderful memories and reminded me of the wealth of material Phil was involved with. I’ve been revisiting a lot of this wonderful music while reading this memoir, and am amazed by the quality of work, the immense talent, and depth much of this music showcases, whether with Genesis or with his solo material.

The details he provided about the physical torment drummers can go through, especially on tour, was riveting. I never imagined the toll it takes on the drummer’s hands and body, and the extreme measure they go through to make it through a tour. Not only that, Phil had to preserve his voice too, which was another struggle altogether.

Phil has led an interesting and colorful life and I so enjoyed hearing him tell this story in his own words, and appreciated his approach to the memoir and his mesmerizing way with words that made me feel as though he were speaking to me directly and personally.

It is sad to hear his health has been so bad recently, and that he’s suffered through a great deal of pain, both physically and emotionally.

However, he’s back now…. Like he never went away.

This is one of the very best memoirs I’ve read, and is an absolute must for Phil’s fans. But, even if you weren’t a huge fan, you will still find his story to be a fascinating read, will enjoy his humor and respect his candor.

5 stars

A fresh look at the story of the Alamo and Texas' War for Independence from Mexico. Collins is an avid collector of artifacts from that era and as he has been such for many years, he is very knowledgeable. Thus he writes well and his enthusiasm shows through and is contagious. I thoroughly enjoyed Collins' narratives on each piece in his vast collection. I look forward to reading subsequent books he may write.
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