Phil Collins has been active in the music industry for nearly 50 years, since 1963. He has collaborated with different names and embarked on solo projects, but he is best known for his tenure with Genesis. Collins was the band’s drummer between 1970 and 1996, although he occasionally took some breaks for solo projects. He also played percussion and was a backing vocalist in various tracks.
The musician contributed to Genesis’ commercial breakthrough with the release of ‘Nursery Cryme’ in 1971 and was the lead vocalist of ‘For Absent Friends,’ featured in the same album. Phil Collins significantly impacted the rock scene both as a band member and solo artist in the 1980s and 1990s. Unfortunately, Collins began experiencing various problems in the early 2000s.
Although he loved performing, he struggled with health issues and went through the worst period of his life. In 2011, he announced that he would retire from music for personal reasons, and this break lasted until 2015. When he made the comeback announcement, some fans wanted to dissuade him from this decision.
What Was Listeners’ Reaction To Phil’s Comeback?
While one might think a comeback after four years would excite fans, some listeners didn’t seem too happy with the decision. Some even started a petition to prevent him from returning to music. This campaign was initiated right after Phil Collins’ interview with Rolling Stones in 2015, during which he announced that he was returning to music.
In the conversation, Collins exclaimed that he was no longer ‘officially retired’ and that he was working on a solo project in preparation for a comeback tour. He also said that he did not want to start a very long tour but still wished to hold concerts in the stadiums in Australia and the Far East. When asked if he had plans for a reunion with the band Genesis, with which he parted ways in 1996, The musician replied that he wanted to prioritize solo projects.
Collins announced his return to music as follows:
“I don’t think I want a very long tour. But I would like to play the stadiums in Australia and the Far East, and that’s the only way to do that. But there’s a part of me that just wants to do theaters, so we’ll see.
Let’s start with this [solo] bit first. I love the guys. I would just prefer to do this first. For now, let’s just see how this goes.”
In the petition that started after the musician’s announcement, which 4.270 people signed, fans asked Phil Collins to change his mind and continue focusing on his personal life because he could no longer perform live. They mockingly said there is already too much suffering in the world and insinuated that watching Collins live on stage would be torturous.
Here’s what the petition asked:
“Phil Collins has announced he is ‘no longer in retirement.’ There is far too much suffering in the world as it is. This must be stopped.”
Although some listeners tried to prevent Collins’ return to music, they were not successful. The fan who started the petition later announced that it was a joke and a farcical jest and stressed that they were not serious. Phil has continued both his solo performances and other collaborations since his comeback in 2015. Recently, he got on stage with Genesis for their final tour, ‘The Last Domino,’ which started in September 2021 and ended on March 26, 2022.
