Phil Collins: The Definitive Biography

It's very difficult to find any books on Phil Collins, so when I found this I ordered it immediately. Great service. The book arrived in a timely manner and was in excellent condition.

Though the late biographer Ray Coleman is very passionate about music and what drives a person, I'd say there was a bigger emphasis on Phil's romantic life than anything else. I can understand why, because Phil's solo stuff is all about relationships, but I still think it is a smidge of a shame. I would have liked to know more about Phil's thoughts on the drum sound he helped cultivate on Peter Gabriel's song "Intruder", for instance, and what Phil thinks about drum machines, and more about what he thinks about his fellow musicians, among other things. I understand why it doesn't, a snippet from his son Simon Collins, suggests he likes to keep these sorts of things to himself (at least, he did at the time). But still... That's not to say this isn't a worthwhile book. It was revealing, at least for me, to discover more precisely what influenced his relationship songs, and to read about the reactions of both the press and his first wife to these songs. Also, before this book, I hadn't really read much about his early days at performance school and his days in his first band "Flaming Youth". Here there is a fair amount of information on both, plus first hand accounts from people who knew Phil then, including his Mum. All sorts of people are interviewed throughout the book, (by Ray Coleman himself) including most of the major love interests in Phil's life, bandmates like Peter Gabriel (from Genesis) and Bill Bruford (from Brand X), Pattie Clapton (wive of Phil's "best friend" Eric Clapton), and his children from his first marriage. I really appreciate the first hand accounts, makes the book more lively. It's a great effort, especially from a biographer who was battling cancer at the time. In giving the book 4 stars, maybe I'm just being a tad too picky. According to Ray Coleman's account, Phil appears to be a very hard working man, who, though he has many friends in show business, keeps people at a professional distance. He can be a bit of a control freak in the studio, and at times has something of a temper, though in Genesis it appeared he avoided those kind of confrontations. I think I might know a bit too much about Phil Collins' personal life now, actually.

This was such a great book and I know that any Phil Collins fan would enjoy reading it as much as I did. It shows Phil as a real person, even though we all look up to him in awe because of his great artistic talents. I know that after reading this book, I still feel the same way I did about Phil. That is, if someone asked me, Dalia, if you could meet anyone, I mean anyone and just spend the evening chatting, who would it be? My answer would still be Phil Collins,of course! I write poetry and would love to make them into songs and would love Phils' advice and maybe he could give me some pointers. The one thing that suprised me though, was what his mom said about his current wife, Orianne. "I hope she doesn't change, and if she does, I hope I'm not around to pick up the pieces." Phil is a big boy and his choices in his life, were his choices, some good, some bad and maybe he just grew apart from his first wife and his second wife lived too much for him and never developed any interest outside their marriage. But Orianne and Phil, I wish you the best and hope for you two, a long life together.

After being a fan of Phil Collins for many years I was pleased to discover the biography of this highly talented man. The book delved into his personal and public life in a very thorough manner and unveiled many personal and professional qualities of Phil, from his upbringing, through his times with Genesis, the birth of his controversional solo career through to the current day. I was enthralled by the very precise way in which all aspects of his life were covered especially that of his marriages, his relationships with his wives, children, & co-workers and his dedication to his art. This book gave me great insight into what has made Phil the astute performer and person that he is today. Not all of the aspects of the biography were in Phil's favour (for example,incidences where he revealed his fiery temperament) but I credit the author for this as it allows for the reader to gain his own insight and opinion on who the real Phil Collins is as a person. This biography enlightened me on the life and times of a wonderful person who is a credit to the music industry, a dedicated man who revealed his most personal life to his fans through his art. I believe that this is a must read for any Phil Collins fan. It is not one sided, nor does it intend to influence your opinion. Read it for yourself, allow yourself the oppurtunity to learn more on this remarkable man.

I've been a Phil Collins fan since 1973, so I know a little bit about the man. This book has filled in the missing details, the things I wanted to know. I always wondered who the baby was that he had with him in London in 1974, and later that same year in New York. Back then, he worked all the time, constantly perfecting his craft. I wondered how that lifestyle affected the mother and the child, since he wasn't home much. This book opened the door and exposed that part of his life. Without being positive or negative, the author presented the facts. I was fortunate to see Phil perform with his son, and I have often wondered what their relationship was like. This book provided some insight into that relationship and many others. This book is a must-read for any Phil Collins fan.