Singer Phil Collins Announces Retirement

LONDON -- British singer and drummer Phil Collins has used his personal website to announce his retirement in a bid to clarify recent speculation over his career.

In a post titled "Breaking News," the London-born multiple Grammy award winner said he wanted to explain his reasons "for calling it a day" in response to articles claiming he was quitting the music business.

"Many of the articles printed over the last few months have ended up painting a picture of me that is more than a little distorted," Collins, 60, explained in the message posted Monday.

He said he is stopping music so he can be a full time father to his two young sons "on a daily basis" – not because of bad reviews, bad press or because he doesn't "feel loved."

Speculation about a possible last act for Collins was sparked by an interview in April's issue of FHM magazine in which the former Genesis drummer and frontman said "it feels like a good time to stop for awhile."

Contradictory articles soon followed, some focusing on health problems, detailed in the FHM article as a reason behind a possible retirement or break from music.

An article in the Daily Mail said a Texas clairvoyant had lead Collins to believe he is the reincarnation of an Alamo survivor. It reported that since 2007 an interest in the 1836 battle – where 1,500 Mexican troops lay siege to 200 Texans – had slowly taken over his life.

Collins has sold an estimated 100 million albums as a solo artist, but he told FHM he looks at events like the MTV Music Awards and says he "can't be in the same business as this."

"I don't really belong to that world and I don't think anyone's going to miss me," he told the magazine.

In his website post, Collins said it's "a mystery" why the recent articles about his career were printed, suggesting that some of his comments were taken out of context.

He said some of the articles had portrayed him as a "tormented weirdo," but reassured fans there was "no need for the straitjacket."

The 60-year-old singer of hits like "Groovy Kind of Love," "In the Air Tonight," "Another Day In Paradise," "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)," and "Separate Lives" with Marilyn Martin, has also won an Academy Award for his soundtrack to the film "Tarzan." His album "No Jacket Required" won a Grammy for album of the year in 1985.

Comments

[newplasticmachine]

05:06 PM on 03/13/2011

There's music and then there's the music business... retiring from the music business is mostly an honorable thing. Plus the guy has been in it for 40+ years, sure he shouldn't have won that Oscar over Aimee Man, but whether you like his music or not, the guy has an amazing legacy. Genesis, Brand X, his contributions to Before and After Science... when I'm 60, I'd love to look back on a part of any one of these things and call it my own.

[GirlInNYC]

02:12 AM on 03/10/2011

I thought he retired when MTV stopped playing music videos...in the '80s.

[Denicio]

04:31 PM on 03/09/2011

...I wandered lonely as a cloud.......

To me this saddens me as to a refelction of the current musical generation (using the word Musical lightly) and what is popular. Never like much of Phil's solo stuff, but any cat knows he's got talent.
Only a few bands have a stitch of talent these days. Coheed (like them or not) can play their arses off.

[nermz345]

01:44 PM on 03/09/2011

Love Phil Collins! Solo work and his time with Genesis. and before i get pelted with rocks by those that didn't like his solo work. being an 80's baby, that is what i what i head growing up. sorry, but that's my reason.

[nermz345]

01:46 PM on 03/09/2011

delete the extra "what i"
head = heard

[Billyguitar]

01:44 PM on 03/09/2011

It must be just his choice to retire. I'm sure he can still play well and could work with most anyone he wants. I'm sure he's not out of musical ideas but his later solo work does make me wonder.

[Goliadkin]

01:41 PM on 03/09/2011

Not a moment too late!

[ButterTub]

01:32 PM on 03/09/2011

Su-su-so long. Talent yes, but time to hang it up.

[MisteRational]

01:24 PM on 03/09/2011

I have to agree with Pailface. Phil Collins was a phenomenally gifted drummer but I lost all respect for him when he proceeded to devote his musical career to absolute dreck and schlocky remakes of Motown songs none the less! In his day, the work he did as a drummer for Genesis and his studio work was among some of the best.
He will not be missed for the pablum he spewed out as a"solo artist" but he was already missed a long time ago for his departure from being a serious musician. So...good bye Phil. Maybe you wil have time to think about being a serious musician agian.

[Pailface]

03:25 PM on 03/09/2011

Thanks!

[Pailface]

12:09 PM on 03/09/2011

No matter what you might say about his solo career (that is what some people might say about his songs being cheesy…), he was one of the GREATEST ROCK DRUMMERS of all time!

Here’s my top 5 rock drummers of all time:
1) John Bonham
2) Neil Peart
3) Phil Collins
4) Keith Moon
5) Ringo Starr

Seeing Genesis back in the late 70’s/early 80’s was always a highlight for me. Genesis, Pink Floyd, Yes, King Crimson… I must be getting old, I remember a time when musicianship actually mattered in music…

[NoahVail]

02:34 PM on 03/09/2011

You're kidding about Ringo, right?

I would love to spend some more time in the Court of the Crimson King...

[Pailface]

03:24 PM on 03/09/2011

No I'm not. Listen to his drumming and tell me he's not a musician...

He played what the song required, not a bunch musical masturbation like so many musicians today. Notes for the sake of notes are worthless, the notes and beats need to be in the right place and Ringo was always in the right place.

Are there flashier and better technical drummers than Ringo? Without question there are and we could go on and start listing them here, but for my money when THE SONG counted there are few better drummers than Ringo Starr in my mind.

I love Ringo’s drumming, it brings me to a happy place…

[notgibbyhaynes]

11:35 AM on 03/09/2011

alamo survivor? i guess that makes this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_61hzuGGJX0 a little less ridiculous/borderline racist.

"no straightjacket required"

BTW, is retired another way of saying irrelevant for a quarter century?

[builderman55]

11:08 AM on 03/09/2011

Gonna say it again: I saw Phil Collins as a major talent, both with Genesis and his solo work. Never understood why he attracted such opprobrium from some people. He will be missed...

[quorthon]

11:06 AM on 03/09/2011

All of his work with Genesis up to Abacab was great, and his drumming on Peter Gabriel's solo projects was really innovative (i.e. no cymbals or hi-hats, echo and noise gate on the snares). As for his own solo material, well, to quote Lumbergh from Office Space: "Um...yeah..."

[jodylynne]

10:52 AM on 03/09/2011

Speaking as a 23 year old, I think it's so sad that music of today is popularized by the likes of Justin Bieber, Lil Wayne, Katy Perry, etc. I can't even remember the last time I watched MTV...maybe when I was 12? I don't even know half of the singers and bands out there these days. It makes the real artists--the talented musicians--like Phil Collins feel like the music world is slipping away. The respected artists such as himself are getting kicked to the curb and thought of as "old music." Esperanza Spalding...a FABULOUS musician winning the Grammy for Best New Artist, and teens are upset because Justin Bieber, with his 4 note and 1 key songs, didn't win. The majority of music society just doesn't recognize good music anymore.
/end rant
We still love you, Phil!!

[Suresp77]

12:12 PM on 03/09/2011

well said, always liked Phil, play his stuff at home quite a bit!

[60s Dem]

10:44 AM on 03/09/2011

Frankly, it's too bad he didn't retire BEFORE he recorded "Sussudio". So, file this under the "Twenty Years Too Late" category.

[connorin]

10:43 AM on 03/09/2011

But Seriously... (pun intented)...

Who doesn't do this when In The Air Tonight plays on the radio:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TbnXqhHJkk

[jodylynne]

11:00 AM on 03/09/2011

I'm pretty guilty of the air drums...