“Not Dead Yet”. Not dead yet ! It is with a sense of humor, british, Phil Collins, announced this Monday in London – the city where he grew up – his return on stage and the release of his autobiography. It was announced a few years ago to take his retirement, but his children have finally convinced him.
Eleven years after his last solo tour, it was a nice walk with a cane, do not refuse a good glass of wine, it will prepare for almost 66 years to lead a mini-tour of three weeks in June next year in three european cities important in his career, London, Cologne and Paris. He wants to do five concerts in Bercy. The first, on 18 and 19 June, will be on pre-sale on Wednesday and sold on Friday. Meeting with the most normal rock stars.
You go on stage !
Yes, I made the decision a few months ago and I’m happy I can finally announce it. I was waiting for the right time, the release of this book that allows you to turn the page.
A new career begin ?
For the moment, we are going to make a few concerts in Europe. And we will see what this gives. What is certain, is that I don’t want to throw myself in long and exhausting tours.
Title your book and your tour, “Not Dead Yet”. It is swollen, is it not ?
But it’s true (he laughs). And it is also true that I nearly died. It was greatly talked about my health problems in recent years (editor’s NOTE : partial hearing loss in his right ear, his left hand paralyzed, back to a pulp) and it is a way to move on to something else. All is well now.
Where and how many times will you play in Paris ?
I want to make five nights at Bercy… If I can (smiling). Two hours per evening, it will be good. A program that covers my entire career. We will work it out.
With songs of Genesis ?
It seeks a balance between the tubes that the people want to hear, my songs solo favourite, and those of Genesis. We had already played “Invisible Touch” at the “First Farewell Tour” in 2005. But let’s keep the surprise.
You will play the piano and to the battery ?
I’ll sing and for the rest… I have seven months to prepare myself physically. It would be nice to play a few songs at the piano, others to the battery. My hand is better now than it was a few years ago, I can probably do dadadadada (he taps on the table at a pace simple).
Why go up on stage ?
For my children. And because I’ve had three successful experiences at charity concerts this year. Nicholas, my son, will accompany me on stage. 15 years ago, it is already a fantastic drummer, much better than me at his age. As I say in the book, a stamp of a billion would not have caused me back on the road with Genesis. But playing with my son, yes.
In your book, you want to not to have managed to reconcile family life and the life of a rockstar, always on tour and in the studio.
Three marriages, three divorces, I’m not proud of it. I started in 2010 to write this book after having finished another on the Alamo, a subject that fascinates me and for which I’ll open a museum. I wanted to tell the story of my early years but then I fell into the alcohol… I have taken someone to help me finish the story. Tell without a shadow a part of my life less glorious and then again happy. Because I am again with my wife and my children, we are living together in Miami. And there will be no sequel to this book.
You also want to clarify things about Genesis.
I don’t know if we rejouerons a day together, but I realized in writing how much we had a very special relationship in the trio. And I also wanted to say that there has always been friendship with Peter Gabriel, contrary to what I often read.
You have written so that you can understand.
Certainly. A critical point of view, I feel that I have been under-estimated. My work has often been misunderstood. I’m not a tube machine, I worked a lot in improvisation. It is for this reason that I spoke of my work with Eric Clapton, Sting, the jazz big band that I had assembled with Quincy Jones and Tony Bennett… And I wanted to explain to me on certain events, like when I played at Live Aid with Led Zeppelin and that I was accused of having scuttled their return… But, it is okay. Like Elton John, Eric Calpton, I arrived at an advanced age, which gives me great freedom, because people trust me, believe what I say.
Have you started to compose ?
Not really. This book took me almost all of my time. And I don’t want to be too busy, or even overwhelmed, as I have been in the past. But now that the book is finished, I take the time to play the drums in my garage, to write in the studio that I have installed at home, play a bit of piano and see what it gives. I have a lot of old songs which.
Enough to make an album ?
I haven’t released it original for so long (editor’s NOTE : “Testify” in 2002)… I am very expected, so I have to do something very special. If this is not the case, everyone will be disappointed. One song at a time (he thinks) It was in my pocket a song, that I’ve had for several years, and that I like a lot. This can be a starting point.
In your book, you do not close the door to a collaboration with Adele ?
Yes, we had met in a London hotel, she had left me a song to listen to and work, and then she was gone. She sent me an e-mail, she had just had a baby… But it is a female singer and a wonderful woman, an English like me, making fun of the celebrity, isn’t afraid to swear. If she calls me one day, I’ll be there. The moral of your story is that the celebrity does not have self-confident. No. And I never will be.
No comments:
Post a Comment