Phil collins biography review

By Roger Crow

Phil Collins appears smug on the cover of his autobiography, Not Dead Yet. As I finish his stunning book, I realise that look is not just pride at his success in the music industry, and other fields, but the fact he’s managed to avoid drinking himself to death.

I was never a fan of early era Genesis, being too young to latch onto their prog rock output.

My knowledge stemmed from their 1980’s work, and Collins’ solo projects.

Phil collins biography review

When Peter Gabriel split from the band to forge his solo career, it was a classic case of ’looking everywhere but under their nose’ for a replacement frontman. Hard to think now that Collins was reluctant to take up centre stage, or that he would be so unsure of success when his post-marriage breakup provided the fuel for debut solo album, Face Value.

The autobiography is a satisfying slab of a book, with a rather nice jacket (required).

Of course, how good it is can either be like climbing a Swiss