Phil Collins Talk

"Front Row Center" to Feature Phil Collins and Others in New Series

PBS offers hi-def concert experiences from a wide variety of musicians and genres.

PBS is launching a new television series, Front Row Center, to showcase musical talents from a wide span of generations and genres. The show is set to debut on April 5, 2012 with T-Bone Burnett Presents: The Secret Sisters with Elvis Costello and Jakob Dylan. In the following weeks, viewers can watch concert performances from Colbie Callait, Richard Marx, The Beach Boys, Cheap Trick and many more.

That "many more" definitely includes, Phil Collins. His show, scheduled on April 19, features his 2010 album, Going Back, and was recorded live at the Roseland Ballroom in Manhattan. Rather than a "best of" performance, the "Going Back" set list is all about classic Motown and soul, which were both big inspirations for Phil Collins in his youth.

I'm looking forward to watching the Front Row Center series, not only because my own musical tastes are rather eclectic, but because the performances have been shot with hi-def technology to make them the best concert experiences you can get from home...excluding, of course, the 3D variety. Each of the 10 shows in the series is an hour long.

PBS has always been about sharing culture with the public, and trying to make every experience special to their viewing audience. I think the lengths they've gone to to provide such a varied, top-notch musical experience in the Front Row Center series is just another example of their commitment to making great art and entertainment available for every individual and family across the nation.

I'm excited that my kids are going to see Phil Collins and the rest of the performers featured on the series. It's cool to be able to share the music I grew up loving with them from the comfort of our own living room.

Phil Collins Fans Get Creative

It doesn't take long to find cool handmade Phil Collins merchandise online.

Phil Collins is a legend in the music industry, and as such has fans everywhere. And while he's not producing more music at this time, his fans still think of him and have used his image, lyrics and albums to create a wide variety of handmade and designed Phil Collins memorabilia.

There are many online shops that sell replicas, t-shirts and other souvenirs, but they just seem to lack that personal flair that Collins' crafty fans have bestowed upon their wares. If you look around at popular sites where crafters and artisans set up their own shops, like Cafepress.com and Etsy.com, a quick search quickly returns some clever Collins products that will make you smile.

One of my favorite Phil finds was a print design available on several types of shirts from tank tops and tees to polos and maternity shirts. The image on these shirts (as shown above) is a cartoon likeness of Collins from the “No Jacket Required” album cover with what appears to be the hand-scrawled letters EZ LVR. Come on! That's just funny, especially in the maternity shirt. Who wouldn't want one? In fact, I've already requested the EZ LVR shirt from my husband, because I'm pretty sure I can't live without it.

But the hand-designed awesome doesn't end on CafePress. If you head over to Etsy, the crafty set have put their own spins on the Phil Collins memorabilia. You can find everything from clocks, coasters, and baskets made from vinyl copies of Phil's records to ornaments, notebooks and journals carefully constructed from record covers. One fan even made a whole line of Valentine's Day cards using titles of Collins' hits. Pretty fun.

As long as Phil Collins has fans, new creations will continue to appear across the Internet, and I look forward to what they think up next.

Phil Collins: The Actor

Phil Collins' talents don't just lie in music, but acting as well.

Phil Collins is best known for his singing and talent on the drums, but he originally set out to be an actor. Long before he was singing “Against All Odds,” he was performing on the stage and big and small screen.

He may have rarely been the star, but he definitely stole the show in some of his classic and occasionally iconic roles. He actually began in 1964 as an extra in A Hard Day’s Night where he played a seated fan as the Beatles sang.

This may have been the bug that got him into music, but it would be many years before he took to the sound stage. He had a few parts in the 1960s, culminating in an uncredited part in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang opposite Dick Van Dyke.

He went off the grid for a while and, I assume, concentrated on his music career, because he didn’t work as an actor again until his music career already made him a star. He had the pleasure of being one of the best characters in Miami Vice as Phil the Shill in 1985.

He caught the acting bug again and started working pretty frequently in the 1980s. He actually starred as the title character in the British movie Buster and as Inspector Good in the Robin Williams' blockbuster Hook.

Collins also showed off his talent for acting as Eddie Papasano in And The Band Played On. After that, he did some voice work and concert footage, but seems to have since retired from acting…for now.

Phil Collins' Strange Alamo Collection

Collins' is so passionate about the Alamo's history and all of his related treasures, he's penned a book, The Alamo and Beyond: a Collector’s Journey

It makes a lot of sense to me that many celebrities are collectors. After all, you have to have deep pockets to collect motorcycles like George Clooney or vintage and rare comic books like Nicolas Cage. A great number of stars have large collections that reflect their personal interests, like Dolly Parton's rare butterflies and Angelina Jolie's antique knives (not surprising—at all).

Every once in a while, what someone collects will surprise you though. Phil Collins has one such collection – Alamo memorabilia. If he was a native to the Lone Star State or had personal ties to the historical battle, it wouldn't strike me as odd. However, Collins is as British as they come, and his fascination began with a Disney movie about Davy Crockett which he saw in his youth.

Since then, the Alamo has been of great interest to him and has spurred an obsession for collecting memorabilia, which includes hundreds of canon balls as well as other artifacts. His whole collection is kept in his home in Switzerland and continues to grow. He says he couldn't even fathom a guess as to the value of his massive Alamo memorabilia collection.

Collins' is so passionate about the Alamo's history and all of his related treasures, he's penned a book, The Alamo and Beyond: a Collector’s Journey. He's been working on the book for quite some time, but he says it's finally complete and is due for release from Statehouse Press in March. No firm date has been given yet, so we'll just have to wait in anticipation.

Phil Collins to Rock High-Def in March

With Phil Collins no longer doing the concert scene, it's highly unlikely that the chance to watch him rock the stage will never present itself again. Still, his music lives on in many videos and random footage from performances of the past.

For die-hard Phil Collins fans around the world, we did get some big news this week. As of march 27^th, fans won't have to scour the net or pop in a dusty VHS tape to get a “Don't Lose My Number” fix. Phil Collins is coming to Blu-ray.

That's right, you'll get to experience Collins' 2004 stage performance of most of his biggest hits in high-def. What more could a fan want, right? Along with its 25-song set list, there is also bonus footage from a 1994 performance, including 13 tracks. Unfortunately, there are some repeats, such as “In The Air Tonight” and “Against All Odds,” but don't expect to them to be boring. The '94 performance is done by the Phil Collins Big Band, so you're likely to hear a “Sussudio” rendition like you've never heard before.

So, if you're looking for the latest and greatest in Phil Collins concert footage, be on the lookout for Phil Collins Live At Montreux 2004 at the end of March. It looks like it'll be the next best thing to seeing the man live on stage. Heck, it might even be better. You won't be surrounded by strangers who could be filming you rocking out to “You'll Be In My Heart” and posting it on YouTube.

Lily Collins: Making a Name for Herself in Film

Not only has Phil Collins rocked the music scene, but he's also fathered a daughter who's making her own way in the entertainment industry. Collins' daughter, Lily, 22 is becoming a real up and comer in the movie industry.

Lily Collins started out doing some hosting and small rolls in TV, but seems to be finding her home on the big screen. Her big break in film came with the part of Collins Tuohy in The Blindside and has since then has been seen in Priest, Abduction and the upcoming Mirror Mirror with famed leading lady, Julia Roberts. She's also scored roles in The English Teacher and The Mortal Instruments, both scheduled for release this year as well.

Besides a promising start in film, she's also been lucky in love. Recently, she just ended a relationship with Twilight hottie Taylor Lautner and has since been seen with Zac Effron. For a girl new to the scene, getting the attentions of these to heartthrobs right off the bat is pretty impressive.

While it must be a strain to claim her own celebrity without having her successful beginning attributed to dear old dad, after seeing her work, it's clear she can hold her own. I think that she's not going to have any trouble making her own name, and in fact, she already is. If her career continues with this momentum, she's definitely going to give daddy a run for his money. And I think that will make him even prouder of her than he already is.

Phil Collins: The Definitive Biography

Did you know there was a Phil Collins biography? I didn't either. But, apparently Phil Collins: The Definitive Biography was published in 1999.

Written by late author, Ray Coleman, the biography delves into the Collins' beginnings as an actor before becoming the famous drummer and front man the world has grown to admire over the past several decades.

Collins' life, both personal and public, is laid out for all to see, from the evolution of his music career to his personal life up to the late 90s. Coleman includes information and stories that he gathered from those closest to the famed artist, his family and friends. It's supposedly not all lollipops and daisies either. Those who've read the book say that Coleman did a good job of sharing the Collins' life from an unbiased perspective, including the not so pleasant stuff.

For a fan like me, it's hard not to want to read the book. I've loved Collins' music since I was a little girl because it's always seemed so personal. He's never been shy about admitting that his music was often inspired by his life behind the scenes, and it would be awesome to get more insight on his inspiration.

It's unfortunate that there isn't a more recent biography or memoir from Phil Collins. I think a lot of his fans are quite curious to hear what he'd have to say about the last decade or so, since so much has changed for him. With his back injury and retirement, many stories have surfaced that he claims are embellishments of the truth, and it would be awesome to hear his tales, motivations, inspirations and explanations from a firsthand perspective.

Phil Collins' Retirement: For Foes or Family?

The world hasn't seen a whole lot of legendary drummer and musician Phil Collins since he announced his retirement in March of 2011. After damage to his spinal cord from 50 years of drumming and stating that he needed to spend more time with his young children, he's done a pretty good job of staying out of the public eye.

There's a lot of speculation that Collins has left the entertainment business because of hard feelings and disenchantment with critics and the industry in general. Articles started popping up all over entertainment media, citing quotes from Collins that lead many, admittedly myself included, to believe that he was leaving music because of bad press and self pity. He came back with a written response confirming that he was indeed quitting the biz to be a dad full time.

I truly hope that his inclination to walk away from music was family motivated and not disgust with critics criticizing and haters hating. I've been a fan of his since I was a child in the 80s, from Genesis to his solo career. His work was creative, catchy and always entertaining. Not to mention, any guy who can bust out a number one hit on the drums while singing lead vocals has my respect. Seriously, I can't listen to the radio and type at the same time.

Anyone who's heard “In the Air Tonight” or seen the video for “Land of Confusion” has to admit that he or she has a little love for Phil Collins. He may be chilling with his kids these days, but he'll have a solid fanbase forever.