After 60 proper legends of pop (OK, you may have thought that some were a bit iffy), it is now time for my Top 20 Leg Ends of pop. These are those groups or artists that have had hits and sold well, but by no means a favourite of mine.
I do know that some of you will really like these, as there is no accounting for taste.
Now, SB does not like the use of profanity in the articles (comments fine, not articles), therefore if I say, for example, “Clut” I mean that well known GP word which is a sign of endearment, and if I say the word “Fluff” it is a well know word beginning with F, four letters, last letter a K, 2nd letter a U and just in case there is doubt, the 3rd letter is a C. The use of the word “Sausage” means that four letter word for when evacuating the bowels.
H/T to Brett of this parish, who very kindly sent me his play list of dire, dreadful, suicidal and basically fluffing songs generally done by right Cluts which are all pretty Sausage.
So, on we go with the 3rd on my worst list: – Phil Collins, a hero of the site, so I know this one will go down well. In all fairness, I disliked the band Genesis, whether he was the lead singer or not. However, in the 1980’s, as a solo performer, much of his music work I rather liked. Married 3 times, bit of an alchy, but generally an all round decent enough bloke. He was often misquoted about his politics, but basically left the UK to avoid paying the extortionate Labour government taxes had at the time for high earners.
He earns his place on the Leg Ends series for his time in Genesis and his awful acting and of course because he was on the radio every second record during the early 80’s.
Philip David Charles Collins LVO (born 30 January 1951) is an English singer, musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and lead singer of the rock band Genesis and also has a career as a solo performer. Between 1982 and 1990, Collins achieved three UK and seven US number-one singles as a solo artist. When his work with Genesis, his work with other artists, as well as his solo career is totalled, he had more US top 40 singles than any other artist during the 1980s. His most successful singles from the period include “In the Air Tonight“, “Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)“, “One More Night“, and “Another Day in Paradise“.
Born and raised in west London, Collins played drums from the age of five and completed drama school training, which secured him various roles as a child actor, with his first major role, aged 13, as the Artful Dodger in the West End musical Oliver!. He then pursued a music career, joining Genesis in 1970 as their drummer and becoming lead singer in 1975 following the departure of Peter Gabriel. Collins began a successful solo career in the 1980s, initially inspired by his marital breakdown and love of soul music, releasing the albums Face Value (1981), Hello, I Must Be Going (1982), No Jacket Required (1985) and …But Seriously (1989). Collins became, in the words of AllMusic, “one of the most successful pop and adult contemporary singers of the ’80s and beyond”. He also became known for a distinctive gated reverb drum sound on many of his recordings. In 1985, he was the only artist to perform at both Live Aid concerts. He also resumed his acting career, appearing in Miami Vice and subsequently starring in the film Buster (1988). In 1996, Collins left Genesis to focus on solo work; this included writing songs for Disney’s Tarzan (1999) for which he received an Oscar for Best Original Song for “You’ll Be in My Heart“. He re-joined Genesis for their Turn It On Again Tour in 2007. Following a five-year retirement to focus on his family life, Collins released an autobiography in 2016 and completed his Not Dead Yet Tour in 2019. He then re-joined Genesis in 2020 for a second reunion tour, ending in March 2022. Collins’s discography includes eight studio albums that have sold 33.5 million certified units in the US and an estimated 150 million records sold worldwide, making him one of the world’s best-selling artists. He is one of only three recording artists, along with Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson, who have sold over 100 million records both as solo artists and separately as principal members of a band. He has won eight Grammy Awards, six Brit Awards (winning Best British Male Artist three times), two Golden Globe Awards, one Academy Award, and a Disney Legend Award. He was awarded six Ivor Novello Awards from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors, including the International Achievement Award. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1999, and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Genesis in 2010. He has also been recognised by music publications with induction into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 2012, and the Classic Drummer Hall of Fame in 2013.
The featured track “In the Air Tonight“, I rather like. Saw his act, on his own, on the stage just singing, then does a great drum session.
Phil Collins – I Missed Again – Live in Paris 2004, good tune.
Phil Collins Against All Odds– Live At Qudos Arena Sydney 22/01/19. This is where he goes on stage and has to perform in a chair. Proper trooper.
Phil Collins – Easy Lover – Not one of my favourite tracks, but I always singalong for some reason.
Sussudio – No link, least said soonest mended.
Phil Collins – One More Night (No Ticket Required) Live!
Phil Collins – “Two hearts” (Finally… The First Farewell Tour 2004). That Motown beat, love it.
A track I have always enjoyed is Phil Collins – You Can’t Hurry Love (Official Music Video). Probably as I liked the original by The Supremes.
He has quite a huge back catalogue of hits, I am sure you will find some you enjoy.
Singalong, enjoy and be happy!
Links to previous Legend and Leg End articles:
Featured image: “Vintage Vinyl LP Record Album – No Jacket Required Record Album By Phil Collins, Catalog Number 81240-1-E, Electronic-Pop Genre, Atlantic Records, 1985” by France1978 is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 
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© Phil the ex test manager 2023
