I've been a fan of PDC Collins since that heady period of pop music: 1984/85/86. So while he started his career before I was born, had his first solo success before I started high school and didn't have any new solo (or even with Genesis) material till 1988, I joined the 'Phil is God' movement a good way into his esteemed career. Remember 'Separate Lives'? 'Easy Lover'? 'One More Night?' A memorable time in music history - record-breaking, Grammy nominating, airwave-saturated Phil time. Mr Collins does not need to prove anything, he doesn't need to strive for success on the Hot 100, or even leave his house and work anymore - he's been there and done that, and successfully enough to be the master of his own time. But he's still doing it, he's still sharing himself with us. He's not doing it for the fans, although I know he appreciates our fandom, he seems to be doing it for all the right reasons. He enjoys it!

Oh great. Another rave about the magic of Phil Collins. How surprising. At least the media these days seems to be repeating all that was good back in those other popular times - 1975, 1981, 1985, 1988, 1990... That distubingly negative, almost Phil-bashing backlash has subsided in recent years. Disney's Tarzan is helping to turn the tables there. As well as the Big Band music project, innovative solo work and colaborations with other music makers that make Mr Collins a musician's musician. I can't quote you articles and newspaper columns to either support or disprove my theory. I can only give you my take on the man that has meant so much to me and helped to shape my music preferences.

Just ask yourself: Do you own 'No Jacket Required'?

I really got into the Genesis/Phil Collins phenonemum in late 1986. I was 14 and on a limited budget. I received what I thought was a huge sum of money (must've been about $45) and headed to the city to spend my money on music. Up until then I'd been relying on birthday and Christmas presents to complement my cassette collection. (CD's? Whaddaya mean?) I wanted to buy 3 cassettes I knew I'd like - and what better way to judge than by top ten singles? 'Control' by Miss Jackson ('cos I'm nasty) was an easy choice. She really took the charts by storm that year. There were no new Madonna albums to purchase - I already had the first three, and while I loved 'Private Dancer', I couldn't quite commit to 'Break Every Rule' by Tina Turner. Which is funny considering Phil was the fabulous drummer on 'Typical Male'. Two more albums to choose on cassette. 'Invisible Touch' was quickly next. Catchy title track, two sweet ballads with constant airplay and harder-edged but still tuneful songs with interesting videos. What else was happening in '86? Simple Minds? Talking Heads? Whitney? I took a chance on an '83 self-titled album - Genesis. It had my favourite song - 'That's All' - and the local rock station's heavily rotated 'Mama'. How was I to know I'd eventually work my way backwards until I had collected all Genesis albums? Even the ones without Phil on them... :) Then a few years later I'd begin working forwards collecting the CD's? With a few listens I knew. It was unescapable. More Tony, more Mike and way more Phil.

I then had to start saving for the solo albums. The next album I bought is my favourite by default - 'Hello, I Must Be Going'. There was this album and 'Face Value' to choose from and I settled on 'Hello' because I thought it was the first album. Duh, shoulda checked the years! My reasoning was 'You Can't Hurry Love' was older than the lastly 'Miami Vice' released: 'In The Air Tonight'. So there was 'Abacab' and 'Three Sides Live' and 'Duke' and all kinds of great, thoughtful music entering my soul in those early years of my admiration.

I updated my dubbed-from-a-friend-and-missing-most-of-side-two 'No Jacket Required' with the CD and just as my collection was reaching completion - I heard 'A Groovy Kind Of Love' on the radio. I knew that voice! There was no internet for me in those days (fortunately, since I was computer illiterate till late '96) and info on the forthcoming 'Buster' s/t and movie was slow and hard to come by. But the songs did well chartwise and I was in seventh heaven - until '...But Seriously' came out. That was even better - an entire album of new music! Another special album!

I'll skip the blow by blow account of my highs and lows from '..BS' to 'Dance Into The Light' and the discovery of other fans (Genesis Information the fan club and the internet - Sussudio, The West Side) but let me just say it was wonderful. And 'Both Sides' is fantastic. Go buy it. So's the Tarzan s/t and Frauds and Princes Trust concerts and 'We Can't Dance' and PC Big Band, Quincy's Jook Joint, Fourplay, Eric Clapton, Babyface, David Crosby... B-Sides, interviews, Grammys, Brit Awards...

Whaddaya mean workaholic? He gives. That's Phil Collins.