Nice Guy Goes Out On Top

As a morning radio announcer at a "light rock" station, I've heard plenty my share of songs by Phil Collins. This morning a listener called for something new from Phil. I couldn't think of anything. Thanks to Google, I know why. Phil is calling it a career. Talk about a guy who has "been there, done that."  In 1970 he answered an ad in a music magazine for a drummer for an up and coming band called Genesis. He would stay there for the next 26 years, leaving to launch a solo career in 1996. I had a chance to interview him back in the late 90's during his tour stop in Grand Rapids. Nice guy. Little guy. Good sense of humor. He became deaf in one ear after a viral infection 11 years ago, and in 2009 underwent surgery after dislocating several vertebrae in his neck, rendering him unable to play drums. If you have to go, it would be nice to do it Phil's way. His 2010 album Going Back, consisting of covers of Motown hits, reached #1 just two weeks after its release.