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| He first became involved with music when he was six after his father purchased for him a ] drum kit.<ref name="collinskids" /><ref name="bio_interview"> Audioholics. Retrieved 21 July 2013.</ref> Collins would practice drumming by playing to the music albums in his parents' record collection as well as when accompanying his father while on tour with ].<ref name="bio_interview" /> Collins' experiences on tour allowed him to be mentored by his father and by the band's touring drummer, ].<ref name="bio_interview" /><ref name="bio_3"> Modern Drummer. Retrieved 21 July 2013.</ref> Though he had a percussion instructor when he was ten, Collins preferred drumming to artists such as ], ], and ]<nowiki/> over his formal lessons in ].<ref name="bio_interview" /> Simon made his first onstage appearance alongside his father at the age of 12, performing drums on "]."<ref name="timefortruth_busy">{{Cite news|last=Ahearn|first=Victoria|title=Simon Collins has no time to 'Phil': Rocker too busy to play with dad on latest tour: |work=Prince George Citizen|date=19 Oct 2005}}</ref> He also appeared onstage for a performance during the elder Collins' ].<ref name="timefortruth_busy" /> | He first became involved with music when he was six after his father purchased for him a ] drum kit.<ref name="collinskids" /><ref name="bio_interview"> Audioholics. Retrieved 21 July 2013.</ref> Collins would practice drumming by playing to the music albums in his parents' record collection as well as when accompanying his father while on tour with ].<ref name="bio_interview" /> Collins' experiences on tour allowed him to be mentored by his father and by the band's touring drummer, ].<ref name="bio_interview" /><ref name="bio_3"> Modern Drummer. Retrieved 21 July 2013.</ref> Though he had a percussion instructor when he was ten, Collins preferred drumming to artists such as ], ], and ]<nowiki/> over his formal lessons in ].<ref name="bio_interview" /> Simon made his first onstage appearance alongside his father at the age of 12, performing drums on "]."<ref name="timefortruth_busy">{{Cite news|last=Ahearn|first=Victoria|title=Simon Collins has no time to 'Phil': Rocker too busy to play with dad on latest tour: |work=Prince George Citizen|date=19 Oct 2005}}</ref> He also appeared onstage for a performance during the elder Collins' ].<ref name="timefortruth_busy" /> | ||
| In his early teens, Collins learned to play the piano and began to develop his songwriting and singing abilities.<ref name="bio interview" /><ref name="bio_2"> MapleMusic. Retrieved 21 July 2013.</ref> While he exclusively played drums in numerous ] bands beginning at the age of 14, Collins wanted to pursue singing, songwriting, and a more diverse selection of music styles, including ], ], ], ], ], and ].<ref name="debutalbum" /><ref name="bio" /> According to Collins, he did not wish to spend his life "drumming to other people's music."<ref name="debutalbum" /> Before beginning his solo career, Collins was a member of the local punk band Jet Set |
In his early teens, Collins learned to play the piano and began to develop his songwriting and singing abilities.<ref name="bio interview" /><ref name="bio_2"> MapleMusic. Retrieved 21 July 2013.</ref> While he exclusively played drums in numerous ] bands beginning at the age of 14, Collins wanted to pursue singing, songwriting, and a more diverse selection of music styles, including ], ], ], ], ], and ].<ref name="debutalbum" /><ref name="bio" /> According to Collins, he did not wish to spend his life "drumming to other people's music."<ref name="debutalbum" /> Before beginning his solo career, Collins was a member of the local punk band Jet Set.<ref name="debutalbum" /> | ||
| In his late teens, Collins worked part-time as a ] in Vancouver's ] scene.<ref name="simonstruggles" /> This experience culminated in a collaborative project with his sister Joely, a documentary about raves called ''Summer Love''.<ref name="simonstruggles" /> He also developed a passion for ] and social issues during his youth, themes he would later revisit in his music.<ref name="timefortruth_busy" /> | In his late teens, Collins worked part-time as a ] in Vancouver's ] scene.<ref name="simonstruggles" /> This experience culminated in a collaborative project with his sister Joely, a documentary about raves called ''Summer Love''.<ref name="simonstruggles" /> He also developed a passion for ] and social issues during his youth, themes he would later revisit in his music.<ref name="timefortruth_busy" /> | ||
Revision as of 03:35, 15 January 2014
This article is about the British-born musician. For the English footballer, see Simon Collins (footballer).| Simon Collins | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | (1976-09-14) September 14, 1976 (age 48) London, England, UK |
| Origin | Wiltshire, The West, England, UK |
| Genres | Progressive rock, pop, electronic |
| Occupation(s) | Recording artist, producer |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, drums, piano, guitar |
| Years active | 1999–present |
| Labels | Inside Out, Lightyears |
| Website | www |
Simon Philip N. Collins (born September 14, 1976) is a British-Canadian musician and drummer/lead vocalist of the progressive rock band, Sound of Contact. Collins is the son of English drummer and singer Phil Collins and Collins' first wife, Andrea Bertorelli. He is also the younger half-brother of actress Joely Collins. Reviewers have compared his vocals to his father's.
Early life
Born in London, England, Collins moved to Richmond, British Columbia, a suburb or Vancouver with his mother and half-sister when he was eight years old. Collins graduated from Point Grey Secondary School in Vancouver.
He first became involved with music when he was six after his father purchased for him a Tama drum kit. Collins would practice drumming by playing to the music albums in his parents' record collection as well as when accompanying his father while on tour with Genesis. Collins' experiences on tour allowed him to be mentored by his father and by the band's touring drummer, Chester Thompson. Though he had a percussion instructor when he was ten, Collins preferred drumming to artists such as Stewart Copeland, Gavin Harrison, and Keith Moon over his formal lessons in jazz drumming. Simon made his first onstage appearance alongside his father at the age of 12, performing drums on "Easy Lover." He also appeared onstage for a performance during the elder Collins' Seriously, Live! World Tour.
In his early teens, Collins learned to play the piano and began to develop his songwriting and singing abilities. While he exclusively played drums in numerous hard rock bands beginning at the age of 14, Collins wanted to pursue singing, songwriting, and a more diverse selection of music styles, including pop, progressive rock, rock and roll, punk, grunge, and electronica. According to Collins, he did not wish to spend his life "drumming to other people's music." Before beginning his solo career, Collins was a member of the local punk band Jet Set.
In his late teens, Collins worked part-time as a disc jockey in Vancouver's rave scene. This experience culminated in a collaborative project with his sister Joely, a documentary about raves called Summer Love. He also developed a passion for astronomy and social issues during his youth, themes he would later revisit in his music.
Music career
Solo career and collaborations
Following the recording and release of demo tapes in 2000, Collins was contacted and signed by Warner Music. Shortly thereafter, Collins moved from Vancouver to Frankfurt, Germany, where his debut album All of Who You Are was released. The album sold 100,000 copies in Germany with three singles released: "Pride", "Money Maker" and "Shine Through". His father wished to produce the album originally, but the younger Collins declined, claiming "that's too close. People would say he wrote the songs, did everything." Keeping his father's involvement to a minimum, according to him, was "a matter of survival." The album's success has been attributed to the success of his debut single, "Pride." Collins co-wrote the second single, "Shine Through", with Howard Jones. The two met backstage when Collins was 11 years old, prior to his father's appearance on the show, This Is Your Life.
In 2003, Collins ended his relationship with Warner Music and returned to Vancouver to start his own record label, Lightyears Music. That year, he threatened to sue the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and Montreal filmmaker Alan Handel for their inaccurate depiction of him in the documentary, Singing in the Shadow: The Children of Rock Royalty. Two years later, Collins and Lightyears released his second album, Time for Truth. Collins played a variety of instruments on the album in addition to providing the majority of the vocals. During his promotional efforts for the album in Canada, Collins declined being the opening act for his father's "Finally, The First Farewell Tour" in Frankfurt, Germany due to a busy schedule. In 2007, he recorded a cover of Genesis' Abacab track "Keep It Dark", with keyboardist and co-producer Dave Kerzner, as a tribute to Genesis. During production of "Keep it Dark", Collins met Kevin Churko, who mixed and mastered the recording, leading Collins to collaborate with Churko on the production of his third album, U-Catastrophe.
U-Catastrophe, was released in August 2008 on iTunes, becoming his first North American record. The album's first single, "Unconditional", debuted on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart at #30 on September 4, 2008, and peaked at #12 on this chart in November 2008. The single also reached the Canadian Hot 100 the same month. The album featured Kerzner, Kelly Nordstrom, Steve Hackett on "Fast Forward the Future" and Phil Collins on "The Big Bang".
Sound of Contact
In late 2009, Collins approached Kerzner with the idea of forming a new band. Subsequently, the pair contacted their colleagues and writing partners Matt Dorsey and Kelly Nordstrom, and the four began work on a new project at Greenhouse Studios in Vancouver. In December 2012, the band announced their band identity, Sound of Contact, with Collins on lead vocals and drums, Kerzner on keyboards, Dorsey on bass and Nordstrom on guitar. Prior to that, in early 2012, Collins participated with Kerzner in the recording of Steve Hackett's Genesis tribute album, Genesis Revisited II, contributing vocals and keyboard to a cover of "Supper's Ready." Sound of Contact's debut album, Dimensionaut, was released in May 2013, co-produced by Collins and Kerzner.
Discography
Studio albums
- 1999: All of Who You Are
- 2005: Time for Truth
- 2008: U-Catastrophe
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN | US AC | ||||
| 1999 | "Pride" | 41 | — | All of Who You Are | |
| 2000 | "Money Maker" | — | — | ||
| "Shine Through" | — | — | |||
| 2005 | "Man on TV" | — | — | Time for Truth | |
| "Hold On" | — | — | |||
| 2008 | "Unconditional" | 99 | 12 | U-Catastrophe | |
| "Powerless" | — | — | |||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||
Sound of Contact
- 2013: Dimensionaut
With other artists
- 2012: Genesis Revisited II (with Steve Hackett)
External links
References
- ^ Simon Collins' Grand Entrance: On his music, his famous dad and coming out. Xtra. Retrieved November 7, 2008
- ^ Gee, Dana (4 May 1999). "Playing to their own beats: Phil Collins' kids are making their own marks in life: ". The Province.
- The Toledo Blade. Tharp, Bridget. "Sounds: Simon Collins forges his own musical identity". August 16, 2008. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
- ^ Simon Collins Follows His Father Phil Into the Pop Charts. About.com. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
- ^ Gold, Kerry (10 June 2000). "Genesis of a music dynasty: Not Daddy's boy: Simon Collins is determined to make his own name in pop music, despite the baggage of being Phil's son.: ". The Vancouver Sun.
- ^ Bio | Simon Collins Official Website. SimonCollins.com. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
- ^ Quan, Douglas (2 June 2000). "Simon Collins struggles to be more than `son of Phil': Vancouver- raised musician releases debut CD of `Euro-space-pop': ". The Ottawa Citizen.
- ^ Sound of Contact Progressive Rock Band Interview | Audioholics. Audioholics. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
- Simon Collins. Modern Drummer. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
- ^ Ahearn, Victoria (19 Oct 2005). "Simon Collins has no time to 'Phil': Rocker too busy to play with dad on latest tour: ". Prince George Citizen.
- Cite error: The named reference
bio interviewwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Simon Collins Biography. MapleMusic. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
- Simon Collins discography Discogs.com. Retrieved 5 June 2009.
- ^ The Brooks Bulletin. Brown, Rob. "Canadian Simon Collins releases first US album". n.d. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
- "Collins' son threatens to sue CBC filmmaker: ". Nanaimo Daily News. 15 Sep 2003.
- ^ Simon Collins, U-Catastrophe credits. Allmusic. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
- Simon Collins | Awards | AllMusic AllMusic. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
- Sound of Contact biography. Sound of Contact. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
- Steve Hackett, 'Genesis Revisited II' - Album Premiere. Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
- Sound of Contact Signs With InsideOut. Prog Rock Magazine. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
| Phil Collins | |
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| Genesis | |
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| Singles |
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| Other songs | |
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| Related musicians | |
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