Phil Collins was a creative force from the minute he could walk. Although fans of his successful solo work and previous stuff with Genesis would remember Collins as a drummer and lyricist, he also had a dramatic streak. The singer is best known for his roles in the classic films Miami Vice, Buster, and Hook, but as a child, he was a major force in the theater.
Collins, then 13, was selected as the Artful Dodger in two West End productions of the musical Oliver in 1964. The aspiring young actor earned £15 per week and described his early role as “the best part for a kid in all of London” in a 1986 interview with Playboy. Collins sadly numbered his days as the Artful Dodger; in his last performance, he whispered due to his failing voice.
In 1964, before Oliver, Collins appeared uncredited in The Beatles’ film A Hard Day’s Night. He appeared in the classic film as part of a swarm of shouting teens during the TV concert segment. Collins’ hard work, sadly, ended up on the cutting room floor.
Collins, an enthusiastic Beatles fan, pursued his musical goals unabated. Genesis, like many of their prog-rock contemporaries, drew inspiration for their early work from the band’s psychedelic-era records. Originally led by founding frontman Peter Gabriel, Collins began to assert his creative whim after Gabriel’s departure in 1975.
Aside from his drumming abilities, the 19-year-old auditionee may have appealed to Genesis in 1970 due to his previous association with The Beatles. He joined the cast of A Hard Day’s Night in 1964. Additionally, he played congas on ‘Art of Dying,’ a psychedelic piece from George Harrison’s first post-Beatles solo album.
The ‘Art of Dying‘ session took place in May 1970 at Abbey Road Studios. At the time, Collins played drums for a band called The Herd but joined Genesis within three months. Phil Spector, Harrison’s producer, presided over the session and supposedly had Collins play for 90 minutes until his hands blistered.
The absence of his name in the liner notes disappointed Collins. The final mix released in November 1970 unfortunately saw the removal of his conga recordings. Harrison finally acknowledged his work in the liner notes of the 2001 remastered edition of All Things Must Pass. Collins mentioned this in his 2016 autobiography.
Listen to ‘The Art of Dying‘ by George Harrison below.
