Why Phil Collins Didn't Want to Become Genesis' Lead Singer

In 1975, Genesis went through one of rock’s most famous lead singer changes when Peter Gabriel left the group and was replaced by Phil Collins.

Collins, who had been the band’s drummer since 1970, eventually led Genesis to massive commercial success. Still, guitarist Steve Hackett recently revealed that the drummer was very resistant about becoming the band’s frontman.

“Phil, at that time, very much wanted to be a drummer,” Hackett explained during a recent appearance on the Word in Your Ear podcast. “Now this might sound strange, because he'd been on stage playing the part of the Artful Dodger in Oliver. And so, Phil arrived with, he was a star. He arrived with all these girlfriends and a fur coat and everything. But then he said, ‘I don't want to be a singer.’ He said, ‘I want to be a drummer because that's a more respectable gig.’ Of course, history would tell a different story.”

Though Collins sang harmonies on Genesis' tunes, Hackett said he very rarely drew much attention to his vocal abilities. Still, when the drummer did sing, the talent was undeniable.

“He happened to be singing one day in the van, when we were pulling out for petrol,” Hackett remembered. “I said, ‘You've got a really good voice. You sound a bit like Steve Winwood.’ And he said, ‘Oh, do you think so?’ And I think gradually, it came – the confidence.”

Genesis Auditioned Outside Singers Before Giving Phil Collins the Job

Collins wasn’t the first choice to replace Gabriel. In fact, Genesis exhausted many options before landing on their future frontman.

“We auditioned a number of people,” Hackett noted. “And I think Phil got frustrated one night and we were actually in Trident [Studios] recording backing tracks for an album that had no lead singer. And he said, ‘Let me have a go.’”

At that moment, one of Genesis’ record label executives happened to be within earshot.

“Tony Stratton Smith, who was Charisma’s label boss, stuck his head around the corner and heard a few bars that [Collins had] sung,” Hackett recalled. “He said, ‘Sounds like you've found your lead singer, chaps. So I'll be off.’ And so the deal was done very, very quickly.”

Interestingly, a different prog rock icon had separately campaigned for Collins to take over as Genesis’ singer.

“I met Jon Anderson for the first time, of Yes, at Phil's first wedding,” Hackett recalled. “And he said, ‘Why don't you make Phil the lead singer and get in another lead instrumentalist and get another drummer?’ And I said, ‘Yeah, I would. I'm not sure if the other guys will go for that.’ But then luckily, I think we all made the right choice collectively after that. And Phil was brilliant, of course.”