Turning It On Again
His former band Sound Of Contact were tipped for great things, but, following a tumultuous few years, vocalist and drummer Simon Collins has decided to go it alone. At least for now. He tells Prog what really happened with SOC and how he found himself on his fourth solo album, Becoming Human.
Words: Polly Glass Portrait: Andy Wright
Take a look at him now: Simon Collins returns against all odds.
One of the first things Prognotices about Simon Collins is the large crop circle tattooed on his arm. He also has a quote from his hero, Carl Sagan (“We are a way for the cosmos to know itself”) and the logo of his old band, Sound Of Contact, but the crop circle is the most striking.
“I got that from the book Planetary Intelligence [by Simeon Hein],” he says, in slightly shy but friendly Canadian tones. “It’s all about decoding crop circles. The one I’ve got on my arm apparently means ‘creation’… could be something completely different, but it looks cool anyway.”
At 44, Phil Collins’ eldest son has experienced his share of Earth-based highs and lows. One could argue that, on some level, this explains his interest in the intangible reaches and nuances of the cosmos.
Not that he struggles for inspiration from this planet. For the last two years Collins has lived in a rural pocket of Ireland, enjoying “a simple life”, spending time with his dogs (a Jack Russell and a dachshund, named Winston and Elmo) and writing songs. “I’m kind of in Middle Earth out here,” he says. “It’s giving me time and space to be creative, work in the studio.”
“I’m still loyal to Genesis. When I get behind a kit I’ll put on Seconds Out and play the entire album.”
Six years ago Collins stepped away from music. Sound Of Contact had fallen apart and old demons had resurfaced, along with a generous helping of life angst, bringing with it the sort of personal and public turmoil he never wanted. Not to mention a disarming dose of writer’s block. It was time to regroup.