Phil Collins has thanked his kids for giving him the confidence to make music again.
Phil Collins
The 64-year-old musician is making a comeback after spending the last 10 years in semi-retirement due to a dislocated vertebrae in his neck and problems with alcoholism.
Phil - who is now sober and in much better health - was urged by his two sons Matthew and Nicholas to write fresh songs and he finally succumbed to their request.
Speaking about moving back to Miami to be near his ex-wife Orianne Cevey - who became paralysed due to Brown-Séquard syndrome - and his boys, he said: "I'm with the kids, getting up at 6.30am each morning to take them to school. They want me to write songs and play shows so they can tell their friends about it, so I've bought myself a piano. And I'm easily flattered. I went on a British Airways flight recently and everyone was pleased to see me, and I thought, 'This is great.' "
Phil also admits he lost faith in his talents as a singer and a songwriter due to the negative reaction to his tracks from his pop peers and critics.
But when he discovered his songs are very well-respected in the rap community by artists like Pharrell Williams and Ice-T he rediscovered his musical mojo.
Recalling watching a documentary on Ice-T, the former Genesis star said: "A journalist was looking through his record collection. He pulled out one of my albums, and said in a disparaging voice, 'Phil Collins?' And Ice-T said, 'Hey, don't mess with my Phil.' I thought, 'My God, has anyone else seen this?' It felt good to be respected in that community. People like Pharrell saying I'm an influence certainly helped me."
Phil has remastered all eight of his solo albums - which are being re-released by Warner Music Group - and is expected to release a new LP and go on tour later this year.
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