In November 1993, just six days before releasing his most vulnerable work to date, Phil Collins sat down with Dini Petty for an interview that strips away the polished veneer of a global superstar. At 42, with over 100 million records sold and the haunting echo of “In the Air Tonight” still defining a decade, Collins was at a crossroads. He was preparing to launch Both Sides—a confessional project recorded entirely alone in his home studio, where he played every instrument himself for the first time. The result was a raw, unfiltered processing of two divorces and the “ghosts that won’t lie down.”
The conversation offers a rare glimpse into the logistical and emotional gymnastics of balancing superstardom with a domestic life in flux. Collins speaks candidly about the “embarrassment” and “guilt” that often accompany massive success, insisting his rise to fame—from Genesis’ accidental frontman to a solo titan—was more about “right place, right time” than destiny. Yet, beneath the modesty is a man meticulously planning a year-long world tour around his four-year-old daughter Lily’s school schedule, revealing the “second family” lessons he learned from the wreckage of his first marriage.
What makes this archived broadcast—unseen since its original 1993 airing—so poignant is the contrast it provides to his later years. Long before the health challenges that led to his 2022 retirement, we see a Collins who is creatively peak, fueled by late-night inspirations like Harry Connick Jr. and the courage to keep raw demos on final cuts because “the polished version couldn’t capture the feeling.” This is Phil Collins in his prime: an actor, drummer, and producer who remained, at his core, a songwriter trying to make sense of the bridges that refused to burn.
Episodes Available for Licensing
Found 4 episodes
Search: "Phil Collins"