Phil Collins’ ex-wife breaks her silence 35 years after split that inspired hit ‘In The Air Tonight’ to deny that she ran away with the decorator… and says he’s still cashing in on that false version of their separation
During the four decades that Phil Collins has been one of the world’s most successful musicians, certain stories have become synonymous with his name. They’re part of his legend, contributing to the perception of him as an ordinary, down-to-earth bloke; sometimes insensitive, but always honest.
Perhaps the first to spring to mind is the dumping of his second wife, Jill, by fax. But long before that less-than-edifying incident came the one that laid the foundation for his solo career away from his band, Genesis.
It was the breakdown of his first marriage in 1980, which provided the theme for his first major solo hit, In The Air Tonight, and many others like it.
The song was written, so the story goes, after his first wife left him for a painter and decorator; a fact underlined by his infamous appearance on Top Of The Pops, where he placed a pot of paint on his piano.
His heartbreak was the inspiration for his first two solo albums, setting him on the path that would lead to sales of 150 million worldwide and an estimated fortune of £115 million.
But all this time, the other person at the centre of the drama – his first wife Andrea – has listened in distress as her name has been sullied. In the face of his fame, she has never given her side of the story.
Leave a Reply