Introduction
Phil Collins on The Tomorrow Show with Tom Snyder – August 3, 1981: A Snapshot of a Star in Transition
On August 3rd, 1981, Phil Collins made a memorable appearance on The Tomorrow Show with Tom Snyder, giving American audiences a rare, intimate look at a musician in the midst of a profound creative evolution. Fresh off the success of his debut solo album Face Value, Collins sat down with Snyder for an interview that was both revealing and refreshingly candid.
At the time, Collins was still best known as the drummer—and increasingly, the lead vocalist—for Genesis, but his solo career was quickly gaining momentum thanks to the breakout hit “In the Air Tonight.” The haunting track, marked by its iconic gated drum sound and raw emotional delivery, had taken radio and MTV by storm, prompting curiosity about the man behind the music.
A Different Kind of Rock Star
Tom Snyder’s interviewing style—casual, probing, and slightly offbeat—was the perfect match for Collins’ dry wit and thoughtful demeanor. Throughout the interview, Phil discussed the emotional backdrop of Face Value, revealing how his divorce and personal heartbreak shaped much of the album’s lyrical content.
“I wasn’t writing for a record,” Collins explained. “I was writing to get it out of my system.”
Snyder seemed genuinely surprised by the album’s emotional intensity, particularly given Collins’ reputation as a drummer rather than a frontman. Collins acknowledged the shift, noting that he didn’t initially intend to go solo—it just happened naturally when he started recording demos at home during Genesis’s downtime.
On Genesis, Solo Work, and Musical Balance
Of course, the topic of Genesis inevitably came up, and Collins was quick to clarify that his solo career wasn’t a sign he was leaving the band.
“We’re all doing other things,” he said. “It keeps us fresh. Tony [Banks] and Mike [Rutherford] are doing their solo projects, too. But Genesis is still very much alive.”
He also discussed the challenges of balancing his solo efforts with band commitments, and how both outlets allowed him to explore different sides of his musical identity—Genesis being more collaborative and conceptual, while his solo work was personal, immediate, and emotionally raw.
A Glimpse into the Mind of a Songwriter
One of the most powerful moments in the interview came when Snyder asked about the writing process behind “In the Air Tonight.” Collins admitted that much of the song’s power came from improvised lyrics and spontaneous emotion, captured in a single take.
“It wasn’t about writing a hit. It was about truth,” Collins said.
That line seemed to strike a chord with the audience—and it still resonates decades later.