Phil Collins: New double album out in September

Phil Collins is planning his comeback – a new album will come out in September. Just like Peter Gabriel Collins will release a cover album, and just like Gabriels Collins has a concept for it: His new double album contains 25 songs, all of them Motown classics. And Phil has brought in appropriate musicians for the project:

Bob Babbitt plays the bass, Eddie Wills and Ray Monette both play the guitar. Phil sings and, contrary to previous speculations, plays the drums. The musicians just mentioned are members of the legendary Funk Brothers whose career has even been turned into a film (Standing In
The Shadows Of Motown – The Funk Brothers). Ray Monette is also a member of Rare Earth.

There will also be brass and string groups on the album, but no names have been mentioned for them. It is interesting to read what Ray Monette has to say in the Rare Earth forum. The Motown project is apparently one of Phil’s lifelong wishes that is financed by his record company. According to Ray Phil would have footed the bill for the project in case the record company had not been interested. 

Ray also mentions Phil’s recent health problems. It seems that there is a treatment for Phil that may heal him completely. Collins recorded his drum parts last year [2009]. Because of his handicap he would tape the drumsticks to his hands because he could not hold them tightly enough. Ray added that the drums on the album sounded fantastic.

At the end of May the musicians are expected back in Switzerland – for rehearsals. After that all songs will be recorded (video) in New York. What happens after that is uncertain. A tour seems very unlikely.

Links:

The Funk Brothers – in wikipedia

Rare Earth – official websitee

Standing In
The Shadows Of Motown – official film website