Really interesting memoir by Collins. Great mix of music and life. The highs and the lows.
Best to read while listening to the music.

In my pre- and early teen days in the 80's, Collins' music was about as cool as it could get. I recall listing "Phil Collins and the Hot Tub Club" as my favorite band on my 8th grade "About me..." sheet that was published for our graduation. Soon after, I decided that I could only like music from certain genres, and Collins (not to mention Genesis) was gone from my collection.

Nostalgia for that era piqued my curiosity (that and a low price advertised on book bub). I was hoping for a bit more detail into his songwriting process but aside from the "Face Value" album, there isn't much detail. Still, Collins' personality does shine through and does make for an enjoyable read. There were some details of his later career that were unknown to me -- and some things from the 80's (such as the Live Aid stuff) that I was too young to care about as they were happening -- that were interesting to read but a bit tough to get through at the end.

Familiar refrain with the rock biography genre... this is the 3rd one I've read this year (and this is the best of those three) and all had the same lesson: success is possible if you want it bad enough and the cost is... your family.

Collins is very honest, or at least seems to be (I don't personally know him), and he doesn't attempt to paint himself in a good light. He just tells it like it happened, from his point of view. As with the other rock biographies I've read recently (Tom Petty, Jonathan Cain), I most enjoyed learning about how my favorite songs were written and how those great albums came together. However, none of the rock biographies I've read to this point have been inspirational. If anything, they are each cautionary tales of what the true cost of success really is.

Though most of us are not rock stars, these books still serve as a warning that any of us who put our careers before our families may well find some measure of success but may also have no one to share it with when we reach the end of our respective journeys.

Bloody fantastic!

This book caught me by surprise. I've been a huge, long time fan of Genesis, loved Face Value, and watched from a distance as for years Collins appeared to be everywhere and working with everyone, including his over-the-top ubiquity of performing on two continents in the same day for Live Aid.

Collins has a delightfully self-depreciating sense of humour as he charts his interest in music through the sixties, his progression as a musician through the different incarnations of Genesis and as a solo artist, and his work with other musicians. There's some great foreshadowing as we move through the busiest portion of his career and the conflict between his desire to work and be a 'family man.'

I'm fascinated by Collins' relationship with musician John Martyn and suspect there's another book on this topic alone.

I didn't know about Collins' more recent health challenges, and his retirement lifestyle choices were, to put it mildly, quite sobering. I found the book an engrossing read filled with humour and nuggets of insight.

A thoroughly enjoyable read, though quite disturbing toward the end. Two thumbs up, with much to think about.

Tremendous fun, and probably a plus that it's not overly revealing. Reading the book sent me back to Genesis records I hadn't listened to in ages, and I'll never tell if it also made me spin a solo PC record or two...

Phil Collins new memoir, “Not Dead Yet”, does not disappoint. The one thing that really surprised me in this book was Collins apologizing for how visible he was during the 80s. Looking back on the decade he realizes that he spread himself too thin and that is why many people now don’t really appreciate him. As he discussed all that he was involved in I could only wonder what the coverage of him would have been like now during the social media age?

Being a great songwriter it should not be a surprise that Collins does a great job of getting his story down on paper. The book reads easily and stays in a good chronological order. A few times Collins will mention a topic and then say that it will be discussed a little more later in the book.

As great as it is to read about everything that happened in his career, it is disappointing to read about Collins’ personal life. I can understand why on the business side Collins keeps doing more and more because an artist never knows when the offers are going to stop coming. Especially in the music industry where an artist or group is hot today and forgotten tomorrow. It is the mentality of “striking while the iron is hot” or regret it later. It is obvious that Collins is a workaholic and would put work opportunities above his family time and again.

About the last third of the book, when he starts describing his alcohol problems while writing for the Broadway musical “Tarzan”, that it becomes amazing that Collins is still alive to write this memoir. It is good to read that even though Collins is dealing with some physical ailments that it appears his life is back on track. He is again getting back into music and it is interesting to see what the future holds for him.

Great book, love that Phil is quite honest about the ups & downs of his life.
Also amused to discover he had the same operation as my husband at one stage. Poor soul.
Good read if a fan of Genesis or/and his solo career