Here are answers from Simon Collins that were previously listed on the old forum.
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August 2006
Greetings all! Thank you for all your questions! I truly appreciate your support, your interest, affection and kind words. Here are my answers to all posed on page 1. page 2 will follow shortly...
Let's keep this planet rockin'!
Peace in the Middle East!!!
Simon "SpAcEheAd" Collins
PAGE 1
- Hello Daniel,
Lightyears away was inspired by the late Carl Sagan. His book and documentary, Cosmos, gave me a profound understanding of our Universe and opened my mind to existentialism. This is one of my favorite tracks also, as the production provides a mental atmosphere that can only be achieved by rigorous sound design, ambient plateaus, and big lyrics!
- Greetings Ulli,
Unfortunately the show in Dusseldorf didn't come together because I didn't have any tour dates in Germany of my own planned around the show, which financially would have justified bringing the band and crew over from Canada! My Dad and I are still planning on doing a show together sometime down the road, possibly in New York, or LA, perhaps a showcase of some sort!....nothing is etched in stone as of yet!
I have many fond memories of being on the road with Genesis and the solo tours, primarily because the band and crew are like family to me and all the kids had a blast! One specific memory that leaps to mind is when I played drums on stage with the solo band in my home town, Vancouver, for my 14th Birthday! I joined in on Easy Lover and had Chester behind me to make sure everything stayed tight...I had recently broken my arm too, so I played with a cast on!!! LOL!
- Hi Luke,
I do plan on touring to promote my next album which will be released next year. When we come through the states, no matter what, New York will be on the roster. I seem to have quite a lot of fans there, and it is a very important venue. So when we do have our tour dates confirmed they will be posted at my site (
www.simoncollins.net ) on the space and time page.
- Hey Francisco,
My favorite drum performance would definitely have to be the Drum Duet. It is by far the greatest drum performance I have ever experienced. It's a major influence for me, I did my own version on tour. Check it out on my site (
www.simoncollins.net ) in the sight and sound page. I remember sitting behind my Dad and Chester night after night on the We Cant Dance tour. I was in awe of their symmetry and chemistry. I also remember having to dodge broken sticks from Chester...LOL! as he hits hard and uses fairly light sticks. On average he would go though an entire bag in one sitting!
- Hi Jette,
It is a rather personal question, and I would prefer to stay away from that topic. Thank you for your interest and concernment though.
- Hola Olga,
My personal motto: "Take Pride in how far you have come, and have faith in how far you can go". It's a positive affirmation. It reminds one to focus on the positive steps, the obstacles that have been overcome in the past. This acknowledgment is essential in order to grow, evolve and empower one's self for the future.
- Hi Willem,
At one point I did have a project named Skin (which was mostly a brand X kinda vibe) and I do DJ under the alias SpAcEheAd, but at the end of the day I didn't feel right using a different name for my solo work! I am proud of my family name and it would almost be an insult to change it. It has been difficult sometimes living up to expectations, but I think its something that other people have thought about more than I. I just go out there and do my thing man. If I based my happiness and success by the comparison of my father's, I wouldn't be honoring All of who I am. I don't define my success by how many tickets, or records I have sold. If I can inspire people to take a closer look from a different perspective at this world, this cosmos, where we sit in it, and why we sit in it, then I would consider myself successful. There are obvious advantages to having Collins attached to your name, as well as disadvantages. On a personal and private level, it has been hard to know who is in your life for the right reasons, and who is being real with you or not. You have to become a good judge of character or you are fed to the wolves. On a business level it helps a great deal, but once again you have to make sure you are always surrounding your self with quality people, and that can be tough when many people from all ends of the spectrum wish to work with you. I have had the luxury of seeing the world and had the honor of meeting and befriending many amazing and talented individuals. I have had certain business opportunities in my life that by most standards are unusual and hard to come by. But I must remind myself, that at the end of the day, It's my name that will get my foot in the door of that board room, but it's my talent that keeps me there.
- Hello Angela,
Thank you, I am happy to hear you love the albums!
Hard Rock became a huge presence in my life when Grunge/Alternative Rock broke in the early nineties. Bands like, Jane's Addiction, Nirvana, Live, Alice in Chains & Pearl Jam were massive for me! But before then I was listening to Living Colour, and of course Genesis, so Hard and Progressive Rock has always been a part of my overall influences. When Electronica broke in the mid nineties, I started DJing under the name SpAcEheAd, and was mainly spinning Psychedelic-Trance. Production wise, I believe Psy-Trance to be the most intelligent music out there, it really is a BIG influence for me and remains a constant force in my productions. Luckily I have managed to be quite successful in merging my Pop/Rock roots with electronic and organic production. This is extremely prevalent on my current album, Time for Truth .
- Greets Brooklynblugirl,
I have 29....just kidding! But seriously, I have 3 tats. The logo I use for my label, Lightyears Music, is on my right shoulder. It derives from the Norman 10 hundreds, and represents alchemy. I also have an Indian ohm symbol on my left wrist, which represents balance and harmony. My third is written in Tibetan Sanskrit along my right fore arm and translates into nirvana (not the band!) In Buddhism it means, the ineffable ultimate in which one has attained disinterested wisdom and compassion. In Hinduism, the emancipation from ignorance and the extinction of all attachment.
- Hello Hamid,
I asked the lads at Genesis a long time ago if I could cover Keep it Dark, and there was no issue for them. I have already incorporated it into the set at rehearsals with my band and plan on producing a studio version in the near future.
- Greets Thomas,
Right now I'm using an 8 piece white Gretsch. 2 concert toms, 2 middle, and 2 floor. For a snare I use a Piccolo , and have an Iron Cobra double mallet on the kick. For cymbals I use Sabian...a splash over the hat, two medium crashes over the middle toms and a China next to the ride...Keep beating those skins man!
- No Way Out,
I feel Blessed to have such a loving, compassionate and talented father. He really does have a huge heart, and that is why he has captured and touched the hearts of millions! My love for him is unconditional and infinite. He has been a great teacher in my life and he is indeed my hero!
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September 2006
- Hey Brother Bear,
Oh, he passed that one on to me, since he didn't have any more room in the study for awards...hehe! But seriously (hehe), I cannot tell you with any certainty, but chances are if someone sends him an Oscar he's going to put it in the study with his insane collection of other holy relics and accolades!
- sschwa5,
I am a big fan of Peter's work, in fact, I have had reviews on my current album where my work has been compared to his! I also have a great deal of respect for Steve Hackett. I met him in Germany a few years back when he was touring his album, To watch the Storms. What a brilliant band he has! We spoke about possibly doing something together on my next record. We will see. All in all, I have mutual respect for every single person you mentioned. Genesis and my father would not have been able to accomplish what they have, if it were not for these people! Chester I love dearly and is by far one of the best drummers on the planet! Daryl I can say is a top gun if I ever heard one. Mike and Tony are geniuses! I love all their work. It reflects the elements in which made Genesis so unique and bona fide.
Hello Miguel,
If you refer back to my answers on page page two, you will see that Electronica has been a very important part of my life and if any thing, reflects a generation gap. I wouldn't look any deeper into than that, even though I can clearly understand why you might think that. It was something that crossed my mind too...are people going to think I chose Electronica to stay clear of comparisons etc...? No, I didn't, but it sure helps establish your own artistic identity when you have your own path and unique sound.
That's crazy money for an import...man oh man! You can download my stuff on I-tunes, Rhapsody, Napster and Musicnet if you like...but It is good to know that people still want to by actual albums these days!
EmpathicCounselor3,
Thank you! Ocean Deep Inside is one of my favorite tracks too. I wanted to produce an atmosphere of infinite reach. The song is also very personal and dedicated to the women singing the ghost vocals, Tara MacLean. We were together at one point, and this song was my way of honoring that specific place in time.
To answer your question, hero's beside my Dad? William Wallace of the tumultuous 13th century Scotland. He fought the British for freedom and won the hearts of his country men. Mel Gibson made a film about him, Braveheart. That film inspired my first single, Pride. Also Carl Sagan is huge for me. He was one of the few scientific minds that asked big questions, but offered big answers. He wasn't afraid to think outside of the box. He understood the power of Imagination, and in turn wrote a string of books, Cosmos, Demon Haunted World, and Contact (which was made into a film after he passed away). Both closing tracks on my albums are a tribute to Sagan, Lightyears Away on All of who you are, and Awesome Machinery from Time for Truth.
Hello Millie,
Thank you for your question. To me, Father to Son was and still is one of the most touching songs my Father has ever written. For a long time I was unable to listen to it without crying. I have a song written for him which will go on my next record.
Hi Kimlee,
Apart from listening to Genesis and my Dad ad nauseam? I listened to many different artists when I was younger. The 80's for me consisted of Prince, John Cougar, Tears for Fears, Huey Lewis & the News, Dire Straits, Genesis, Midnight Oil, Howard Jones, Genesis, Phil Collins, Madonna, Genesis, Genesis, Robert Plant, Genesis...you get the picture...hehe!
Oi Jamie,
Its a good time for Aston Villa fans hey? Too bad about James Milner though, oh well, maybe in January when the transfer window opens up again. My team since I was a wee young lad is Tottenham Hotspur. My Father took me to see them play at White Hart Lane when I was 6 or 7 and I have followed them ever since. Good Luck, and may the best team win............ SPURS! mwahahaha!
Hi Charmaine,
Ohhhh, that is a tough question! All the songs I write have so much meaning to me that it really is near to impossible to have just one favorite. I think Lightyears Away from my first album, as it defines a massive inspiration throughout all my music...space. It captures the sense of awe I have for the vastness and ever revealing Universe. From my second album, I would have to go for the title track, Time for Truth. This is one of the best productions I have ever done, because it successfully merges all my influences and brings out a much sharper and confident side of my voice and musicianship. I perform everything on this recording (apart from the female ghost vox) so it really is a reflection of my true artistic capabilities.
Hello Spaceyrella,
I like your alias too. Thanks for the kind words. I am pleased to know that you enjoyed the Man on TV video, It's a pretty loaded topic though. For those of you who haven't seen it, check out the video or an excerpt from my up and coming film Time for Truth - the Documentary, at http://simoncollins.net/sightandsound.php . We spent quite some time editing the video, but it was so liberating to work on. I really wanted to step out of my comfort zone and make a statement, and I believe I accomplished that. I wanted to take aim at Bushand his incompetent administration for waging a war on terror, which is like waging a war on the weather! They have no idea of the consequences that lie ahead. They are not fighting a specific state, they are fighting something so nebulous and extreme... people that have nothing and have nothing to lose. The only way to resolution is through humanitarianism to the people that the US regime and corporations have oppressed for so many years. Anyway, I have said enough. If you are interested, check it out, as I could go on forever about this!
As far as producing other videos... We had the intention of putting another one out there to accompany the second single Reason. We had a great treatment and cast lined up, but in the end we decided to move on from the Time for Truth album campaign all together. We wanted to get back into the studio for the next record, as there is a space of about 5 years between my debut and the current one. My fans nor I want to wait that long to put out another record. So I am certain we will produce a video or two for the new album's singles next year.
Hi Luke,
It has been tough getting everyone in the same room but it happens on the odd occasion. It's really quite exciting that everyone is doing so much with their time though. Joely is constantly on set building her very successful acting career. She lives in Vancouver near me, so we see each other quite regularly. Lily, although in LA, I don't see as much as I would like to. She has recently been modeling for Tommy Hilfiger in NYC! The young lads are all the way in Geneva, so that is tough. When I last saw Nic, I was very impressed by how much of a good drummer he is. He will be dynamite if he keeps it up. I did visit them more when I was living in Frankfurt, but I am based on the Sunshine Coast now and don't make it over to Europe unless I am working there. I will be seeing Joely, Lily and Dad in October though, so we all try our best to get together when we can. I really am so proud of my family and I'm always blown away by how tight we all are when we come together. Considering the space between, we have a very loving and close family.
Hi Annie,
I don't mind large or small venues. They both serve the same purpose and I would be content with whatever venue seems realistic at the time. I will be touring next year to promote the new album, and most certainly we will hit some Canadian dates. The size and-or type of venue is yet to be determined, as it is too soon to tell. It all depends if we are going out on a support slot or not, and if so how popular the headliner is. Of course we will be playing on our own tour too... So I would think that no bigger than a 1500 capacity venue...but hey who knows what kind of draw the next album will bring.
Hi Ruth,
I really appreciate your question. But first, just to clarify what my Father said about me believing in reincarnation... There are elements of this that touch on an inner truth for me, but It is not a firm belief of mine... I guess I'll find out if it really does exist when I die! LOL!
I started soul searching when I was 17. I was still living with my Mom and she had a ton of new age, metaphysical books lying around. Eventually I started picking them up and dove right in at the deep end. I remember Celestine Prophecy was a big one for me, also Quantum Healing by Deepak Chopra, and many others captured my imagination. Later on I started reading books about space, super strings and the universe (Cosmos by Carl Sagan, The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene) , It filled a void in my perception. It enabled me to see this world beyond the realm of normalcy, and gave me a deeper perspective of our inner spiritual space and a vast understanding of outer space. It is important to see the entire spectrum of possibilities when your primary interest is existentialism. Existence is what I love to explore in my songs. I like to get people thinking, as I am a free thinker too, and the whole point of music is to inspire people to use their own imagination. So stay on your path...Because in all our searching, the most important thing we have found is each other.
Squonk:Simon, did you like the Genesis Calling all stations album and did it feel weird that genesis continued without your dad? When can we expect some US promotion for KID and your 3rd CD album?...SquonkHi Squonk,
To be honest, it wasn't that weird for me. It was my father's decision to leave, so why should they stop making records? It never stopped them before. Anyway, I thought the material was quite good. I didn't like every song, but in most cases, what Banks and Rutherford wrote certainly was interesting and still stands up on it's own. I thought the drumming was solid, so no complaints there. Ray Wilson really does have a great voice and he did a fab job at filling some pretty big shoes. It really is hard to compare Ray and my Dad though. They are two different animals. To me C.A.S. is such a departure from the other albums. Mainly because they had a different vocalist AND drummer, and that made it a much more different sounding record. Ray and ...(sorry cant remember the drummer's name at the moment) added their own flavors, which gave Genesis a new direction and fresh sound to focus on.
Just a little side note. I met Ray at an NFL Europa match in Frankfurt. I was there meeting with the Frankfurt Galaxy team to work out a deal for my label to produce their anthem track. Ray was there promoting a new song, and played at half time. We only spoke briefly on the sidelines before he performed, but he really seemed like such a nice bloke.
Anyway, the C.A.S. album was more of a statement than anything. What it said to me was that Genesis is a super collective, and cannot be defined by one person. Respect to Banks and Rutherford for moving forward and making that album. Despite all the old raincoats and critics, they didn't give up on their fans and what they have continued to do brilliantly for the last 40 years...re-invent themselves.
As Squids mentioned, I am still in the midst of recording the album, so I don't have a fixed date for you unfortunately. First quarter of '08 is as specific as I can get right now.
gottagodomino:
So when will you be sending a copy of KiD to all the rock and alternative radio stations, so all of us can blitz them with phone calls at the same time to request that they play it?Hi gottagodomino,
After much discussion, we decided that for many reasons, this track would be best promoted through the internet. I am not opposed to getting it out on the radio of course, we even worked briefly on a 4 min. radio edit . But so far we have been focusing our time and energy on an internet campaign. Having said that, this is an evolving situation, so Dave and I haven't completely ruled out radio promotion just yet.
nr22:
First of all I would like to say that I really love your music, I have both albums and think they are both excellent!! I'm really looking forward to the third album. My question is, when you write songs, do you follow a set pattern? For example, do you come up with the music first, then the lyrics, or vice-versa? Or both at the same time?nr22,
Thank you for the kind words. Always nice to hear from my fans!
When I write, it usually starts with a vocal melody along with the chord progressions on the piano. I always have a concept or idea of what I want to say, but I never finish the lyrics until the music has been written or recorded. This allows me to sing a guide vocal with the rough lyrics and nail the vocal melodies. Once I have the chords and arrangement down with the vocal melodies, I can start focusing on the lyrics. As I said, this is how I usually do it, but there have been occasions where all the lyrics have just come out while writing on the piano....I love it when that happens.
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BTW...I have been meaning to answer the lingering Hackett question that's come up here and on my myspace for some time now, so here goes.
Although Hackett and I met when I was just a fetus, he surely didn't recognize me back stage in Germany on his "Storms" tour. Julian Styles (my bass player) had got us into the show through the Deutsch Genesis fan club, and we were just hanging back stage with the band before the show. I remember Hackett walked into the room and gave me a bit of a strange look and then started talking to the band. It was obvious he did not recognize me, and probably thought I was a fan or a friend of the band. Once he had a moment I went up to him and said "you don't know who I am do you?" He was nice about it and just figured we had met before but couldn't remember who I was (true). Gary O'Toole (the drummer) then remarked "Come on m8, its Phil's KiD!" Steve just lit right up. The last time he saw me my parents were together, so I don't really blame him for not recognizing me at first...it had been 26 years! After the show (which killed btw) we went back stage and had some beers and had a great time catching up. We stayed so late we ended up seeing the band and crew off! From that evening on, Steve and I promised we would keep in touch, and hopefully at some point would work together.
We stayed in touch through email, and both flirted with the idea of collaborating, but he was really waiting for me to deliver some ideas for him to work on first. It was difficult knowing what to send, as I really wanted to make sure it was something he could dig into. Earlier this year I started working on a track for the new album. It was dark, experimental, progressive and lyrically very deep. So it was while working on this track that I realized it would be the perfect song to send his way. This was around the same time that Dave and I started discussing the KiD project. So, I then realized that if Hackett liked the track and wanted to contribute, we could include this song on the KiD Genesis tribute CD as a bonus track! I sent Hackett the demo, and it wasn't until I was actually down in Florida with Dave that he had a chance to hear it and reply to me with his excitement to do it. In fact we have some footage of the moment I got confirmation from him, and it was really exciting. Since Hackett was traveling the breadth of Italy at the time, he wasn't able to get something to us while I was down in Florida. But once I returned home he was off tour and was able to track some gtrs. What he sent me was epic and blew me away. He delivered a really emotional piece. I cant wait for all of you to hear it, as it's very special for both myself and Steve. At this point though, I am not entirely sure if I will put this on the KiD disc or not, but one thing is for sure...It will be on the my new album.
So, that's how the Hackmaster and I ended up collaborating, and I offered to return the favor on his stuff at some point down the road too...perhaps on the drums, vocals or both. I guess one of the main reasons why it worked out so well is that Hackett is a free thinker, and it comes out in his music and lyrics. I too am on that tip, and I think that's why it came together almost effortlessly. What he liked about the song the most, was the lyrics. I sing about the concept of a multiverse and the state of civilization in the future. Certainly deep and certainly not dumbed down for the masses...No wonder he liked it.
So, I'll check back soon if there are any other questions you would like to ask. THANKS EVERYONE!!!
KiD
Simon
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