The
worlds of music, fashion, and publishing are set
to join forces once again for a gala benefit dinner
in New York City to support the world-renowned City
of Hope Medical Center. On November 13th, a host
of luminaries will be on hand to honor multi-platinum
Atlantic recording artist PHIL COLLINS and Conde
Nast Publications President and CEO STEVEN T. FLORIO,
who will be jointly presented with the Spirit of
Life award. The highlight of the event, which will
take place at Cipriani on 42nd Street, will be a
rare private concert by Phil Collins and his band.
The
Benefit Chairs are Richard D. Beckman, EVP/Chief
Marketing Officer for Conde Nast Publications, and
Ron Shapiro, Co-President of Atlantic Records. This
will mark the second annual gala presented by The
Fashion and Media Industry for City of Hope, which
was launched in 2001 as an effort to raise funds,
as well as awareness in New York City for the California-based
center for advanced research and treatment of life-threatening
diseases. Last year's event honored Rod Stewart
and Richard Beckman.
The
benefit will come just one day after the release
of Collins' new album for Atlantic Records, "TESTIFY."
His first all-new solo album in six years, it is
also his first new music since the release of his
smash soundtrack for the Disney animated feature,
Tarzan, which earned Collins the triumphant triple
crown of an Oscar, a Golden Globe, and a Grammy
in 2000. Collins has earned seven Grammy Awards
and sold 250 million albums around the world (as
a solo artist and with his former group, Genesis).
"TESTIFY" features the new hit single,
"Can't Stop Loving You."
Steven
T. Florio was named President of Conde Nast Publications
in 1994, and he became Chief Executive Officer in
1996. As President and C.E.O., he oversees the publication
of Conde Nast's 17 magazines, including Vogue, Vanity
Fair, The New Yorker, GQ, Glamour, Wired, Gourmet,
and House & Garden. Florio began his career
at Advance Publications, Conde Nast's parent company,
in 1980, as Publisher of GQ. In 1985, Florio was
appointed President of The New Yorker and in 1988,
he became the magazine's C.E.O. He began his publishing
career at Esquire.
The
City of Hope National Medical Center and Beckman
Research Institute, a National Cancer Institute-designated
Comprehensive Cancer Center located in the Greater
Los Angeles area, is one of the world's leading
research and treatment centers for cancer and other
serious diseases including diabetes and HIV/AIDS.
The work conducted at City of Hope is shared with
medical centers worldwide, touching the lives of
millions of people everywhere. City of Hope, Where
the Power of Knowledge Saves Lives(TM).
September
25, 2002
'Can't
Stop Loving You' is the most added
single on US AC radio
Phil's
new single is currently far and away the most added
single on US Adult Contemporary radio airplay lists.
It has been added to 89 radio stations airplay lists
whilst the next 'most added' artist has been added
to just 14 stations' lists. In addition, 'Can't
Stop Loving You' has been added to 9 Hot Adult Contemporary
station lists. Phil's new single is in danger of
becoming the most added 'most added' single in the
history of AC radio.
September
18th, 2002
Rolling
Stone article
about Testify, touring and Genesis
September 1, 2002
PHIL
COLLINS NEVER WANTS TO DO A WORLD TOUR AGAIN
For
Phil Collins, world tours are now over for good.
The musician, who suffers from a hearing problem,
thinks he is no longer capable of doing a long tour.
He said that even the concert in honour of the Queen
had nearly been too much for him.
"I
don't want to spend such a long time on the road
any more and live in hotels for two years",
the 51-year-old said in Hamburg at the presentation
of his new album TESTIFY (due for
release on November 11th). Also, it is too much
for his left ear. "A few years ago I had a
partial hearing loss in that ear. Today I have to
be careful not to strain it with too much volume."
He
said that he had become aware of the problem at
the Jubilee Concert for Queen Elizabeth II in London
a few weeks ago. Collins was supposed to perform
the hit 'We Are The Champions' together with Queen
but, at the rehearsal, it was already too loud for
him. "Queen is the loudest band I've ever heard.
When the band got going, it blew so heavily through
my ear that I had to cancel the thing." However,
he did play drums for the rest of stars brought
together for the show. In the future he wants to
play live on stage now and then, for example at
the opening ceremony for the new Color Line Arena
in Hamburg in the Autumn. "It won't be a complete
concert, but I'll play a few songs live."
Also,
See the report
about Phil's sponsored school in Kenya.
August
16, 2002:
Read
Phil's track by track commentary on his new album
'Testify' here.
July
10, 2002
The
track listing (though not the running order) for
Phil's new album is:
Don't
Get Me Started Come With Me (Close Your Eyes)
Testify
Wake Up Call
Swing Low and Sweet
It's Too Late
This Love This Heart
Driving Me Crazy
Least You Can Do
Thru My Eyes
You Touch My Heart Can't Stop Loving You
All
songs are written by Phil Collins except: "Least
You Can Do," written by Phil Collins and Daryl
Stuermer, and "Can't Stop Loving You"
written by Billy Nicholls. "Can't Stop Loving
You" will be the first single taken from the
album and will be released in early autumn.
In
the autumn, Phil will be doing a large amount of
promotional work for the album, however, rumours
of live concert performances are just that - rumours.
There will be NO live concert performances this
autumn.
The
album is due for release on 11th November for everywhere
except the USA where it will be released on the
12th November.
This
is the official announcement from Atlantic Records:
PHIL
COLLINS READY TO TESTIFY
- FIRST ALL-NEW ALBUM IN SIX YEARS DUE NOV. 12
TIME
to testify! Atlantic Records has announced the release
of the much-anticipated new album from Phil Collins,
entitled TESTIFY. Slated for release on November
12th, this marks Collins's first all-new solo album
in six years, and his first new music since the
1999 release of his hugely successful soundtrack
for the Walt Disney animated feature film, Tarzan.
The latter - which featured the top-charting hit
single "You'll Be In My Heart" - earned
Collins the triumphant triple crown of an Oscar,
a Golden Globe, and a Grammy in 2000.
Inspired
by his new marriage in 1999 and his new fatherhood
in 2001, TESTIFY is a captivating, wide-ranging
collection of powerful, moving songs - all defined
by Collins's signature voice and unmistakable musical
imprint. Collins penned all but one of the songs
on the album, highlighted by such tracks as "Don't
Get Me Started", "Testify", "Driving
Me Crazy" and "Least You Can Do"
(co-written by Daryl Stuermer). The collection's
sole cover is Phil's version of "Can't Stop
Loving You," written by Billy Nicholls and
originally recorded by Leo Sayer in 1978.
"The
songs for this album were written over the last
two years," says Collins. "Working with
new toys and new tools, they pretty much wrote themselves,
and only occasionally needed nudging along. Though
I used 90% of my demos, I was lucky to have a fantastic
team to help me finish the record, particularly
Rob Cavallo, Allen Sides, Tim Pierce, and James
Sanger. There are some songs here that are amongst
the best I have ever written; I hope you agree.
Since releasing his first solo album just over twenty
years ago, Collins has sold 100 million records
around the world (not counting his work with Genesis),
earned seven Grammy Awards, and scored an enviable
string of hit singles. It is a career which has
really been many careers - drummer, singer, composer,
producer - from art rock beginnings to pop stardom,
from soundtrack master to big band leader.
In
1998, Collins's solo career to date was recapped
on the multi-million-selling HITS collection. In
addition to his music for Tarzan, 1999 saw the release
of A HOT NIGHT IN PARIS, a live album which marked
the debut recording by Collins's much-praised big
band, the formation of which was the fulfillment
of a life-long ambition.
Last
month, Phil served as the "house drummer"
for the spectacular Queen's Jubilee concert at Buckingham
Palace - where he backed everyone from Ozzy Osbourne
to longtime mate Eric Clapton.
July
5th, 2002 - Get the latest news and information
about Phil Collins' new album titled "Testify" -
Click here
January
19, 2002
GENEVA
(Reuters) - British singer and songwriter Phil Collins
will perform in Geneva Saturday to raise funds for
a charity foundation he and his Swiss wife Orianne
set up to help aspiring entertainers and athletes.
Collins,
who lives in a village in the wine-growing region
of western Switzerland, also said he would release
a new album by the end of the summer. It would be
"far more experimental" as for the first
time he used a computer for composing and mixing.
But
the former Genesis drummer and lead singer conceded
that deafness in his left ear, following a viral
infection more than a year ago, was a handicap.
Collins and his third wife, who runs a public relations
company, set up the Little Dreams Foundation to
provide professional support and financing for youths
aged four to 16 hoping to make a breakthrough in
music, cinema, or sport.
"A
lot of people don't come from wealthy families...
Therefore that talent ends up being unheard,"
Collins said in an interview with World Radio Geneva.
"The
idea is funding them so they can go to music college
if they want to be a musician or get equipment if
they want to be an athlete," he added.
At
the "Unplugged" concert, the foundation's
first event, Collins will perform with Melody Perret,
a 16-year-old Swiss girl. She is among the first
to be sponsored by the foundation which will soon
have eight to 10 proteges, a spokeswoman said.
Former
Swiss skier Erika Hess, French actor Christophe
Lambert, French tennis players Henri Leconte and
Arnaud Boetsch, Swiss Olympic cyclist Pascal Richard
and British round-the-world balloonist Brian Jones
are among the foundation's "godfathers."
"Orianne
is the driving force behind the foundation, she
puts a lot into it," a source close to the
board told Reuters. "We're going to do more
events in Europe."
Last
April, at age 50, Collins became a father for the
fourth time when Orianne, who is more than 20 years
younger, gave birth to their son Nicholas. The pair
married in July 1999.
