Phil Collins Tour Update: June 5, 2004

We just finished 3 + weeks rehearsing in a beautiful Swiss resort town called Neuchatel. The rehearsals were long grueling days but the 4 days off were great. A few of us went on bike rides through the towns near by and we took 4 to 6 hour boat trips through canals to other lakes near by and then stopped in little villages on the way with cafes overlooking mountains & rivers. It was so romantic that I asked Leland Sklar (the bass player) to marry me. He said "yes" of course. I'll have it annulled before I get back. But we'll still keep the gifts!

We are now on our 5+ week European Tour. Our 1st show was in Milan, Italy and our 2nd in Vienna, Austria. Both shows went very well. The European audiences are the best you can ask for. They are quiet for the quiet songs & enthusiastic for the up rockin' songs( well as rockin' as a 40/50 something age band can be while stumbling with walkers and wheelchairs across the stage).

We are traveling by private plane (Airbus A319 CJ). It seats 34 people. It's a beautiful plane.The front cabin has couches and tables where Phil's entourage sits (his wife Orianne, his 3 year old son Nicholas, the nannies, management (also with children), and of course "Jack the dog" (Phil's Jack Russell). Jack will come to the back of the plane to stay in touch with the "common folk" (actually I'm not complaining - we are sitting in 1st class seats being served by 4 attractive flight attendants). We really believe that Jack thinks he's a informant masquerading as a backing vocalist. Although last night Jack came up on stage wearing a little Mexican sombrero during a song called "Wear My Hat" so Phil put a microphone in front of Jacks face and he just licked it. I guess his vocal career was short lived............I mean Jack!   

Most of the venues we play are 10 to 15,000 seat arenas. But tonight we are playing a 45,000 seat stadium in Zurich. "Mike & The Mechanics" are opening for us. It will be great to see Mike again (Mike and I played together in Genesis). They will open all of our open air shows (their will be around 9 total). We pray for clear skies every show night.

Well, things are going well so far. Hope all is well.

Till next time!