‘’Some would say I’ve lived a charmed life. I’ve done what I wanted for most of it, and got paid well for doing something I’d have done for nothing. Playing the drums. During that time I’ve played with most of my heroes, most have become close friends. Over these 4 CDs you’ll find a mere smattering of those moments. I thank the artists for letting me put this CD together, no easy task!" - Phil Collins

He has been a member one of one of Britain’s most significant rock bands and one of the world’s biggest male solo stars, but Phil Collins was always eager to collaborate with an eclectic range of artists. Spanning drums, vocals, production, songwriting and more, Phil Collins’ many talents have been employed by some of his biggest musical heroes.

Now Phil Collins has compiled a 59-track collection of his collaborative highlights in the shape of Plays Well With Others. The compilation will be released as a four CD boxset and as a digital download on September 28th, and is available here. 

It’s a box set about the byways of a career that stretches from the ersatz psychedelia of Flaming Youth, through the legendary 70s recordings with Brand X, Brian Eno, Robert Fripp and John Cale and into the superstar era of the 80s, when Collins became the go-to man for legends in need of a fresh lease of life. It extends into the years when he had the status to do whatever he wanted. Form a big band with Quincy Jones conducting and Tony Bennett singing? Why the hell not!

The title comes from a joke gift that happened to contain a profound truth. Chester Thompson, the man who became Genesis’s day-to-day drummer once Collins had become the frontman, arranged to have a special birthday present made for him. It wasn’t a hugely expensive gift – just a T-shirt. On the front Thompson had a slogan printed to reflect his bandmate’s willingness to take his drums along to pretty much any session, his pleasure in working as a producer to help musicians he respected make the records they wanted: “Plays well with others”.

Collins started branching out in the mid-70s to delve into parts of his musical taste that didn’t fit with Genesis’s sound. The band’s producer John Anthony recognised Collins as a musician with the appetite and ability to adapt to different musical environments. “He was producing all kinds of records, and he would use me because he loves good drumming,” remembers Collins. “We used to go into Trident Studios at midnight, just for the fun of playing, and go home at six or seven in the morning. I enjoyed the possibility of just playing and occasionally being paid for it, and occasionally not. It wasn’t for money, it was just for the hell of playing.”

Working on Peter Gabriel’s third solo album resulted in Collins and engineer Hugh Padgham stumbling across the gated reverb drum sound that would dominate 80s pop. That was first heard on Gabriel’s track Intruder and later hit the charts when used in the drum fill in Collins’ signature hit "In The Air Tonight".

In the wake of his solo success with the Face Value album, Collins became sought after by already successful artists who needed to do something different, helping Adam Ant, Eric Clapton, Robert Plant and Abba’s Frida into new eras in their careers. 

Plays Well With Others is a set that captures the dizzying variety of one of the most successful stories in music history. That’s what has earned him the respect of so many musicians of so many different genres – the Urban Renewal tribute album, represented here by Lil’ Kim, being a classic example.

DISC ONE: 1969 – 1982

1.    ‘Guide Me Orion’ – Flaming Youth
2.    ‘Knights (Reprise)’ – Peter Banks
3.    ‘Don’t You Feel It’ – Eugene Wallace
4.    ‘I Can’t Remember, But Yes’ – Argent
5.    ‘Over Fire Island’ – Brian Eno
6.    ‘Savannah Woman’ – Tommy Bolin
7.    ‘Pablo Picasso’ – John Cale
8.    ‘Nuclear Burn’ – Brand X
9.    ‘No-One Receiving’ – Brian Eno
10.    ‘Home’ – Rod Argent
11.    ‘M386’ – Brian Eno
12.    ‘And So To F’ – Brand X
13.    ‘North Star’ – Robert Fripp
14.    ‘Sweet Little Mystery’ – John Martyn
15.    ‘Intruder’ – Peter Gabriel
16.    ‘I Know There’s Something Going On’ – Frida
17.    ‘Pledge Pin’ – Robert Plant
18.    ‘Lead Me To The Water’ – Gary Brooker

DISC TWO: 1982 – 1991

19.    ‘In The Mood’ – Robert Plant
20.    ‘Island Dreamer’ – Al Di Meola
21.    ‘Puss ‘n’ Boots’ – Adam Ant
22.    ‘Walking On The Chinese Wall’ – Philip Bailey
23.    ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas (Feed The World)’ – Band Aid
24.    ‘Just Like A Prisoner’ – Eric Clapton
25.    ‘Because Of You’ – Philip Bailey
26.    ‘Watching The World’ – Chaka Khan
27.    ‘No One Is To Blame’ (Phil Collins version) – Howard Jones
28.    ‘If Leaving Me Is Easy’ – The Isley Brothers
29.    ‘Angry’ – Paul McCartney
30.    ‘Loco In Acapulco’ – Four Tops
31.    ‘Walking On Air’ – Stephen Bishop
32.    ‘Hall Light’ – Stephen Bishop
33.    ‘Woman In Chains’ – Tears For Fears
34.    ‘Burn Down The Mission’ – Phil Collins

DISC THREE: 1991 - 2011

35.    ‘No Son Of Mine’ – Genesis
36.    ‘Could’ve Been Me’ – John Martyn
37.    ‘Hero’ – David Crosby
38.    ‘Ways To Cry’ – John Martyn
39.    ‘I’ve Been Trying’ – Phil Collins
40.    ‘Do Nothing ‘Till You Hear From Me’ – Quincy Jones
41.    ‘Why Can’t It Wait Til Morning’ – Fourplay
42.    ‘Suzanne’ – John Martyn
43.    ‘Looking For An Angel’ – Laura Pausini
44.    ‘Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight / The End’ – George Martin
45.    ‘In The Air Tonite’ – Lil’ Kim featuring Phil Collins
46.    ‘Welcome’ – Phil Collins
47.    ‘Can’t Turn Back The Years’ – John Martyn  

DISC FOUR: LIVE 1981 – 2002

48.    ‘In The Air Tonight’ (Live At The Secret Policeman’s Other Ball) – Phil Collins
49.    ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ – George Harrison
50.    ‘You Win Again’ – The Bee Gees
51.    ‘There’ll Be Some Changes Made’ – Phil Collins and Tony Bennett
52.    ‘Stormy Weather’ – Phil Collins and Quincy Jones
53.    ‘Chips And Salsa’ – The Phil Collins Big Band
54.    ‘Birdland’ – Phil Collins with The Buddy Rich Big Band
55.    ‘Pick Up The Pieces’ (Live At The Montreux Jazz Festival 1998) – The Phil Collins Big Band
56.    ‘Layla’ (Live At Party At The Palace, 3 June 2002) – Eric Clapton
57.    ‘Why’ (Live at Party At The Palace, 3 June 2002) – Annie Lennox
58.    ‘Everything I Do (I Do It For You)’ (Live at Party At The Palace, 3 June 2002) – Bryan Adams
59.    ‘With A Little Help From My Friends’ (Live at Party At The Palace, 3 June 2002) – Joe Cocker

For more Phil check out our picks of 10 Of The Best Phil Collins Songs.