You could feel the tension in the air tonight, up until now anyway.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – OCTOBER 27: Recording artist Phil Collins performs during a stop of his Not Dead Yet Tour at MGM Grand Garden Arena on October 27, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Phil Collins revealed on “Piers Morgan Uncovered” that he and Paul McCartney are on good terms after a rift sparked over two decades ago.
The incident occurred in 2002 at the Queen’s Jubilee Concert.
“We had a rehearsal at Buckingham Palace and I had a first edition Hunter Davies book [on The Beatles] which was very quite rare,” Collins explained. “I took it to the rehearsal so Paul could sign it Paul came up behind with Heather Mills, who he was married to at that point, and I said, ‘Paul, could you sign this?’”
All was well until McCartney apparently said a comment that left Collins with a bad taste in his mouth.
MIAMI, FL – JULY 07: Paul McCartney performs in concert at American Airlines Arena on July 7, 2017 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images)
“He probably didn’t mean it like it sounded, but he said, ‘He’s a big Beatle fan, is our little Phil,’” Collins recalled. “And I thought, ‘You a–hole.’ I couldn’t help it. That’s just what I thought.”
Collins admits he might have “made more” of the comment than McCartney meant, but it still irked him.
“I knew Paul. This wasn’t the first time I met him. I played on one of his albums. I played live with him with the Prince’s Trust,” he said. “I’d given him an award at an award show in London, so I kind of knew him. So I was kind of surprised at that particular tone of reply.”
The Genesis musician wrote about the incident in his 2016 memoir, “Not Dead Yet,” and brought it up while on the press tour, which prompted McCartney to reach out via email.
Phil Collins said he and Paul McCartney are on good terms now. (Photo by Thomas Niedermueller/Getty Images/Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images)
But Collins didn’t replay at the time. It took until a few weeks ago for the ice to melt between the two again.
Collins said that McCartney got in touch after learning he was collecting music memorabilia to donate to a King’s Trust charity auction.
“He said, ‘While we’re on the phone.’ I thought, ‘Oh, here we go,’” Collins shared. “So he said, ‘What is all this about?’ I said, ‘I wish I’d never said it, Paul. I wish I’d never said it.’ He said, ‘I thought we were good, you know.’”
The music icon didn’t share specifics of what was said, other than the fact the two “kissed and made up.”
“I said I was sorry, because I really didn’t wish him” Collins said before trailing off. “I mean, obviously, this had been bugging him because he likes to be liked, as we all do! Maybe him more than some other people. But we all like to be liked. I understand that.”
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