Phil Collins frames the reconciliation as a mature, full-circle moment where two legends resolved a misunderstanding, emphasizing that McCartney is part of his life and that they are both happy to have discussed it.
Insiders note that Collins still couldn't resist a final jab, claiming McCartney likes to be liked more than others, suggesting the grudge was fueled by deep-seated feelings of condescension rather than just a single comment.
The feud started in 2002 at the Queen's Jubilee Concert when McCartney allegedly asked, 'He's a big Beatles fan, is our little Phil?' Collins recently apologized on 'Piers Morgan Uncensored' after McCartney called him for a charity auction.
Twenty-four years of silence ended with a phone call and a backhanded compliment. Collins might have made peace, but he definitely didn't make nice.
If you thought you were holding onto a grudge too long, spare a thought for Phil Collins. The 75-year-old Genesis legend has finally put to rest a 24-year feud with Paul McCartney, and let me tell you, the tea is still piping hot. Speaking on "Piers Morgan Uncensored" this past Friday, Collins revealed that the ice has officially thawed between the two British music titans.
But let’s be clear: this wasn’t a graceful, dignified truce. It was a messy, decades-long misunderstanding that Collins admits he probably made more of than he meant, yet he spent nearly a quarter of a century stewing in his own resentment. The inciting incident?
A first edition book. Back in 2002, at the Queen’s Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace, Collins presented McCartney with a rare Hunter Davies book about The Beatles and asked the former Beatle to sign it. According to Collins, McCartney turned to his then-wife Heather Mills and remarked, "He’s a big Beatles fan, is our little Phil?" Collins recalled his internal monologue to Morgan with brutal honesty: "I thought, 'You arsehole.'" The use of the word "little" apparently triggered a massive ego bruise that never healed, leading Collins to claim in his 2016 memoir "Not Dead Yet" that McCartney had always treated him "condescendingly." So, what broke the stalemate?
Money and memorabilia. Collins, who was organizing the Kings Trust charity auction, heard that McCartney had reached out after learning Collins was asking fellow musicians for donations. In a move that proves McCartney really does like to be liked, the 84-year-old icon called Collins directly.
"What is all this about?" McCartney allegedly asked. Collins didn’t mince words, admitting, "I wish I’d never said it, Paul. I wish I’d never said it," referring to his public criticisms.
McCartney’s response? "I thought we were good." Just like that, the 24-year silence was broken. Despite the reconciliation, Collins couldn’t help but take one last swipe at his peer.
"Obviously this had been bugging him because he likes to be liked, as we all do … maybe him more than some other people," Collins quipped. He confirmed that the word "little" was indeed the trigger that started the whole mess. While Collins expressed relief that they had "kissed and made up," noting that McCartney is part of his life, the lingering shade suggests this friendship might be on probation rather than fully restored.
The internet is buzzing with the idea that McCartney’s use of the word sacrosanct in a past email was the other nail in the coffin, a word Collins admits he still doesn’t fully understand but found insulting. Drama, thy name is Phil Collins.
