Simon Collins
Biography Simon Collins
Simon Collins
first hit the music scene in the year 2000 with his debut album “All of Who You Are” with songs like “Pride” charting all over Eastern and Western Europe. The album also featured the song “Shine Through” which was co-written with Howard Jones. In 2005, Simon put out the album “Time For Truth” where he introduced more of his organic instrumentation and modern rock influences. The album brought about the introduction of Simon to guitarist Kelly Nordstrom with whom Simon would continue to collaborate with.
In 2006 Simon met Dave Kerzner, owner of the music software company Sonic Reality and former member of Kevin Gilbert’s bands Thud and Giraffe. They were both in New York at Genesis’ rehearsals for their final “Turn It On Again Tour”. Having similar musical tastes and a common interest in sci-fi they decided to pay tribute to Simon’s father Phil Collins and Genesis by doing their own version of the song “Keep It Dark” originally from the Genesis album “Abacab”. The song was played on the sound system before the very last Genesis concert of the tour at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.
Simon, Dave and Kelly then worked together on Simon’s third solo album, “U-Catastrophe” in 2008. This time with Grammy-winning producer Kevin Churko who won a Juno award for the album. It also featured a guest appearance from ex-Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett on the song “Fast Forward The Future” as well as a thrilling ‘drum duet’ between Simon and his father Phil Collins on the song “The Big Bang”.
When Simon set out to perform “U-Catastrophe” live, he brought in Matt Dorsey as a bass player and multi-instrumentalist. Then, in 2009, Simon approached Dave Kerzner with the idea of doing a band project together. In 2010, Simon, Dave, Matt and Kelly went to record at Greenhouse Studios in Vancouver in different trio combinations with engineer Chris Holmes. The music and story of “Dimensionaut” was born.
Joining the team to mix the album was veteran engineer Nick Davis (Genesis, XTC, It Bites) who came from England to Canada to mix at The Warehouse in Vancouver. The album was mastered by Gavin Lurssen and Reuben Cohen of Lurssen Mastering.
In 2012 Simon Collins and Dave Kerzner found themselves working again on a Genesis song but this time it was by the invitation of Steve Hackett who was putting together his album “Genesis Revisited 2”. The album includes both Simon and Dave participating on vocals and keyboard for the epic Genesis song „Supper’s Ready“.
Now, in 2013, with their own album that took nearly 3 years to make, Sound of Contact are ready to unleash “Dimensionaut”.
Sound of Contact begins its touring schedule on March 24th in Montreal, Canada supporting Marillion on their Marillion Weekend Event. Then they’re joining Spock’s Beard and Beardfish in Europe in May for the Inside Out 20th Anniversary tour.
