Collins clarifies retirement remarks

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ZURICH, Switzerland, March 8 (UPI) -- British pop star Phil Collins says he is retiring from music, but not for the reasons given in recent media stories.

The 60-year-old former Genesis lead singer and drummer, who lives in Switzerland, is quoted in an article in FHM as saying decades of vigorous performances have left his back and hands aching and his hearing impaired.

"I don't really belong to that world and I don't think anyone's going to miss me," Collins is quoted as saying in the interview. "I'm much happier just to write myself out of the script entirely."

However, his publicist told People.com Monday, "He is not, has no intention of, retiring."

The contradiction prompted Collins to take to his Web site Tuesday and personally address the matter, saying "many of the articles printed over the last few months have ended up painting a picture of me that is more than a little distorted."

"Therefore," he wrote, "I would like to add my comments and try to explain again my reasons for calling it a day:

"1. I'm not stopping because of dodgy reviews or bad treatment in the press.

"2. I'm not stopping because I don't feel loved. I know I still have a very large fan base that loves what I do. Thank you.

"3. I'm not stopping because I don't fit in, this was proved with 'Going Back' reaching No. 1 in the United Kingdom, and doing incredibly well worldwide.

"4. I'm not stopping so I can dive full-time into my interest for the Alamo.

"I am stopping so I can be a full-time father to my two young sons on a daily basis."

Collins went on to admit he gave some of the above reasons in the FHM interview, but uttered them "as asides with a smile on my face and in passing."

"They were not meant to be 'headlines;' they were small parts of a conversation," he noted. "This clearly doesn't come over in print and I should know better."

He said he is not "a tormented weirdo who thinks he was at the Alamo in another life, who feels very sorry for himself, and is retiring hurt because of the bad press over the years." He added there is "no need for the straitjacket!"