Brazil won’t take Phil at Face Value

PHIL COLLINS’ South American tour didn’t get off to the best of starts after he was held at a Rio airport over visa problems.

According to Brazilian media the 67-year-old was detained for more than three hours at Galeão International Airport before he was eventually allowed into the country after officials discovered he didn’t have the relevant documentation allowing him to work there.

The incident occurred on Tuesday after touching down in the city ahead of his first concert tonight at the Maracanã stadium.

After Rio the Something In The Air Tonight singer is set to head to São Paulo and then on to Porto Alegre before continuing his 11-date run in Mexico. Having announced his retirement in 2002 the former Genesis frontman said he’d changed his mind about calling it a day and announced his Not Yet Dead Tour, which kicked off with a five-night run at London’s Royal Albert Hall with tickets selling out in seconds.

Phil, who has recently handed over his drumming duties to 16-year-old son Nicholas after suffering back problems, previously explained his earlier decision to retire: “I was starting a tour in Birmingham and I remember going out on stage and thinking, ‘They all hate me.’ Eventually I began to view music, or my work, as the enemy so I retired.”

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