Phil Collins 'no longer retired'

Collins is one of the most successful songwriters of all time

British singer Phil Collins has said he is coming out of retirement and is even planning to tour.

In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, he said: "I'm no longer officially retired.

"The horse is out of the stable and I'm raring to go."

The 64-year-old artist - who also played with prog-rockers Genesis - said in 2011 he was leaving music to be "a full time father to my two young sons".

Following a scheduled reissue of his solo albums he told Rolling Stone "it would be silly to not make more music."

Collins has not released a full album of new material since 2002's Testify though he topped the chart in 2010 with a collection of Motown covers called Going Back.

In 2007, a Genesis reunion tour led to a dislocated vertebra and nerve damage in his hands, leaving him unable to play the drums.

Injuries sustained in 2007 left him unable to drum

He told Rolling Stone that he was moving a studio into his home in Miami, Florida and would start recording new music next month.

His new band features Jason Bonham, the son of Led Zeppelin drummer, John Bonham.

In terms of a tour to support the new songs, he said: "I don't think I want a very long tour.

"But I would like to play the stadiums in Australia and the Far East, and that's the only way to do that. But there's a part of me that just wants to do theatres, so we'll see."

One of the most successful songwriters and performers of all time, Collins is one of only three recording artists, alongside Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson, who have sold over 100 million albums worldwide both as solo artists and as members of a band.

His number one singles include A Groovy Kind of Love and Against All Odds.

Collins has won seven Grammy Awards, six Brit Awards, an Oscar and two Golden Globes.