Collins: Genesis Reunion Possible

Phil Collins isn't content being a rock icon who's sold over 200 million albums.

He took on the challenge of composing an entire Broadway musical.

The former lead singer of "Genesis" wrote all the songs for the new, hit Broadway show "Tarzan," which is based on the 1999 Disney animated feature of the same name.

He says he's bound to put out a new solo album one of these days, and he admits the possibility of a Genesis reunion is real, if not imminent.

On The Early Show Tuesday, Collins told co-anchor Hannah Storm, "The five of us, actually, the original five, have gotten together and talked about it. We all like each other very much, and we're great friends, but everyone's got their own careers, everyone's got families."

Pressed by Storm, Collins added, "I'm sure we'll do something," and kidded that he "can't wait too long!"

He says another solo album could also happen, observing, "It's just a question of writing some songs, really. Most of the things, my energy has been focused on the show ("Tarzan"). I've been here in New York for six months, and I've been working on the show for four years, so, you know, that's been where most of my energy has been going. But now, I've got some time to think. I'm sure I'll be writing and, eventually, if I get enough good songs, there will be a record."

Collins has already sold some 70 million solo albums.

"Tarzan" has been selling out, and Collins admits it's "something I never really dreamed would happen to me and, you know, I was very involved with the film, obviously, the animated picture and from that, came the musical. I'd just never done anything like that before, so that interested me, the challenge. So I just picked up the ball and ran with it."

What was the toughest thing about it?

Collins had written five songs for the movie, but wrote nine more for the play, along with the earlier five.

"You know," he remarked, "it was all a challenge. Every aspect of it was really something I never had to do before."

Collins was "the artful dodger" in "Oliver" on London's West End when he was only 14 so, he told Storm, "I kind of always had the theater thing there, so this is like coming home in some respects."

Collins performed his Academy Award-winning hit from "Tarzan," "You'll Be in My Heart," on The Early Show's plaza. He also did the duet, "Who Better than Me" with the actor who plays Tarzan, Josh Strickland.