Donate to Innerviews
Since 1994, Innerviews has provided uncompromising, in-depth interviews with musicians across every genre imaginable. And it does that with no trackers, cookies, clickbait, or advertising.
Your donations are welcome to help continue its mission of highlighting incredible music and artists, without any commercial considerations.
Your contributions will be instantly transformed into stories and videos, and cover hosting and web management costs. Importantly, your dollars will help ensure Innerviews remains absolutely free to all visitors, independent of their ability to financially support it.
Please consider making a donation today by using the PayPal QR code below.
Martin Levac
Behind the Lines
by Anil Prasad
Copyright © 2025 Anil Prasad.
Photo: Martin Levac CollectionIn every Martin Levac performance, there’s always a moment in which the audience stops comparing him to Phil Collins and simply appreciates and embraces the reality he delivers. At that point, his voice, his phrasing, his virtuoso drumming, and the atmosphere all lock into place, and what is typically positioned as a tribute concert transforms into something much more than that. That moment explains why Levac has become such a vital figure in the world of Phil Collins and Genesis fandom. In addition to being a skilled musician, he’s a convincing storyteller in his own right, capturing the music’s drama, dynamism, and emotional contexts with an energy that feels alive rather than archival.
Levac first came to international recognition through his work with The Musical Box, the tribute band renowned for its forensic attention to detail in reconstructing early-‘70s Genesis concerts. His tenure with the group as a drummer between 2002-2007 eventually led to direct collaboration with Collins himself, which was extraordinary validation rarely afforded to musicians within tribute acts. The two worked together during a 2005 Geneva gig, during which Collins guested on the song “The Musical Box.” Collins went on to say Levac was the world’s foremost interpreter of his music and praised his drumming abilities.
Phil Collins and Martin Levac with The Musical Box, Geneva, 2005, and Daryl Stuermer and Levac on tour, 2010 | Photos: Martin Levac CollectionLevac expanded his experiences as a frontman as part of Daryl Stuermer’s Genesis Rewired band between 2009-2011, which found the Genesis touring guitarist offering his own intepretations of the group’s catalog. Levac provided lead vocals during the show to great acclaim, underscoring his standing as a peer within the core Genesis universe.
Levac’s artistic identity extends beyond the live realm into several solo albums of original material, including L’Amour Our Le Sexe, Influences, 1985, and Six. The highly-polished records are often shaped by ‘80s pop and progressive rock influences, without being confined by them. Levac also recently released an autobiography titled Musicographie d’un imposteur, which reveals his candid thoughts on identity, personal evolution, and the psychology of becoming famous for adapting another artist’s work.
Innerviews spoke to Levac about his impressively multifaceted career during a Zoom call from his home in Montreal.