Collins began his career as the drummer (and sometime singer & songwriter) in an influential Los Angeles power pop trio The Nerves, alongside Jack Lee and future Plimsouls frontman Peter Case.

They appeared on Dick Clark's American Bandstand and contributed a song to the Caddyshack soundtrack, alongside Journey and Kenny Loggins.

Since the early 1980s, Collins has been living on and off in Spain, where he has a particularly strong following, and spends most of his time performing in Europe and Japan, although he still holds citizenship in the United States.

The music received strong reviews and is reminiscent of the catchy power pop of The Beat, particularly in the opening song, Rock and Roll Shoes.

Additionally, Flying High showcases Paul Collins' alt-country, roots-rock and Americana styles, with the singles Will You Be A Woman and Afton Place, which were released worldwide as music videos.

In 2012 Paul Collins recorded a version of "Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again" for a fund raising cd titled "Super Hits of the Seventies" for radio station WFMU.

To celebrate the success of the musical, The Paul Collins Beat joined Green Day onstage for live performances in New York.

In 2012, longtime friends and musical partners, Paul Collins and Peter Case announced a reunion tour paying tribute to their bands The Nerves, The Breakaways, The Beat and The Plimsouls.

The tour included a date in Austin, Texas, where actor Bill Murray made a surprise appearance at the concert to introduce the band.

Collins' group The Beat had previously appeared on the Caddyshack original motion picture soundtrack alongside Murray in 1979.

According to an October 2012 press release, Dave Wakeling stated, "Paul and I originally met back in '83 and have been in touch occasionally over the years, but recently we've been in closer Facebook contact, which led to this idea becoming a reality....Two beats, hearting as one!” During 2005, Collins launched a new music program and partner-based booking agency that was recently renamed as The Beat Army.

Collins created a forum where fans, bands, clubs, venues, radio stations, music festivals, blogs and record stores can network.