The Ultimate

Tribute 2001

Phil Collins is very often misrepresented as a drummer, as most people think of him as a singer. A great singer he is, but first and foremost, he is a drummer! And the greatest drummer there is...

He started playing drums age 5 on a toy kit put together by his uncles. Phil would play along while watching television, much to the annoyance of his parents. Then, at around 12 years old, he allegedly swapped his train set for the drum kit of one of his friends. From then on he played with various bands until he recorded his first album with Flaming Youth, a band critically acclaimed at the time, but which sunk without a trace. They were not gigging much, and then Phil then saw an advert for an audition with Genesis. They were playing live a lot - which was very attractive for Phil. Although he knew Tony Stratton-Smith from the Marquee club, who was running the Charisma record label on which Genesis were signed, Phil still had to audition. He arrived early, at Peter Gabriel's parent's house, where the audition was being held, so Mike Rutherford suggested that Phil have a swim in the pool while waiting for his turn. Phil did so but kept his ears alert and so when his turn came, he knew the songs!

He got the job as his genius at the drums was obvious. Although playing and enjoying success with Genesis, Phil was a tireless and avid player and was always around for odd sessions here and there. He also joined the excellent jazz-fusion group Brand X, and some of Phil's most complex playing can be heard on their recordings.

In the 80's, Phil embarked on a highly successful solo career while still remaining with Genesis, taking them to further success! If this was not enough, he still drummed for and produced other artists (including Robert Plant, Eric Clapton, Gary Brooker, Frida, Chaka Khan, John Martyn, Philip Bailey, Tears For Fears, Howard Jones, Quincy Jones and many more) and even found time to do some acting (Phil was not a stranger to that either, as he had been a child actor and performed in the musical Oliver in the West End... until his voice broke!) Phil also helped to develop the sound of drums by putting the drums right at the front of the mix. He was also the first drummer to develop the use of gated reverb, a technique discovered with old friend Peter Gabriel, while experimenting with sounds during recording sessions for the 3rd Gabriel solo album.

Recently, Phil has toured with his own Big Band, a dream he has had since being a teenager, and he has also composed the soundtrack to the Disney film Tarzan, for which he won a much coveted Academy Award! Phil is currently working on another Disney film soundtrack, and he is planning another tour with the Big Band, as well as another solo album, hopefully sometime in the near future.

Phil's style of playing is truly unique, combining a very cunning ear, great grooves, amazing technique, and wonderful and enthralling feel! He has a tremendously creative approach to whatever he plays, and his fills are a trademark! There is truly no one like him! Check out Phil's awe-inspiring talent on recordings by some of the above mentioned artists - as well as Genesis, Brand X and his Solo stuff... Enjoy!

Here's a list of recommended listening for some of Phil's best playing:

Solo: Face Value (1981); Hello, I Must Be Going (1982); No Jacket Required (1985); ...But Seriously (1989); Serious Hits Live (1990); Both Sides (1993); Dance Into The Light (1996)

With Genesis: Nursery Cryme (1971): Foxtrot (1972); Genesis Live (1973); Selling England By The Pound (1973); The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway (1974); A Trick Of The Tail (1976); Wind And Wuthering (1977); Seconds Out (1977); ...And Then There Were Three... (1978); Duke (1980); Abacab (1981); Three Sides Live (1982); Genesis (1983); Invisible Touch (1986); We Can't Dance (1991); The Way We Walk Volume Two - The Longs (1993)

With Brand X: Unorthodox Behaviour (1976), Moroccan Roll (1977), Livestock (1977), Product (1979)

Others: Flaming Youth, Ark 2 (1969); Peter Gabriel, PG3 (1980); Frida, Something's Going On (1982); Robert Plant, The Principle Of Moments (1983); Eric Clapton, August (1986); Tarzan, Original Soundtrack (1999); The Phil Collins Big Band, A Hot Night In Paris (1999).

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