The drummer Phil Collins “just locked in” with
The foundation of any good rock and roll depends on the backbeat. Whether it’s playing the fastest punk song ever made or laying into the groove, a good drummer knows how to make the song breathe, providing the perfect pulse for the rest of the band to build everything else around. Although Phil Collins may have been able to teach a clinic on how to master the drums successfully, he thought he had a particular telepathic relationship with one drummer.
Before Collins had even picked up the sticks, though, he was already making a living in the entertainment industry. After a small cameo in The Beatles’ film A Hard Day’s Night, Collins knew that he wanted to branch out into the world of rock and roll, focusing on the drums shortly afterwards.
After various albums with upstart bands like Flaming Youth, Collins would find his home when working alongside progressive rock giants Genesis. During their grandiose period, Nursery Cryme was the first time fans heard Collins in all his glory, playing songs that could lean back into a moderate tempo while also knowing when to fly off the handle.
For any progressive rock musician, there’s more that goes into making music than focusing on one genre. Outside of the muscle from giants like John Bonham, Collins also had a healthy respect for the world of jazz drumming, singling out artists like Buddy Rich as the greatest that he had ever seen.
Around the time Genesis made a name for themselves, Collins had already started to become a fan of the fusion genre, including the band Weather Report out of America. Although the signature of the band would be the flashy bass guitar stylings of Jaco Pastorius, drummer Chester Thompson could compete with any other percussionist in his field, playing the most erratic drum parts of all time while still keeping a fairly tight pocket whenever he laid into the groove.
Outside of jazz fusion, Thompson was known for working with musical genius and eclectic weirdo Frank Zappa. Throughout Zappa’s live albums like Roxy and Elsewhere, Thompson flexed his rock and roll chops, knowing just when to play with force and willing to go down any musical detour that Zappa had in store for him.
When Collins dared to strike out alone, he knew only one drummer could replace him behind the kit. When operating out front as the lead singer of Genesis and playing on his solo tours, Collins wanted Thompson to be there by his side, providing the solid pulse behind him.
When discussing their relationship, Thompson felt that his connection with Collins was unlike working with any other drummer, telling Ultimate Classic Rock, “Phil and I, from the very first rehearsal when he sat down, and we started jamming together, we just locked. It was just there. And Phil and I had a lot of the same roots. He was into a lot of American jazz drummers.”
Considering how much of a drummer’s identity comes down to their feel, Thompson’s internal sense of rhythm led to him becoming an honourary member of Genesis. After being seated behind the kit for years, Collins didn’t necessarily need to worry about the drums anymore once Thompson got behind the kit.
