The first drummer to shape Phil Collins
Pop master he may be, but the arc of Phil Collins stretches far past the string of global hits he enjoyed in the 1980s. Somewhat naturally, these songs and the fact that he fronted Genesis, the spiritual and musical antithesis to everything punk represented, have made him one of the most derided artists for people of a certain age.
However, despite his distinctly middle-class origins and the arguably pretentious nature of his efforts with Genesis and as a solo artist, people tend to forget that he is a masterful musician before all else. While his singing and songwriting are the two aspects of his career that stand out for most people familiar with his name, his drumming earns him the most kudos from musos.
Although the masses of the uninitiated will be most familiar with his iconic tom thuds from ‘In the Air Tonight’ due to its use in a Cadbury’s advert, other hits such as ‘Easy Lover’ show his prowess, as do lesser-known Genesis cuts such as ‘Eleventh Earl of Mar’ and ‘Los Endos’. Fusing rock, funk, jazz and soul influences, real character underpins his rhythmic efforts.
As Collins is of the generation where many great drummers fuelled the work of an array of influential outfits, his list of favourites is extensive. However, like most sticksmen who emerged in his era, his favourite is the criminally overlooked maestro who ballasted The Beatles throughout their odyssey of sonic discovery, Ringo Starr. Notably, a 17-year-old Collins would also meet his hero when drafted in late at night to appear on a version of George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass that was never released.
When speaking to David Sheff, Collins named some of the drummers that first inspired him before praising Starr for his dedication to serving the song over technical peacocking. He said: “Everyone from Charlie Watts to Ringo to Keith Moon to Buddy Rich, Tony Williams, Steve Gadd. All those are influences. Especially Ringo.”
Noting how Starr shaped his approach, Collins explained: “He’s very happy just to do whatever’s right for the song. Some of the drumming on things like ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’, ‘Ticket to Ride’, the whole Revolver album are just great. Right now, I’m more interested in the sound of the drums and in playing what’s right. I listen to some of the old songs that I played drums on and I can’t believe the stuff I used to do. I’m less interested in playing as fast around the drum kit as I was; I just want to do whatever is right for the song, rather than get in as much fancy drumming as I can.”
Watch Ringo Starr in action below.
