I am a Phil Collins fan, and I'm saddened by his decision to call it a day.
Collins' actual Gretsch drumkit. Without its owner ready to play it.
Now for those who don't know, a couple of years ago Collins suffered damaged vertibrae in his upper back which left him unable to play drums, let alone write his own name or even use a towel after taking a shower.
However his reason for calling it a day lies more in his domestic situation.
BREAKING NEWS - A Message From Phil... | Phil Collins
I saw Genesis in 2007 during their "turn it on again" tour and Phil was top notch, very good voice, thunderous and inspired behind the kit, this was a true performer in action and I was glad to have seen him.
And so I figured it time to have a look at his long and destinguished carreer. Note that my picks here aren't the usual songs of his, it's his more obscure work.
I'll start with what probably was the first classic Genesis song, "The Musical box"
YouTube - Genesis - The Musical Box , Belgian TV - Six Hours Live
That song and the album it's from "Nursery Cryme" was the first which had Collins as a member of that band and right from the get-go he provided a very recognisable style of drumming and singing to the band. Note also that his voice and Peter Gabriel's sound very similar. Iron Maiden Bass player and main songsmith said that "Nursery Cryme" was one of the pivotal albums that inspired him to be a musician and this song shows where Iron maiden got a lot of their stuff from.
When Peter Gabriel left the band, Phill stepped up to the mike and with his average Joe looks and clownesque performance quickly established himself as a crowd favorite. He certainly made Gabriel songs like "I know what I like" his own, if only because of how nimble he was with a tambourine.
YouTube - Genesis - I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)
Now when his former bandmate Peter Gabriel asked Collins to play on his third solo album we got to hear what would become a Phil Collins trademark sound for the very first time: gated drums.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAzUh_H7yV0
And those gated drums also played a very prominent role on a song we associate with one of the most notable Daria episodes ever.
YouTube - FRIDA (ABBA) - 'I Know There's Something Going On" [promo]
Phil's carreer aside from being a recording artist in his own right was one of producer and he was asked by some big time artists to help out. I already named the gated drums as a Phil Collins trademark but every bit as recognisable was his use of a Yamaha Drum machine (On songs like "Duchess", "Mama" and of course "In the air tonight") And Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant liked that sound and thus enlisted Phil to help him out on what was his biggest solo hit.
YouTube - Robert Plant - Big Log
Howard Jones is a classically trained pianist and his song "No one is to blame" was a very spartain affair and so to see what a different pair of hands could do with that song he asked Phil to do a remix. And a remix he certainly got, Phil's trademark drumming and him adding background vocals really filted the song up.
YouTube - Howard Jones - No one is to blame
Well this concludes my small tribute to one stellar musician who according to his Genesis bandmates never looked like a rock star and frankly still doesn't.
