I'm not exactly a huge fan, but in defence of Phil Collins: yes, his solo stuff was a little MOR sounding, but there's nothing wrong with a catchy tune and compared to the dreadful crap we're subjected to in today's 'pop' music- is anyone even that interested btw- a lot of it actually holds up.
Opinions are all over the map for a well known artist who bridges two generations.
I think he's a very gifted "natural' musician. He walks into the studio with his bandmates, mumbles and lala's his way through some words and comes up with the lyrics to songs that fills records. Even the silly Sussudio was something that he was working on that just kinda stuck and stayed according to Lee Sklar.
His drumming on things like The Cinema Show, Los Endos, and Dodo/ Lurker are challenging even in 2020.
I saw him with Chester Thompson and Genesis in the early 80's on the Mama tour at a moderate sized civic center (not a mile long stadium), so I got a chance to see them fairly close. Amazing experience for this young drum nerd.
Big fan of his playing with Genesis. I actually don't mind his solo stuff - and I think he was unfairly the poster boy of everything wrong with 80s pop music. He has a lot of wonderfully fun, catchy tunes on his solo record and I think as a whole any of us would be lucky to be that talented and have that kind of career.
He may not be the best drummer of all time - but since he's so much more than a drummer - I have a hard time saying anything bad about the guy.
I have nothing harsh to say about Phil. I just never got on board with his solo career. His Genesis work intrigued me; his solo work didn't. It's really as simple as that.
My fave drummer. His stuff with Genesis was so inspiring. Some of his solo stuff is equally awesome. I defy anyone to listen to his Brand X output and tell me he isn't a phenomenal talent. His work a a sideman (Clapton, Plant, Eno, etc.) shows how much of a chameleon he really was and always did what was right for the song/artist. Full disclosure - I'm a massive fan (some would say obsessed)
Brand X - Unorthodox Behaviour
Genesis - Pretty much any of their 1970s output (Lamb Lies Down on Broadway or Selling England by the Pound are especially noteworthy)
I understand the general feelings about his solo stuff, though I'd say it's his singles that are often middle of the road, but even the solo albums have plenty of great drumming.
These are some of my favorite tunes that show off his playing:
Hand In Hand, originally from his album Face Value.
Los Endos, originally from the Genesis album A Trick of the Tail.
Same Old Blues with Eric Clapton. This one isn't the typical showy kind of thing, but it stands out to me because the groove is SO deep and even though the tune is fairly slow he holds that tempo down rock solid the whole way through.
I'd say he's an all-time great as far as rock/pop drumming goes. His work with Genesis is splendid. As for his solo recordings, I'm not much of a fan. When he broke out on his own, he somewhat became a dentist's office entertainer.
Phil Colins has a nice time feel/inner pulse/ groove pocket; this simple but essential element is what sets him apart from many others and one of the reason why he made hit after hit. Sure he has less less asymmetric fireworks than Bill Bruford but enough to highlight the tune and much much less irritating / distracting. not a popular thought but I find Bill Bruford just farts rhythmic experiments without hitting the sweet spot very often.
Selling England by the Pound is a masterclass in getting the balance right between playing the tune and yet having enough technique to deliver something different when needed. In places I hear soul, prog and the Beatles mixed together with some humour.
It's strange that he's kind of forgotten except as a dated 80s pop artist. He's one of the best, and most successful, drummers in rock, and one of the most famous drummers ever, period. As a solo artist he was bigger than any of the other acts with well known drummers-- Rush, The Police, Led Zeppelin-- except for the Beatles. I haven't listened to any of his solo records since the 80s, but a lot of the songs were built around the drum grooves.
I have nothing harsh to say about Phil. I just never got on board with his solo career. His Genesis work intrigued me; his solo work didn't. It's really as simple as that.
I mean that's totally fair - not everyone has to like everyone. If I made a list of drummers I don't really like - I would get flamed off this off this forum.
However - that 1985 setting on the Yamaha EAD10 basically has me only playing PC songs at this point - haha.
Any of the older Genesis albums because they all have him playing drums. But some good ones are The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, Selling England By The Pound, A Trick Of The Tail, Second's Out. As for Brand X, Livestock is a a good example. That album also has some of my favorite Kenwood Dennard playing on the tune Malaga Virgin. Also Product. As I think about it, check out the Genesis Album Second's Out. It's live. And you get the added treat of hearing both Phil and Chester Thompson. It's probably my favorite Genesis album. Have fun.
I mean that's totally fair - not everyone has to like everyone. If I made a list of drummers I don't really like - I would get flamed off this off this forum.
However - that 1985 setting on the Yamaha EAD10 basically has me only playing PC songs at this point - haha.
Not to deviate from the thread, but Chester is criminally underrated. Any of Genesis' live videos (3 Sides, Wembley, Way We walk) show how much of a drumming monster he is and a perfect complement to Phil....
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