i spent a large part of the holiday weekend listening to Brand X cds. this was phil collins's 'other band' before, betwixt and/or around the time period he had with genesis.

omg.

there's this one tune called 'nuclear burn' that i can't stop listening to. it's got a funk/latin/fusion thing going on, and phil is a sheer joy to listen to. does some cool syncopated snare/hi-hat 16th note stuff, and his single strokes are so crisp and articulated. what's also cool is how smooth and light he is on the bass drum. the overall effect is so composed and so cool, but always with that forward propulsion that makes you sit there listening on the edge of your seat.

i'm always blown away at how... evolved... so much older music is. i know there is plenty of great music still out there, but when you think of the earlier fusion stuff, there is a freshness, anticipation and modernity to it that i don't always find in newer music. it just seems like these guys were exposed to so much incredible music, and were anxious to weave it into their playing.

i'm going to have to follow up and see if mr. c. ever does music in this vein now. this is the kind of music i really dig and want to learn from.

killer stuff!!!

any other brand x fans out there?

Count me in for Brand X.

You might also look for a band named Gong, from the same era.

Nice stuff from both.

Ruin is a little harsh of a term. I'd say he did very little to contribute. How's that?

Phil is a monster though.

Outside of the very impressive work that he's done with Genesis and Brand X, I'm a big fan of his playing with Plant and Clapton.

Now, if we can just get him to stop singing "Brother Bear" type stuff and get back to drumming...



Little known Phil Fact: A (pre-famous) Phil played on George Harrison's incredible solo album "All Things Must Pass" in 1970.

... with incredibly short sticks. His signature model is like 14.5" long.

Yeah, I know, I use them!
It's nice to see Promark catering for the diminutive drummers with small hands!

Anyway, Phil ROCKS!!! So underrated......

This discussion is almost deserving of a new thread!
I've noticed a fundemental difference in American and British (and European) drummers. I think that
British drummers have a more earthy, grungy style to them in general. While the US guys have a more honed, precise sound to them. I don't put this down to a qustion of techinique though.

Since I have, Lo! these many moons since, ceased giving a fast, flying fez what other people think, I can say here and now that I happen to like some of the stuff on the Tarzan soundtrack. So there.

Phil Collins (and Bill Bruford) are nothing if not precise.

Oh, Phil's work in Gabriel era Genesis (and later, Brand X) was a HUGE influence on my playing.

Oops!  My bad!  

In the Air Tonight is why I became a drummer. riding down the rode beatin the hell outa the back of my dad's seat when I was about 10 or so.

Phil also played on at least one of Peter Gabriel's solo records.  I'm pretty sure he played on the album known as Security but since I just moved and my CDs aren't unpacked yet.......

In addition, those who are unfamiliar with the Genesis recordings with Peter Gabriel should give them a listen.  Phil joined the band for the Nursery Cryme album in 1971.  I think Phil's best work with Genesis is on Selling England by the Pound and The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway but I dig his work on all the Gabriel-era recordings.  

And finally, (for Smoggy's benefit, since a response from me to one of her posts would not be complete if I didn't mention Bill Bruford), Bill Bruford also played with Brand X very briefly and was also the first drummer who toured with Genesis after Peter Gabriel left the band.

Well, I guess I should pipe in now given my nickname here  
Phil was a tremendous influence on my in my younger days. I listened to allot of stuff like Genesis, Yes, King Crimson, UK and Kayak. I was the most fond of Genesis though. Selling England, Foxtrot, Lamb lies down and of course Trick of the Tail ( from where I get my nickname) was about all I listened to for influence. Then I started listening to Rush and other prog bands of the day.
I found most of Genesis's later albums quite distasteful on the drumming side, great songs but Phil seemed to no longer be interested in drumming so I stopped listening.
The BrandX stuff was great and a nice departue (if only slight) from what he was doing with Genesis.
I never heard the Zep stories on this thread, or I did and didn't care and have since forgotten.
Either way, Phil is a monster. Even some of the bigband stuff he has done is quite good.
I can't say enough about Phil's playing except I wish he would put out an album now with some monster drumming on it. I would like to hear how the years have changed his playing.
Enough said.
-RHS

I believe Phil did play on a Gabriel record. I think I remember a song where he did not play a single cymbal the whole song. I can't remember the name though.

Wow. I've always known that Phil Collins played drums, but never really took much interest in him. I am young, and Phil was probably just before my time. Unfortunately, (setting myself up for some "kids these days..." criticism), I know little more of Phil beyond South Park poking fun at him and his receding hairline. haha.
What's a good starting place if I decide to check out Phil Collins the DRUMMER, and not Phil Collins the whiney British cartoon character??

I was hangin' with Chester Thompson one night (Phil's drumming counterpart for you younger folks), and he said that Phil is one of the best drummers he has ever been around, and (like many of you already said) very under rated. I consider Chester an incredible talent, very diverse in his style of playing.

I also concur that I would like to hear Phil rock again!

I like Face Value but it's kinda "apples to oranges" with the other stuff, IMHO.  For me, the "poppy" stuff doesn't compare to the other material I suggested.