- Phil Collins is above all an exceptional drummer, recognized as one of the greatest of his generation.
- His playing blends jazz sensitivity, rock power, and pop groove.
- The break in “In the Air Tonight” remains one of the most iconic drum moments in rock history.
- From Genesis to Brand X, his drum solos redefined what a drummer-singer could bring.
The first time I heard that tom break on “In the Air Tonight,” I didn’t understand what had just happened. Something visceral. Reducing Phil Collins to that single moment is like summarizing Hendrix with just feedback. Collins is first and foremost a drummer. Trained in jazz, passed through prog with Genesis, capable of surgical grooves with Brand X. Here are five moments where his sticks spoke louder than his voice.
1. “In the Air Tonight” – The Break That Changed Everything
There’s no better place to start. This tom fill that arrives after more than three minutes of contained tension is probably the most “air-drummed” drum passage of all time. And also the most poorly reproduced — Collins himself admitted that most drummers play it wrong without realizing it.
What makes this moment so powerful is the contrast. The drum machine lays down a minimalist pattern for three minutes. Then the toms of his Gretsch kit burst in with that legendary “gated reverb” sound, born by accident during the Face Value (1981) sessions thanks to the SSL console’s noise gate.
The “gated reverb” sound was discovered by Hugh Padgham during the Peter Gabriel III sessions, on which Collins played as a guest. The SSL console had an integrated noise gate on each channel — a first.
2. “The Cinema Show” (live) – Prog Drummer in All His Glory
If you want to understand why Neil Peart cited Collins as an influence, this is it. On live versions of “The Cinema Show,” the 7/8 section is an incredible playground. Imaginative fills, jazzman dynamics, always serving the music. In concert, these sections became true showcases of progressive drumming.
3. “Los Endos” – The Firestarter Drum Duo
An instrumental track from A Trick of the Tail (1976), “Los Endos” became in concert the vehicle for one of the most anticipated moments of Genesis shows: the drum duo between Collins and Chester Thompson. The two drummers, face to face, built a percussive dialogue that rose in intensity until the final explosion.
Thompson, recruited after Collins saw him with Frank Zappa, was the perfect partner. Their chemistry evolved over tours — they often started sitting face to face, beating rhythms until they found something that clicked. A moment of pure adrenaline.
To work on odd meters like Collins, start by counting in 7/8 dividing the time into groups of 2+2+3. A pair of 5B hickory sticks will help you build power and control.
4. “Sussudio” – The Perfect Pop Groove
Switching gears, and here lies Collins’ genius. After the prog odysseys, he delivers a pop groove of deadly efficiency on “Sussudio” (1985). The track opens with a Linn LM-1 drum machine pattern that Collins then takes over on the kit with contagious energy.
What strikes you is the precision. The hi-hat dances between openings and closings with a groove sense few “rock” drummers possess. Collins applied here his Motown and R&B influences, that backbeat science that makes heads nod.
Collins is a left-handed drummer who sets up his kit mirrored: ride and bass drum on the left, hi-hat on the right. To replicate his touch, focus on dynamics rather than setup. It’s his ability to control each hit that makes the difference.
5. “Supper’s Ready – Apocalypse in 9/8” – The Prog Masterpiece
We finish with the pinnacle. “Supper’s Ready” is a suite over 23 minutes long from Foxtrot (1972), and the “Apocalypse in 9/8” section is an absolute tour de force. As the name suggests, the passage is in 9/8 — a complex meter that Collins navigates with disarming fluidity, alternating raw power and jazzy subtlety.
This was the era of Peter Gabriel’s Genesis, where the band pushed the limits of progressive rock. Collins was then “just” the drummer, but what a drummer. His devastating fills on the concert toms, his transitions between sections, his ability to maintain groove in labyrinthine structures — it’s all here. A track that continues to inspire generations of prog drummers.
Want to dive into the Phil Collins sound? The Gretsch kit is his sonic signature. At Woodbrass, explore the Gretsch Catalina Club range for a warm, accessible vintage sound, or the Renown Maple series to get closer to the USA Custom DNA.
A Drummer Above the Rest
What makes Phil Collins so special is his versatility. From prog to pop groove, through fusion, he never stopped reinventing himself. His black Gretsch USA Custom kit, his concert toms, and 20″ bass drum have become a symbol.
Health issues prevent him from playing today — it’s his son Nic Collins who took up the mantle during the The Last Domino? tour. The legacy remains intact. The real drum solo is the one that gives you chills — even 40 years later.
