{"id":318917,"date":"2025-12-16T11:18:12","date_gmt":"2025-12-16T11:18:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/318917\/"},"modified":"2025-12-16T11:18:12","modified_gmt":"2025-12-16T11:18:12","slug":"the-one-band-phil-collins-would-have-left-genesis-to-join","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/318917\/","title":{"rendered":"The one band Phil Collins would have left Genesis to join"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Phil<\/p>\n

(Credits: Far Out \/ Alamy)<\/p>\n

Tue 16 December 2025 9:08, UK <\/p>\n

The world of progressive rock probably wouldn\u2019t exist without Phil Collins<\/a>. Throughout his work with Genesis and beyond, his way of punishing his drum kit every time he played has led to millions of aspiring drummers picking up two sticks and trying to make the most complex music they can. Although Collins committed himself to Genesis for years, there was one band with which he thought he would work much better.<\/p>\n

Before becoming a part of the progressive rock world, though, Collins was still a young musician interested in the theatre world. After becoming an extra on The Beatles\u2019 film A Hard Day\u2019s Night<\/a>, Collins found his calling as a rock star, quickly finding a voice behind the drumkit in various aspiring bands.<\/p>\n

Once the drummer got a call from local band Genesis in search of a percussionist, he was inducted with no questions asked. When recalling meeting him for the first time, frontman Peter Gabriel remarked that he thought Collins was the man for them as soon as he started playing, having a great sense of timing and an ability to transition between different time signature changes without thinking about it.<\/p>\n

Although the band was still used to 12-string guitars at this time, Collins always loved hitting the drums harder than most. Whereas the world of progressive rock may have taken its cues from the adventurous side of The Beatles, Collins started to fall head over heels for what The Who brought to the table.<\/p>\n

Born and bred out of the same classic rock scene that birthed artists like The Rolling Stones, Pete Townshend wanted to push The Who further than anyone else, which he achieved through the relentless power of Keith Moon. Compared to the traditional drummer roles, \u2018Moon the Loon\u2019 was known for flying up and down the kit, practically serving as a lead instrument while Townshend filled out the mix with power chords.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>Jon Enwistle, Keith Moon, Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey of The Who. (Credits: Far Out \/ Flickr)<\/p>\n

When talking about the opportunity of playing in any other band, though, Collins would say that he would have gladly thrown away his shot in Genesis to play with his heroes, telling The Guardian<\/a>, \u201cAbsolutely would have joined The Who. I would have left Genesis to join The Who. But they\u2019ve got a great drummer now in Zak Starkey, he\u2019s fantastic. Someone with the balls that Keith Moon had.\u201d<\/p>\n

He also told\u00a0Classic Rock: \u201cI played Uncle Ernie in Tommy<\/a>\u00a0[in a 1989 concert with the Who], which I loved doing, though it was very politically incorrect \u2013 playing a paedophile. But it was great because I was with the Who. I was working with Townshend just after Moon died [in 1978], and I said to him, \u2018Have you got anybody to play the drums? Because I\u2019d love to do it. I\u2019ll leave Genesis\u2019. And Pete said, \u2018Fuck, we\u2019ve just asked Kenney Jones\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although The Who would continue following Moon\u2019s death, Collins was already carving himself out as a frontman. Following Gabriel\u2019s departure after The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, the band would try out tons of different singers before Collins took his turn behind the mic, delivering the songs with a voice that could match Gabriel\u2019s intensity.<\/p>\n

While Genesis would continue to release prog epics on albums like Wind and Wuthering and A Trick of the Tail, Collins helped usher them into the next decade easily, creating massive pop albums like their self-titled project and Invisible Touch. The records would shoot Collins out from being a prog-rock drummer into being a leading man in the theatrics of pop music. <\/p>\n

Even when moving into commercial territory, though, Collins kept the sound of Moon integral in whatever drum fill he played.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

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