Phil Collins is known widely for his expressive drumming, both in Genesis and in his solo work. But his journey as a drummer shows a growth: from trying to prove how many notes, fills, and complex rhythms he could play, to realizing that sometimes less is more—and that the silence between the beats can be just as powerful as the fills themselves.
His Early Drumming Influences & Heavy Complexity
In the early Genesis days (albums like Foxtrot, Selling England by the Pound, Nursery Cryme), Collins was deeply influenced by the fusion scene, especially Billy Cobham and the Mahavishnu Orchestra.
Fusion music was all about technical challenge—odd time signatures, fast fills, dynamic shifts. Collins has admitted that in those formative years he was trying to show off, to demonstrate that he could handle anything rhythmically. But sometimes that meant doing more than the song needed.
An example: In Genesis’ prog period, songs would often include many tempo shifts and complicated rhythmic changes just to prove technical prowess. Collins has said that at times they were doing tempo slow-downs and speed-ups, shifting time signatures, etc., in large part “to prove that we could.”
The Turning Point: Recognizing the Song Over the Fills
Over time, Collins came to see that drumming isn’t just about complexity. He started learning that what serves the song best is more important than how flashy the drums can be.
Some key ideas in that shift:
Knowing when not to fill. Let the rest of the band breathe. Sometimes, silence or sparing use of drums adds more emotional weight.
Space over speed: Rather than constantly filling, leave empty space (rests, sustained chords, pauses) so that when you do play, it has more impact.
Adapting to the song’s needs: A gentle ballad needs less rhythmic flash; a prog epic might demand more complexity. Matching the drums to the mood, not forcing your style onto everything.
Collins himself’s later work shows this balance: restrained, emotional drumming, letting vocals or melody shine, using fills only when necessary—not making fills the point. (Think of how “In the Air Tonight” builds up—its famous drum part has enormous impact, in part because of what’s around it, including what isn’t played. While the “In the Air Tonight” fill is legendary, its power comes because of the tension, the space before, the silence.)
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What Billy Cobham Taught Him (Indirectly)
Billy Cobham and the Mahavishnu Orchestra were essential to Collins’s early drumming identity:
Collins has said that The Inner Mounting Flame by Mahavishnu Orchestra is one of the records that shaped his drumming style.
He admired Cobham’s speed, precision, and inventiveness. Cobham didn’t shy away from complexity—but his greatest strength was that he also understood groove, dynamics, and how to anchor a piece even when things get wild.
What Collins later realized was that trying to emulate always that level of technical display—on every song—may impress other drummers, but doesn’t always serve the listener, the emotion, or the message of the song. It can crowd out what really matters. So he started dialing it back: letting quieter moments stay quiet; using fewer fills; making more thoughtful choices.
The Importance of Simplicity & Space
Here are some lessons (drawn from Collins’s story and what drummers generally say) about how simplicity can make music stronger:
Contrast – If everything is loud and busy, nothing stands out. By having quieter parts, pauses, or just steady groove, when a drum fill or breakdown hits, it hits harder.
Emotion – Sometimes what’s most moving is the silence or what happens before or after a big moment. Leaving space lets the listener anticipate and feel more.
Support vs. Showcase – Drums are part of a band. They can support melody, vocals, harmony. If drumming becomes too much about showing off, it may actually distract.
Timing & dynamics – Using quiet vs loud, sparse vs dense, fast vs slow—these dynamics give texture. They allow the song to breathe.
Restraint = mastery – Being able not to play, or to hold back, takes confidence. It shows you believe in what you don’t play as much as what you do. It means you trust the music.
Phil Collins’s Reflections
Phil has made open reflections indicating that he feels in the early Genesis era he was sometimes “trying to prove to people that I could play.”
Far Out Magazine
He has also recognized that some of the complicated parts in Genesis songs were “more for show” than because the song asked for them. Over the years, he’s said he got better at leaving things out—filling only when needed, leaving blank space where people might expect a fill. While I didn’t find a quote exactly matching “I now leave blank space where everyone expects a fill,” the idea is well supported in what he’s said in interviews and reflections.
Why This Matters
For fans, musicians, and anyone who creates art:
It’s a reminder not to confuse complexity with quality.
It shows how maturation often shows up as simplicity, not always increasing scale or speed.
It’s encouraging: you don’t need to do everything to be effective. Sometimes doing less is what gets into people’s hearts.
Final Thought
Phil Collins’s evolution—from fusion-driven, fill-heavy drumming toward a more measured, song-focused approach—teaches a powerful lesson: music isn’t just about what you can do, but what the song needs. Technical ability is wonderful; knowing when to use it, and when not to, is artistry.