Nic Collins is the recent drummer of Genesis. Son of Phil Collins and Orianne Cevey, he is the son of one of the most famous drummers in the world. It must also be the reason, he started drumming at at the age of two or three years old.
Nic was eight years old when his father became unable to play drums after his surgery on vertebrae, which was in September of 2009. His father, Phil revealed in 2014, that it was a nerve issue that left him unable to grip the sticks. By 2017, Collins was suffering from “drop foot” back from his operation.
Nic has stepped in the place of his father and is touring with the supergroup Mike & the Mechanics. He also drummed on Phil’s solo tours. Along with that, he is also busy with his band Better Strangers. His experience is admirable as he is only 21 years old. He has three lifetimes worth of experience under his belt.
Nic’s drumming is seen and heard by other legends too. They have also commented on the fact that his talent can be seen. American bass legend Leland Skar said, “Nic has been a gifted musician since he was a little kid. I loved playing with him on Phil Collins’ Not Dead Yet Tour. He nailed it every night and kept getting better and better as the tour went on. I am so proud of him. Plus he is a GREAT GUY!”
His father has also given statements about him. When he started in his band (during the Not Dead Tour), many speculated that it was only because he was the boss’s son. But we all can observe that he was good enough to be there, even at such a young age. The success of the show showed that he was great. Also, Phil was there despite his health struggles. This touched Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford, who did a farewell Genesis tour, with Nic on drums.
Nic’s band Better Strangers features Nic Collins’ old friends Yang Waingarten on bass, Joey Rodriguez on guitar, and Ricky de Casa on vocals. Nic has played along with Genesis, Phil Collins, Mike and the Mechanics and insists that he doesn’t intend to use his name for his band. He has only played on Clubs with Better Strangers. He has said, “At this stage of the band, doing it in a club is the best you can ask for. You get to see the most raw, unfiltered reaction to your music. There are no lights to cover it up. It’s all about the energy and the songs.”
Genesis played their last show at the O2 Arena London on 26 March 2022. In its review, JazzandRock.com said the sound was fantastic. About Nic, they remarked, “Young drummer Nicholas Collins gave an impressive performance. He rightly received frenetic applause.”
Nic Collins is starting for Mike & The Mechanics as the regular drummer Gary is not for the Refulled tour. Below are some of the most beloved grooves, an hour-long on top of that, be sure to enjoy.
If you want to support him, check out the YouTube channel and follow them on Facebook.