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Phil Collins

Documented by Drum Faster

Genesis drummer turned megastar — and the man behind the most famous drum fill ever recorded. Gated reverb, concert toms with no bottom heads, and a left-handed lead on a right-handed world.

1985 — No Jacket Required / Live Aid

The year he played Live Aid twice in one day, on two continents. Hybrid rig: Gretsch acoustic shells plus Simmons electronic pads — the definitive '80s drum aesthetic he helped invent.

Gretsch USA maple kitwith single-headed concert toms
Gretsch 14"x6.5" snare
Simmons SDS-V padsthe hexagonal '80s icons
Sabian HH 14" Hi-hatsmoved to Sabian in the mid-'80s
Sabian HH 18" Medium Crash
Sabian HH 21" Raw Bell Dry Ride
Promark 5B
Remo Coated Ambassador

1981 — Face Value / In the Air Tonight

The sound that named the decade: gated reverb discovered on Peter Gabriel's "Intruder" sessions, then weaponised on that fill. Gretsch concert toms, no resonant heads, and a Roland drum machine keeping time until the drums arrive.

Gretsch USA kit with concert tomssingle-headed toms — the gated-reverb canvas
Gretsch 14"x6.5" snare
Paiste 2002 15" Sound Edge Hi-hats
Paiste 2002 18" Crashpair
Paiste 2002 22" Ride
Roland CR-78 CompuRhythmthe drum-machine intro on In the Air Tonight
Remo Coated Ambassadorsingle-ply over concert toms
Promark 5B

1973 — Selling England by the Pound

Prog-era Genesis: Phil played Premier kits in the early days before his long association with Gretsch, with Paiste cymbals throughout the '70s.

Premier kit with double kicksearly prog setup, sizes varied tour to tour
Premier 14"x5.5" snare
Paiste 2002 15" Sound Edge Hi-hats
Paiste 2002 18" Crash
Paiste 2002 22" Ride
Promark 5B

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