Free Republic

How Phil Collins created In The Air TonightIt’s been hailed as a rock oddity classic, a song that lies at the vanguard of experimental pop and one that set the template for the ’80s and all drum recordings of that decade. It’s also a song that is best known for its mammoth drum fill, one that LA Weekly described as “the sleekest, most melodramatic drum break in history”. In The Air Tonight was also the song that launched the solo career of its creator Phil Collins, a bold and defiant lead single from the Genesis lead vocalist’s debut album...

The ‘heartbeat of Blondie’ and session player for the likes of Eurythmics, Bob Dylan, and Iggy Pop, died following a ‘private battle with cancer.’Clem Burke, best known as the drummer of Blondie, has died at age 70. A statement from the band said that his death follows a “private battle with cancer.” “Clem was not just a drummer; he was the heartbeat of Blondie,” the band added. “His talent, energy, and passion for music were unmatched, and his contributions to our sound and success are immeasurable. Beyond his musicianship, Clem was a source of inspiration both on and off...

Phil Collins’ health is deteriorating. “I keep thinking I should go downstairs to the studio and see what happens,” the retired Genesis musician, 74, told Mojo magazine earlier this week. “But I’m not hungry for it anymore. The thing is, I’ve been sick, I mean very sick…” The group performed their last concert in March 2022 as part of their “The Last Domino?” Tour. Although Collins’ former bandmate Peter Gabriel didn’t participate in the gig, he still attended the London show and observed the performance from afar. “Phil wasn’t in as great a shape as he used to be, but...

Rick Buckler, drummer for acclaimed English new wave band the Jam, has died at the age of 69. The musician’s passing was confirmed by his former bandmates who took to social media to share their memories. “I'm shocked and saddened by Rick's passing,” the Jam’s frontman, Paul Weller, wrote on X. “I'm thinking back to us all rehearsing in my bedroom in Stanley Road, Woking. To all the pubs and clubs we played at as kids, to eventually making a record. What a journey! We went far beyond our dreams and what we made stands the test of time. My...

Is Phil Collins ready to release his first new music in more than 20 years? Producer and manager Simon Napier-Bell confirms that the ex-Genesis frontman has been updating the studio at his home by Lake Geneva. Napier-Bell interviewed Collins for an upcoming documentary on London's famous Marquee Club live music venue. "He was in top form, full of wicked stories – hugely fun," Napier-Bell said in a social media post. Genesis' stops at the Marquee dated back to the band's earlier Peter Gabriel era. But Collins fronted Genesis for a key show there, as well. Genesis made a memorable appearance...

Percussion instrument, any musical instrument belonging to either of two groups, idiophones or membranophones.

New York weed shops are stocking their shelves with Mike Tyson-branded edibles shaped like an ear with a bite mark – a callback to Iron Mike’s heavyweight showdown with Evander Holyfield. The 57-year-old Brooklyn native — who’s planning a comeback fight against Jake Paul in July — is rolling out his Tyson 2.0 brand “Mike Bites” and he’s planning a promotional blitz at shops next month, including an event in Times Square, a spokesperson told The Post. But the gummies have already appeared at dispensaries Strain Stars in Farmingdale, Housing Works in Greenwich Village, Grow Together in Brooklyn, Flynnstoned in...

When losing oneself in the gateway masterpiece The Dark Side of the Moon or the kaleidoscopic obscurity of The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, one can easily overlook the masterful work of Nick Mason. As the rhythmic backbone of Pink Floyd, undoubtedly one of the 20th century’s finest rock bands, the affable beat-keeper always knew just how much to add and when to add it, an oft-overlooked attribute. Furthermore, as the longest-standing member of Pink Floyd, his role has mimicked that of Ringo Starr in The Beatles as a mediator in times of internal tension. Unfortunately, in the story...

Karen Carpenter is known for her fantastic singing voice, but it can easily be forgotten just how good a drummer she was too. Karen Carpenter was a rare lead singer of a group who also took on drumming duties when performing with her brother Richard in the Carpenters

One of jazz’s greatest composers, Charles Mingus gave the genre some of its most memorable tunes.Published on By Charles MingusPhoto: Don Hunstein/Columbia Records/Getty Images Where the myths end and the truth begins is often difficult to discern when evaluating the extraordinary life of jazz’s notoriously prickly bassist and composer Charles Mingus. But those seeking clarity won’t find any in his quixotic autobiography, 1971’s Beneath The Underdog, whose blurring of fact and fiction and intermingling of real life with fantasy only serves to thicken the pall of mystique. What can be said with certainty, though, is that Mingus is one...

Many artists have one song they can’t escape, and Phil Collins is the same. At some stage, a creation stops being under the ownership of the artist who crafted it and becomes a part of the collective lexicon. Phil Collins’ pop behemoth ‘In The Air Tonight’ is one such piece that transcended the artist. Following Peter Gabriel’s departure from the group, they desperately needed to reinvent themselves to survive, and Collins stepped up to become the band’s new singer. It was a decision which could have gravely backfired, but instead, it started the most commercially successful chapter of Genesis’ career,...

Earth, Wind & Fire drummer Fred White has died, the band and White’s brother, Verdine, announced yesterday (January 1). No cause of death was given. Fred White was 67. White was a drum prodigy, touring with the likes of Donny Hathaway before finishing high school (including in the show immortalized on Donny Hathaway Live) and joining his siblings in Earth, Wind & Fire before his 20th birthday. His arrival in the band in 1974 installed him in the twin-drummer engine room of a hitmaking powerhouse; the band’s commercial heyday began a year later with “Shining Star,” a No. 1 single...

.

RUTH UNDERWOOD: A MOTHER OF INVENTION An integral part of Frank Zappa’s band the Mothers of Invention, Ruth Underwood stayed mostly in the background on stage and in the studio, filling the sound with her indispensable contributions on marimba, harp, xylophone, vibraphone and drums. Her reputation, as a multi-instrumentalist and composer, has only grown since the Mothers disbanded in the ‘70s. Ingrid Jensen, after taking a look at the musical legacy of Ruth Underwood, declares her ‘the undisputed queen of rock ‘n’ roll percussion’. It was 1967 when Ruth Komanoff first saw Frank Zappa perform in New York City, where...

We interrupt your daily “Invisible Touch” listen to share some upsetting news about Phil Collins, who revealed in a new interview that he’s no longer able to play the drums due to deteriorating health. Speaking with BBC Breakfast alongside his Genesis bandmates, Collins confirmed that he won’t be behind the kit for the band’s upcoming The Last Domino? world tour, and that his son, Nic, will be drumming in his place. (Meanwhile, his daughter, Lily, is famously in Paris.) “I’d love to, but you know, I mean, I can barely hold a stick with this hand. So there are certain...

The drum kit that late RUSH drummer Neil Peart used on tour and in the studio with the band from 1974 through 1977 fetched more than half a million dollars at an auction this week. The kit, which had a pre-auction estimate of $80,000-$120,000, was sold for $500,312 at a Bonhams auction in Los Angeles. It features blue drum heads stamped with the RUSH logo and one saying "neil" and the other "peart." A 14-inch tom-tom is signed by the drummer. Although RUSH had formed as early as 1968 and had even released its eponymous debut album, it wasn't until...

Alex Van Halen's stage-played complete drum kit, which he used on VAN HALEN 1980 "Invasion" tour, is available for purchase from Reverb.com for $275,000. A portion of proceeds will go to charity. The white Ludwig kit (see video below), which was used on more than 100 shows during the tour in support of VAN HALEN's "Women And Children First" album, was previously displayed at Cleveland, Ohio's Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame And Museum starting around nine years ago. Alex used the drum kit not only as a percussion instrument, but also as a visual art form. Working with various...

WS “Fluke” Holland, the man who provided the backbeat for some of rock and roll’s most iconic artists and songs, has died. Holland passed away on Wednesday at his home in Jackson, Tenn. following a short illness. He was 85. A native of Middle Tennessee, Holland played drums on Sun Records star Carl Perkins’ historic early recordings, including Blue Suede Shoes,” “Matchbox,” and “Honey Don’t.” He would become most identified with another Sun alumnus, Johnny Cash, playing behind the Man in Black for more than four decades and cementing his own status with his work on classic recordings including “Ring...

This. Is. Everything. Honestly, we can’t stop watching this video of two teens ‘discovering’ how kick-a*s Phil Collins really is. There is so much awful out there right now, so much stupid, we thought we’d give you all a break and share this. Watch. Trust us.

Joey Kramer says he was forced to re-audition for his role and was held to ‘made-up’ standards not in contractAerosmith drummer Joey Kramer filed a lawsuit against the rest of the band, claiming they’ve unfairly excluded him from rejoining the group ahead of their upcoming Grammys performance and the continuation of their Las Vegas residency. According to the suit, obtained by Rolling Stone, Kramer suffered a few minor injuries last spring that sidelined him just as the band was set to launch their "Deuces Are Wild Las Vegas residency. By the fall, Kramer claims, he was ready to rejoin the...