Phil Collins’ teenage drummer son reveals what it’s like performing with his dad

Nicholas Collins lists Chad Smith and Taylor Hawkins as his favourite drummers

Nicholas Collins, the 15 year-old drummer son of Phil Collins, has spoken in a new interview about what it’s like to perform live with his father.

Collins returns this year for a run of shows throughout Europe as part of his ‘Not Dead Yet’ tour. He will also play a massive outdoor show at London’s iconic Hyde Park on in June.

Nicholas will play drums for Collins at the shows and, speaking to Rolling Stone, said: “I’ve been really exposed to my father’s music my entire life, so it’s second nature.”

Advertisement

On performing his father’s own music, Nicholas added: “It’s different to hear how my dad did it compared to what another drummer did [in concert], so obviously I want to be like what he did since he’s the one that played the song and wrote the actual drum part.”

Of his own drumming influences, he said: “I could go on and on about my favourite drummers. But John Bonham [Led Zeppelin] is one of my favourites, along with Chad Smith from Red Hot Chili Peppers, [Foo Fighters’] Taylor Hawkins and guys like Ginger Baker [Cream] and [jazz drummer] Buddy Rich.”

Nicholas is in the band What You Know, named after a Two Door Cinema Club song. “Some people care about the band simply because of who my dad is,” he admitted. “I want to prove to people I can do things too, that I’m not just in my dad’s shadow. I want to make myself live up to the expectations. You got to keep on working harder so you’re not just remembered for being Phil Collins’ son, but you’re remembered for doing something that people enjoyed.”

The teenage drummer was also asked if he’d been keen on performing in a potential Genesis reunion: “I would be ecstatic if that happened. That Genesis stuff, drumwise, is something else; absolutely unbelievable. But to be honest, I don’t think there will be another Genesis reunion tour. They did it in 2007 and I doubt it’ll happen again.”

Phil Collins’ upcoming tour dates are below.

You May Also Like

Advertisement

TRENDING

Advertisement

More Stories