Watch Phil Collins Reveal His Biggest Drumming Influences, Including One Musician You’ll Never Guess

Phil Collins is among the most respected rock drummers of his era, for his work with Genesis, as a solo artist, and as a session musician. Collins undoubtedly inspired many drummers who came after him, but what beat keepers does he consider his biggest influences?

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Phil answered that question during a 2022 interview with Brandon Toews of Drumeo, a website dedicated to drum education.

[RELATED: After Auditioning 400 Musicians, Genesis Finally Decided To Hire Phil Collins]

Collins revealed that one of his favorite drummers was Roger Powell of the 1960s soul-influenced British mod band The Action. The Action never achieved much commercial success, but it released a number of highly regarded singles and, for a time during the mid-1960s, opened for The Who at the famous London venue The Marquee Club.

“[Powell] was my hero,” Phil noted. “I mean, obviously there was Ringo [Starr], there was Charlie Watts, Ginger Baker, but Roger … and the band, The Action … I used to go and see ’em at The Marquee Club any opportunity.”

Collins, who pointed out that he later became good friends with Powell, admitted, “[F]unnily enough, I was always too shy to go and say hello to him. And he said pretty recently that he [wished] I had, because we’re kind of like brothers, you know. I mean, we stay in touch all the time.”

Phil added, proudly, “And I got to play with The Action finally in the early 2000s.” Collins sat in with the band when it reunited for two shows in London, at the Tufnell Park Dome and the 100 Club. Footage from the concerts was featured in a 2000 documentary called In The Lap Of The Mods, which was financed by Collins.

Phil Collins Names Some of His Other Favorite Drummers

Also during the Drumeo interview, Collins named some of the well-known jazz drummers of whom he became a fan at the same time he got into The Action.

“I was listening to Buddy Rich,” he noted. “I was listening to Sonny Payne with Count Basie … Elvin Jones with John Coltrane. So my net was pretty wide.”

Toews also explained to Collins that Phil’s son Nick (who took over for his dad on drums for Genesis’ farewell tour) had told him that The Who’s Keith Moon was another of Phil’s favorite drummers.

“Yeah,” Collins said. “Keith Moon is one of the drummers I kind of worship. I mean, he’s totally unique, and he gives the band the life, you know?”

Phil also recalled trying out for The Who shortly after Moon’s death in 1978.

“Pete and I became very good friends, as did Roger [Daltrey] and I,” Collins shared. “And … I said, I’d love to do it. And … I read in [Townshend’s] book that he said that I had a big solo career and it probably wouldn’t have worked. And he’s probably right.”

In Townshend’s 2012 memoir, Who I Am, Pete wrote, “Phil Collins called me and offered his services, and I knew he would make a great drummer for us. But he was building a solo career and was still touring and recording with Genesis. How could it work? He assured me he could do it. But I wanted [former Faces and Small Faces drummer] Kenney Jones. He was my friend, I had worked with him quite a bit, and I like the idea of having a drummer who kept strict time, so I didn’t have to do it.”

(Photo by Aaron Lynett/Toronto Star via Getty Images)