Welsh metal band Skindred have a reputation for engaging and energetic live shows. But in 2018, drummer Arya Goggin told Prog that, every now and again, leader Benji Webbe might find himself flagging – and if that happened, Goggin’s passion for Phil Collins’ work would come to the rescue.
“Growing up, my music taste was like osmosis from what my parents were listening to, which was Phil Collins’ solo stuff. I got used to all the big hits; and, for me, the drumming thing came from In The Air Tonight, an iconic moment in music that just happens to be on the drums.
I then worked backwards from the pop hits and started listening to Genesis. On Selling England By The Pound and The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway his drumming is incredible, with so many intricacies there. Those records were lauded at the time but unknown to kids like me in the 90s.
Tony Banks was my school friend’s godfather and our era was We Can’t Dance – I remember him saying he’d seen them play Torquay on that tour. I started to get the Genesis live albums and I’d drum along to them all the time.
Ninety per cent of drummers are interchangeable, but you definitely know when Phil Collins is playing. He brings a bit of Motown to the sound – he’s done it on all his solo records but it’s there even in his early recordings with Genesis.
There’s a pulse going; his playing is danceable when he hits a groove and he’s really musical, which is different to the two-and-four drummers – especially myself! I wish I could be as creative as him.
Then there’s his voice. It’s incredibly difficult to be a good drummer; it’s incredibly difficult to be a phenomenal singer. It’s even rarer to put them together. I saw him last year at the Royal Albert Hall and he wasn’t terribly well, but his voice was still fantastic.
It’s the ‘flats-in-Dagenham’ stuff that will always get me, though. What makes a great drum solo is when non-drummers can gravitate to it. When you see someone air drumming and they’re hitting in the right place, that’s the mark of a great solo; and Phil’s the master.
When Benji won’t shut up on stage, I’ll do ‘the Phil’ to move it along. The audience go wild – ‘Phil! Yeaaah!’ – so he’s always with us in spirit!”
