Phil Collins, In The Air Tonight & That Drum Fill | New British Canon
In both his solo career and fronting Genesis, Phil Collins dominated the 1980s. His many ballads crowded the radio, his rounded face loomed from record shop shelves; And everywhere, The Academy Awards, Band Aid, Live Aid, Miami Vice, Phil Collins was there. However it was a monkey’s paw kind of deal, he became ubiquitous but at the same time became the punchline to every joke. He sold as many records as U2 or Bruce Springsteen, but the initial jolt toward a solo career was when his whole world fell apart. It was the break-up that spawned that seminal drum fill, the sound of the 80s and the odd persistent urban legend. This is New British Canon, and this is the story of “In The Air Tonight”.
#philcollins #80spop #musicdocumentary
Fact-checking by Chad Van Wagner.
00:00 Introduction
01:03 Phil Collins Takes Over Genesis
08:43 The End Of Phil Collins’ Marriage
16:56 Creating In The Air Tonight
24:39 Phil Collins & The 1980s
34:21 The Backlash & Reassessment of Phil Collins
Soundtrack
Luar – Citrine (https://soundcloud.com/luarbeats)
Jesse Gallagher – The Golden Present
Luar – Anchor (https://soundcloud.com/luarbeats)
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Not Dead Yet by Phil Collins, 2016, Century
“The Ghost That Haunts Genesis” Harry Doherty, Melody Maker, Feb 1976
“The Trick of the Tale: Phil Collins Talks” Chris Welch, Melody Maker, Jul 1976
“Genesis: Banks Notes” Chris Welch, Melody Maker, Jul 1976
“Genesis: Caught by Surprise!” Jim Farber, Circus, Jan 1978
“Why I Had to Leave The Nest” Hugh Fielder, Sounds, Feb 1981
“Phil Collins: Facing Up To New Values” Lynden Barber, Melody Maker, Feb 1981
“At Home With The Stars Special: So Tell Us Phil, How Do You Feel About Solo Success?” Nick Kent, NME, Mar 1981
“Phil Collins: Genesis Of A Solo Career” Chris Salewicz, Creem, Jan 1982
“Even Fame Is A Pain” Paul Morley, NME, Dec 1982
“Phil Collins Does Everything Better Than Everyone Else” J. Kordosh, Creem, May 1983
“The Second Coming of Phil Collins” J.D. Considine, Musician, Jun 1985
“Screen Idylls” David Hepworth, Q Magazine, Oct 1988
“4.15pm: Team Break” Giles Smith, Q Magazine, Mar 1990
“He Thinks He Owns The Road” Danny Eccleston, Q Magazine, Nov 1996
“Phil Collins: This man must be stopped” Tom Cox, The Guardian, Mar 2000
“Bloody Students” Clark Collis, Mojo Magazine, Mar 2001
“Classic Tracks: Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight”” Robyn Flans, Mix, May 2005
“Genesis: Help!” Phil Sutcliffe, Mojo Magazine, Apr 2007
“The non-ironic revival of Phil Collins” Alan McGee, The Guardian, Jan 2009
“No Flak Jacket Required: In Defence Of Phil Collins” Gary Mills, The Quietus, May 2010
“Phil Collins Goes Back” Johnny Black, Music Week, Jul 2010
“Phil Collins: The Mojo Interview” Mark Blake, Mojo Magazine, Sep 2010
“Is Phil Collins the godfather of popular culture?” Dave Simpson, The Guardian, Dec 2013
“Classic Drum Sounds: ‘In The Air Tonight’” David West, Rhythm Magazine, Feb 2014
“Cash For Questions: Phil Collins” Terri White, Q Magazine, Dec 2014
“Phil Collins’ ex-wife breaks her silence 35 years after split that inspired hit ‘In The Air Tonight’ to deny that she ran away with the decorator” Polly Dunbar, Mail On Sunday, Apr 2015
“Against All Odds” Danny Eccleston, Mojo Magazine, Dec 2015
“Phil Collins: My Life in 15 Songs” Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, Feb 2016
“Phil Collins returns: ‘I got letters from nurses saying, “That’s it, I’m not buying your records”’” Dorian Lynskey, The Guardian, Feb 2016
“Phil Collins on ‘In The Air Tonight’: “I have no idea what it’s about”” David Cavanagh, Uncut Magazine, Mar 2016
“Turn It On Again” Michael Bonner, Uncut Magazine, Jan 2017
“The classic hit that defined the sound of the ’80s — and features the most famous drum break in rock” Neil Crossley, Music Radar, May 2025
@TrashTheory
August 27, 2025 at 5:21 am
Every now and then I get people asking for a playlist of every song mentioned in my videos: Well here's a Spotify link for this one:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1PHKT1mS3hCjNyFpeRF0kZ?si=d329e3755bfd47ab
and the YouTube Music one:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLooaZ33lSalfC70QjQz1oNfYhxHUBKqjp&si=ogcDceACNWOR7kyi
@LDrumsOhio
August 27, 2025 at 5:21 am
Another legendary video essay.
@nowshowjj
August 27, 2025 at 5:21 am
Thanks for posting this one! You answered some questions I had about Phil. I always learn so much watching these videos.
@IlseZubieta
August 27, 2025 at 5:21 am
I love his music so much. I find him brilliant! I think all the hatred he has received is purely because he's a "not attractive short guy that sings about being heartbroken". So he doesn't embody the "masculine typo".
@smk2457
August 27, 2025 at 5:21 am
People hate someone just because everyone else does. Hate creates more hate. It's why kids get bullied for no reason other than someone started picking on them and everyone else joins in. People are a lot more lizard-brained than they admit. It's why negative PR works. Millions of people who didn't think about Blake Lively at all now hate her because Justin Baldoni hired a PR firm to make and boost negative posts about her on social media, even after it became known that he did that. I liked some of Phil Colliins' music especially when I was a kid but now I don't like him and I can't really say why more than 'he's not cool.' Lizard-brained me.
@davolk9525
August 27, 2025 at 5:21 am
Early Collins was one of the best lyricists ever, including his Genesis stuff. He especially had a way with bridge lyrics like in No Reply At All. Amazing talent.
@johnsowerby7182
August 27, 2025 at 5:21 am
I'd love for a video on Robert Fripp's Exposure album.
@paulocunhamartins
August 27, 2025 at 5:21 am
21:11 Badum badum badum badum tumtum
@camerriam
August 27, 2025 at 5:21 am
I loved Phil as a kid in the 80s/90s and never stopped liking him even when I was aware he was uncool. The man has some absolute bangers and is a great musician.
@MattPowersSoil
August 27, 2025 at 5:21 am
Steve Lilywhite told me he was the one who came up with that sound specifically while working with Peter Gabriel on that record and if I remember correctly he said everyone involved claims to have come up with that drum fill. 😂
@kevinkaiser9075
August 27, 2025 at 5:21 am
Was never a Phil fan growing up. Once I got into early Eno and heard his drumming I started coming around to him. Then I got into Peter Gabriel and again Phil's drumming blew me away. Finally bought my first solo album earlier this year. Phil fucks
@davehandelman2832
August 27, 2025 at 5:21 am
Um actually, Tony Banks and Phil have different memories about "in the air". Tony claims to have never heard in the air. Her says it's amazing and would have definitely wanted it on the album.
@wilkiedriver
August 27, 2025 at 5:21 am
Phil Collins did "Strip" for Adam Ant? I had no idea!
@originalsusser
August 27, 2025 at 5:21 am
I missed most of the 70s prog thing, so I missed Genesis & their like. Me att it was punk & hard rock, but during the 80s, no one could avoid Phil Collins & Peter Gabriel. Me, I liked their music when I heard it but never bought it. If it wasn't for Kazaa Mp3s in the noughties, I still wouldn't own any. But I did enjoy this deep dive into someone I never gave a lot of thought about.
@areamusicale
August 27, 2025 at 5:21 am
Something I do not get is the reason why some artists (like Collins) use own face too fill up the entire album cover. Know what I mean? When the image in the album is bigger than your actual face! And it is always a blanc expression too.
@MODUS_OP
August 27, 2025 at 5:21 am
Was hoping he’d mention Mike Tyson’s scene in The Hangover.
@paulsmith3057
August 27, 2025 at 5:21 am
What a hideously melodramatic soap opera. The best thing about those times is that they led to the evolution of more interesting music. My best memory of Phil Collins is seeing my old man dad-dancing to Sussudio. His other favourite track was Wham!'s Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go
@nicholasromig5506
August 27, 2025 at 5:21 am
I hate Sussudio so much I've kind of grown to love it.
@MJBOGAN
August 27, 2025 at 5:21 am
He's a hit machine
@Muslinxyz
August 27, 2025 at 5:21 am
Interesting, appreciated. Seems so long ago… but this clarified why 'i don' t like phil collins' i could not remember 🙂
Performing on Taking tiger mountain and Another Green World are pluses.. Fripp maybe… But a dreary man otherwise.
And after Eno's first slew of albums, which i loved, Eno became a dreary man too, and his propal nonsense finished him for me.
Love your work btw. Ty and GL.
@moose9377
August 27, 2025 at 5:21 am
No one is more 80s than Phil Collins and that is not a good thing. Good video, though.
@JimAlfredson
August 27, 2025 at 5:21 am
Collins is a legend and his impact on music and rock drumming cannot be understated. I saw Genesis on their final tour (after seeing them on the We Can't Dance tour 30 years prior) and it was heart-wrenching to see Collins battling his poor health yet still determined to put on the best show he could. His son Nick is a fantastic drummer as well.
Collins, like many people in the music business, sacrificed a lot to gift the world an amazing array of incredible music. He deserves respect and praise for that, even if his life as a father, husband, and family man leaves a lot to be desired. After all, each of us contain multitudes.
@KC-lc8dx
August 27, 2025 at 5:21 am
Incredible doc!❤
@hugeiftrue4224
August 27, 2025 at 5:21 am
Thank you for saying ‘bu-dum-bu-dum-bu-dum-bu-dum-dum-dum’
@shawnalfaro6943
August 27, 2025 at 5:21 am
i was 10 when MTv debuted and Phils videos were on all the time, he was on the radio and guess what I was a HUGE fan! sure i was a kid that probably should've been listening to whatever the fuck kids my age were listening to, but I was a fan. I remember imitating the talking bit from "Dont Lose My Number" on a cassette tape recorder in a skit with my sister. like who did that at 13 in 1985??? Anyway Phil is my Homeboy and I am glad his music was HUGE in my childhood.
@pennyspencer450
August 27, 2025 at 5:21 am
I remember during Phil's big years, an Aussie DJ, probably on triple M, making it a 'Phil phree zone's, because she was so sick of hearing him. Personally, done of his songs are fabulous, and I still listen to Phillip Bailey's album.
@SMH-m3c
August 27, 2025 at 5:21 am
As a young one Another Day in Paradise destroyed me on him, it waa played just too much…. During covid started listen his records and liked them lot
@cecilyerker
August 27, 2025 at 5:21 am
Tarzan slapped I don’t care what anyone says
@andrejmucic5003
August 27, 2025 at 5:21 am
We all miss Phil!!!!
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