The band Phil Collins said inspired his Genesis drumming

Phil Collins said the band that influenced his Genesis drumming, pointing to Mahavishnu Orchestra and drummer Billy Cobham as a key early-career factor. The article notes that although Collins has played many Genesis songs in his solo sets, his most performed solo cover is “You Can’t Hurry Love” by The Supremes, appearing second only to “In the Air Tonight” in total solo performances. It recounts Collins’s broad taste for covers ranging from Irving Berlin to Cyndi Lauper, alongside how his Beatles-inspired entry into music contrasts with the technical demands of progressive rock in Genesis. Collins said that while recording Foxtrot, Selling England by the Pound, and Nursery Cryme, Mahavishnu Orchestra was in vogue, influencing their time signatures and complex rhythms. He also reflected that he tried to prove his ability on early albums, sometimes playing more than the music required.