The keyboard player, Brad Cole, lives in Nashville. Yeah. And then he added the drums and it was like, Forget about it. We were all in the car going to the first show in Japan. Did you watch Bobs show a lot? And goodness, the emails I get! Whens the tour? And Tony Smiths eye lighted up like Id rarely seen. It is an impressing line up. I met him the night before at his house. That wasnt going to work. It became my second instrument, but its still for my pleasure. He was brilliant. He knows what he likes Well Steve was recording a couple of other albums and he was wealthy by that moment, his dream was always to make Genesis sound as he wanted to listen them. Smart interviewer, letting an interesting subject just go. Did you take a crash course in Genesis before you went in? The We Cant Dance thing was a very different vibe. We played songs and that was that. Apparently he was a close friend of the band because in 1969 Genesis moved to cottage owned by Richard Macphail's parents to concentrate on writing. I agree 100% it0s absurd to consider him nasty, the guy made a solid contribution with his drumming and backing vocals during Gabriel years and a pretty decent job as lead vocalist in ATOTT and specially on W&W. Phil Collins on lead vocals. What was he like? But it got very political and it just got ugly. There was no getting around it. Its very rewarding and Im involved with an organization here called the Nashville Jazz Workshop. He said they were going to be doing something totally different and they werent interested. It wasnt the same kind of luxury and stuff, which is fine. I just knew that he was a radically different person than Id ever known. Im always looking for the new thing, the next thing to me. Wed just sit in a side room because all they really wanted was the three guys. We all knew he was going to be a great player. Unfortunately, they never really had to change drummers before. That was Ralph Humphrey on drums. We arent, like, chums, but we stay in touch. Basically, Alphonso left during the Christmas break [of 1975]. I dont think hes holding a grudge. Watch Chester Thompson's blistering drumming for Phil Collins I saw online that Phil said in some interview he was quitting the band. Part of that was no matter how well I prepared, he always made some pretty intense changes. When he turned around, it just freaked me out because I was already nervous since I didnt know what was going to come next. Not the first day. It was another situation of me not getting any sleep since I was up all night writing charts. The guys work ethic he just worked. Are you hoping to be back onstage soon? Id say we agree on his drummingskills. It must have been interesting to watch them evolve from And Then There Were Three to Duke to Abacab and see them embrace New Wave to some degree and change up their sound. I agree, one weak album, because GTR was a multi members enterproce that involved even Steve Howe, but it wa a disaster. Im really grateful and Im just excited to see what comes next. I was playing with adults. Playing that stuff from the Seventies was full of charge. He figured it out pretty quickly. I think it's best to keep this stuff to yourself, don't air grievances in public., especially not the press. We go way back. Frank was doing time within time. So they took some time off. I dont know if they were connected owner-wise, but there was a whole circuit of those theaters. They were great writers. Some of his hits are cheesy. I also think that he is underrated, because he likes ballads, and not many people who likes Prog Music likes ballads. It was the only way to work that stuff. I like ballads like Lucky Man, Still you Turn me On, Redezvous 6:02, Soon, Lonely Wind, July Morning, Carpet Crawlers, and a lot more. Right. He isn't the main cause of downfall for Genesis, so shut up about that. It turned out he was Ben E. Kings musical director. And he put down some intense, complicated stuff. Drummer reacts to Phil Collins, Chester Thompson & Luis Conte - YouTube And much less, a black American. Drummers are not really "musicians", because they don`t play "musical notes", so let`s keep them in the background. And again, if you werent busy enough, you joined the Bee Gees for a tour in 1989. ), Forum Policies, Rules, and Terms of Service. And Phil and I had a lot of the same roots. Chester Thompson on His Years with Genesis, Frank Zappa, and Weather Report He spent 30 years in Genesis as a touring drummer, but he had a falling out with Phil Collins in 2010 and they haven't spoken since Do you recall much from the reunion show with Peter Gabriel in 1982 at Milton Keynes Bowl? He canceled a tour and was honest about it. Im pretty excited about this project with them. How about if I come in and play some percussion along with Alex [Acua]? But it was uncomfortable. You knew it at five years old. She was with Michael Jackson and was actually working with Prince when he passed. But they had so many new tunes they were promoting. In fact, we wound up doing a tour opening for them. Thats where I met my wife. Phil was in pain, and Chester makes it sound like 2008 didn't happen because Phil was just being difficult. The Cover Looks Like An portrait Onion. I think some of that might have something to do with it. After 20 years, it was enough. I found Richard Mc'Phaill here, at that point and due to the 1973 in memorian, I thought McPhaill was dead, later I found an interview by him (2001) and new he was alive and healthybutonlytoday found he made backing vocals in Genesis Revisited. I have no memory of that whatsoever. I no longer teach at the university, but I have taken on some private students. That stuff smokes. His name was Birdlegs [James Youman]. But I had let him know on the last Genesis tour that I was going to take a break from doing his tours since I thought he was going to keep doing the same every-year-in-between thing. Basically, I had to jump right into the deep end. Let me remember: Leee Kerslake. They were having a little congratulations party for Tony [Smith] to celebrate 30 years of management or something. How did you wind up touring with Ben E. King in 1969? Was that fun? With Weather Report, I had to learn which ones to leave out. Were you intimidated when you walked into that rehearsal space? Im fine either way. Probably not. Im constantly writing, constantly trying new stuff. And the best artists do it without you even realising it. It was a lot. Still love to practice. From Jazz (Weather Report), to Rock (Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention), to Pop (Genesis/Phil Collins) to Gospel (Ron Kenoly), Chester Thompson has surpassed the boundaries of musical genres. No mud slinging at all. Rolling Stone interview series Unknown Legends features long-form conversations between senior writer Andy Greene and veteran musicians who have toured and recorded alongside icons for years, if not decades. As it turned out, I wound up doing a little, brief drum-clinic tour down there in Australia. Thats what they did when they left their gigs with Miles [Davis] and Cannonball [Adderley] to start Weather Report. I saw everybody in those days. This version mainly shows the American drummer Chester Thompson playing on this amazing performance. They hadnt been renamed R&B. He got a film-editing machine and wanted to really dig in and learn how to use it, which he did. Genesis was very balanced. Chester Thompson sheds some light on relationship with Phil Collins They assumed we were starting a new band like they did. JENNINGS: Phil Collins-led Genesis returning to Buffalo No. It's really weird how people attack Phil Collins. One day, he got pretty frustrated with me and literally cussed me out in front of everybody. I saw James Brown, an early Motown revue, Sam Cooke, Chuck Jackson, Jerry Butler, the Impressions, Sam and Dave, all the Stax artists. And he just totally shot down the idea of doing anything. In the meantime, the few months before, they went with different management, the same people that managed Earth, Wind, and Fire. Some of it was Frank. Chester was very cool in this article. Maybe once in a lifetime. Oh, boy. They were all good friends to the point where they said, Lets do this. So the vibe was great. Thompson called up Rolling Stone to explain how he rose out of the Baltimore housing projects, his early days with Frank Zappa and Weather Report, the ups and downs of life as a Genesis member who never played on the studio albums, and why he hasnt spoken to Phil Collins once in the past 10 years. They were really nice, cool people to work with. Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Progatron, Feb 4, 2021. . I interviewed Chester years ago for Percussive Notes, and he's a great guy, we actually spent an entire day together. This means nothing at all, it's almost a tradition. Come the day of the show, Peter was wherever he was at the moment, which wasnt where he said hed be the day before. What was the first music you remember hearing as a child that really struck you? But Phil being Phil, he detailed every single fill, every single detail of every single song. Enjoy! My wife and I went down to see his big band in Birmingham. Great drummer. Ive heard lots of audiences tapes, but its pouring rain and none of them sound great. !-REACTION RisbyDaCreator 10K views 2. Thats because it was getting close to time to go back out with Phil. Yeah. The only person I didnt see was probably Otis Redding. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/llins-frank-zappa-weather-report-1122064/amp/, https://ultimateclassicrock.com/chester-thompson-phil-collins-solo-tour/. And so the horns would make a mistake and hed turn around and look at me. I grew up in the projects, so in the summer there would be people outside playing music. The guy was brilliant, amazing. But he just enjoyed being around us since we were so lively and fun. That was amazing. So, youre a freelance drummer hoping to get re-upped for a gig with a guy who has hired you again and again over more than two decades, and you dont send a holiday card? Chester Thompson on Decade-Long Rift with Crab Apple Phil Collins And then it was Louis Hayes and Elvin Jones. And they had great songs. I mean to be keep in the background in their importance in the bands. [Laughs] If I could have him, Id be touring with him right now. It didnt surprise me. Did it surprise you that they called you back? Chester Thompson - DRUMMERWORLD I wasnt aware of any of that. Max Roach and Art Blakey were first. Mike, Tony and Peter seem to be working very well together composing and its hard for Phil and Stevein the beginning to contribute. Their manager was someone I knew from L.A. We had worked on a couple of things together. But if youre a music-ed student, you need to learn a different instrument group every semester. . Good read! Oh, and this blew my mind. Hed recently wrapped up stints with Frank Zappa and Weather Report that lasted about two years each, and Genesis previous touring drummer, Bill Bruford, bailed after just four months on the road. We started playing the whole deal, the real stuff in the book. I wish I could afford my son. PHIL COLLINS on HIS DRUMMING PHILOSOPHY , DRUMMING STYLE & DRUMMING WITH CHESTER THOMPSON JOHN EDGINTON DOCUMENTARIES 23.2K subscribers Subscribe 2.3K 148K views 1 year ago NEW YORK PHIL. He said, I just thought you should know that. So, of course, I went on doing what I did. And theyd never had an American in their ranks. The news that he left didnt come out until 1996 or so. We just did a short tour of Canada and that was that. Thompson believed hehad landed a short-term job when Collins asked him to join Genesis without an audition in 1977, but he went on to take part in every road trip until 2007 and was also a stalwart of Collinssolo group fromthe initial Hello, I Must Be Going tour in 1982. I got to play some really cool stuff. None of the other members really knew how to communicate in a funny way with their audiences. That aint me. But basically, for 14 years hed tour every other year and Genesis would tour in the off years. First of all, I arrived in California straight out of the hood in Baltimore. Phil Collins & Chester Thompson (Seconds Out 1977) - YouTube This is before they had hits, but they did have Yes We Can Can. In those days, they were doing pretty much doing all Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross stuff. Yeah. The Australia leg got added later and they wound up doing a film of the tour. Exactly. Are you still teaching? I guess he is as close as you can get being a Genesis member without being one. When Phil called, the first thing he said was, Theres no audition. Pat Mastelotto: I don`t know about his status with King Crimson. He was a drummer deep down in his very soul, one that would take on occasional backing vocal or songwriting duties only if he had to. We didnt do a lot of shows, but at the very last show [at the Montreux Jazz Festival on July 1st, 2010], he wasnt the happiest hed ever been. They had presented him with this amazing gift. I think that he became popular with housewives, and that was his "guilt". Everyone had gotten over themselves by then and it was just really fun from top to bottom. I played every weekend from eighth grade until I graduated high school. But doing it was really fun. Why did you leave? It was interesting because Tom Fowler, our bass player, had broken his hand on tour. So I am a huge fan of the bearded Collins in the 70's, especially that dance he did with the tamborine when they performed I Know What I Like live. I mean, as a matter of fact, the seed got planted on Phils tour at the end of 2005. I read it and just wept because most of it had happened by that point. How did he know you? I actually kind of felt bad for him, he was trying to impart what it takes to be a working drummer (discussing things like getting no sleep with Zappa, his approach to odd times, prepping for touring, being versed in many styles, reading etc..) part of the audience was peppering him with Genesis questions like "what is Phil Collins like?," and the other half just wanted to hear some blazing solo.. odd crowd. Steve saw it as a compromise joining the band. Beans and Corn Bread was probably my favorite Louis Jordan tune. 155K views 1 year ago NASHVILLE CHESTER THOMPSON PLAYED DRUMS WITH GENESIS FROM 1976-2007 . How were the Phil solo tours? Man, it was wonderful. The very first one, and I had to beg my older brother to take me, was Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers. As far as I know he doesn't have the health Thats where you started hearing Motown and stuff. A couple of days later, he brought the whole band in. I guess life had happened in between. I had no idea. He liked having a big band onstage, too. I didnt see Phils tour. I never liked the idea of re-recording old favourites but Im getting a little bit intrested now. IMO, those are two of Genesis' best albums, ATOTT more so than Seconds Out because Seconds Out isn't a true Phil Collins Genesis album because most of the stuff was originally recorded with Peter Gabriel singing. In fact, most of the names of the drummers appear almost always at the end of the credits in the album covers. By the time they reached out to me, they allowed 10 days for rehearsal and it was a two-and-a-halfhour show. I cant be gone that much at this point. Thats when Ricky [Lawson] wound up doing [the Phil solo tours of the mid-Nineties]. It scared the pants off me. When you heard he was going solo, did you think it would work out for him? I am a huge Genesis fan, but am only in high school so I never experienced Genesis when they were popular. The 50 Worst Decisions in Music History His work ethic was just phenomenal. Exactly. Unfortunately, they never had enough of his clear vocals to release it, or anything. The other guy called himself Sonship, Woody Theus. A lot of well-known names. When Daryl Stuermer joined in 1978, did you have a compatriot that was a little more like you? My first drum lessons were in jazz. Basically, I want to keep putting things out. I think try get hold of the album. Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, Chester Thompson took to the drums at an early age.James Harris, a family friend and jazz drummer, first introduced Chester to the drum kit at age 11, and by the time he was 13, Thompson was already doing club gigs in the greater Baltimore area.
Lake Cabins For Sale In Utah, Heather Burrows Ampleforth College, Articles Y