Well appreciated, keep up enjoying Phil Collins! I had no idea. The only person I didnt see was probably Otis Redding. We started playing the whole deal, the real stuff in the book. I no longer teach at the university, but I have taken on some private students. How was your experience in the Pointer Sisters touring band after that? And then I got into better clubs around Baltimore. They were having a little congratulations party for Tony [Smith] to celebrate 30 years of management or something. The very first day of rehearsal he said to me, How do you play that lick? It was a thing that Ralph Humphrey and I did on the end of [Frank Zappas] Trouble Every Day. It was this double drum lick that Phil wanted to learn, and it did wind up in a Genesis song, a live version anyway. All are renowned in the business, but some are less well known to the general public. The very first one, and I had to beg my older brother to take me, was Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers. What a nice man, Don Van Vliet. And then it was Louis Hayes and Elvin Jones. Was it hard on your marriage that you were never home? Shed been on the road for three years straight and she got it. Yes, please explain the secret to bypassing the RS paywall. [Laughs] Umm I didnt really think it was going to be the end. Somehow, they offered me the gig. There were pictures taken and all that. It ended up being a little awkward since they were going to be down there for seven weeks. . After a year with him, I spent some time in Boston with a keyboard player named Webster Lewis, who was phenomenal. First of all, I arrived in California straight out of the hood in Baltimore. but it was some kind of fight for the power and Tony won. Those two weeks, man, I dont think we ever laughed that much all the years wed been together. He might have some fives and sevens instead of triplets, things like that. Basically, Alphonso left during the Christmas break [of 1975]. It was really disturbing because for the first two weeks. Early life [ edit] It was really brilliant. He actually went over everything and duplicated it, put everything down twice. Oh, my goodness. One day, he got pretty frustrated with me and literally cussed me out in front of everybody. And Ill never forget. You did four sold-out nights at Wembley Stadium. Had they said, Were going to change the feel a bit, I would have been fine with that. 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. And so we were doing Salt Peanuts at like 200 miles an hour. It was not at all unusual for all the families to be on tour together. Ralph Humphrey was very helpful that whole time because I had been getting into odd times, but not at the level Frank was doing it. If Phil made a compilation of 70's albums I wouldn't think he's running out of money (In first place nobody will acept to do a Prog Genesis album with him), I would think hre wants MORE money, and he's trying to recapture Prog' fanbase. In fact, we wound up doing a tour opening for them. I'm a fan of Phil and his music, but he comes off as a bit of a putz. I didnt see it coming. Im grateful. Basically, I had to jump right into the deep end. It lets me read for about 90 seconds before it yanks the article. Keith Moon, John Bonham: great drummers, yes, key members, because their band never sounded the same without them, butthey weren`tthe main composers in their bands. They just edited in that other day of his recording. Well, yeah. By then, my son was starting college. Do you talk to Daryl still? Probably not. He played us the demo on the way to a gig before it had drums on it. Phil double-tracked all the drum parts. Neal Peart: great drummer, lyricist, and sometimes composer of the music in Rush. and (apart fromthe bluesalbum)he hasstayed on the same ground, progrelated and close to classical guitarmusic. Im always looking for the new thing, the next thing to me. Chester Thompson was born on 11 December 1948 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. They were amazing. 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. 153K views, 2.9K likes, 787 loves, 221 comments, 2.6K shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Genesis Reunion 2020: Phil Collins and Chester Thompson Genesis The Last Domino Tour . When you heard he was going solo, did you think it would work out for him? He was happy. Not every Rock musician has musical studies. note: They chose instead to record with drummers Nir Zidkyahu and Nick DVirgilio. He was brilliant. And the best artists do it without you even realising it. It was another situation of me not getting any sleep since I was up all night writing charts. When I was about to transfer to a four-year school, I got the audition with [Frank] Zappa. Chester Thompson sheds some light on relationship with Phil Collins. 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, "Culturally, we were on opposite sides of the world," says Chester Thompson of touring with Genesis. They did some concerts and demos and then the real story started with Tony Banks and Peter Gabriel joining Ant and Mike 1967. He ended up with a recording contract. Man, it was fun. The worst thing you could do in Weather Report was play the exact same thing you played the night before. Show more 8:40. Listen Renaissance, Marillion, Pendragon Barclay James Harvest, Moody Blues, Procol Harum, The Strawbs, etc are full of ballads, and nobody ever made a problem. Yes, it`s true, but none of them became the permanent lead singer in their bands like Collins. Steve saw it as a compromise joining the band. Are you still teaching? That's All. Still love to practice. It's just horrible. I got to be friends with some guys that managed an audio store. We had a theater like the Apollo. Even Collins, Bruford (who only received a few musical lessons), Steve Howe, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, etc. Id have to say, I dont think Jaco was too comfortable with that. We picked what we wanted from them and made something new. He also has composed good music, not only elevator music, as you say. I wasnt aware of any of that. Phil and I, from the very first rehearsal when he sat down and we started jamming together, we just locked. No. Oh, and this blew my mind. The guy's a pro, and he plays his ass off. Music education. Just listen to Brand X andlive Genesis. Again, Ive got no grudge. As some of the other guys have said, a really great read. Man, what a phenomenal singer and piano player. 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. Phil Collins says he lost his ability to drum during 2007's Genesis reunion tour. It was a much bigger band, Thompson told Rolling Stone in a new interview. Later on he became tourmanager for Genesis. Phil was not sure family-wise and he hasnt had the easiest of times there. I called Frank immediately and he wasnt happy about it, but he knew that my background was more jazz and stuff. This is why I don't think they sold out or did it for any other reason than that is what they wanted to do. The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time this can result in this site earning a commission. Nothing against Phil's son, I'm sure he's good, but why hasn't anyone said anything about Chester? He might have been. That was my first real, name person I worked with. I didnt know, but he did step back for quite a while. Peter says that Stevewrote things they all liked but quite a lot that they didnt like. Most of the drummers have musical studies, to make arrangements you need to read and write music, even if you don't make the arrangements, you need to read music in order to understand the new arrangements that bands do after every tour in old songs. I started playing clubs at 13. Yeah. That is when we actually had soul music stations. yet (see the forest thru the trees) don't miss the interesting and insightful drum life Chester has led. I thougfh the consensus was that Collins was not the only reason, but just a small part of Genesis's evolving intoa pop band? . Ive done some teaching, not a lot, but at the moment I have a handful of private students at a school. That was every night. Bill Bruford, Neil Peart, Phil Ehart (even producer), Ginger Baker, Keith Moon, Jeff Porcaro, Carl Palmer, Mike Portnoy, Mick Fleetwood (The band uses his name ), John Bonham, Carmine Appice, Stewart Copeland, Cozzy Powell, Lars Ulrich, Lee Kerslake, Don Henley, Pat Mastelotto, Terry Bozzio, Roger Taylor, Billy Cobham. Don't judge you, by the contrary, I'm happy to have an intelligent debate woith people well informed and not with some blind fans from other site that say everything Genesis did is perfect becausee it's Genesis. According to my mother, even before I can remember, she mentioned getting a toy drum and me standing on the front steps and playing as people listened. It was amazing to be in the room while they were playing at full tilt and because . Somebody would have their radio on the outside. He turned around and stared at me. Steve and I always stayed pretty good friends. Several times we were on Phils tour in 2005 and they had meetings about how to put this tour together. We played together a lot in L.A. between Genesis tours and stuff. Again, I think its fantastic that hes playing with his son. I was playing in the San Francisco production of The Wiz back then. Several times. It was definitely different musically since the band was much bigger with horns and backup singers. Smart interviewer, letting an interesting subject just go. Well, after the first tour they were like, Were going to bring you in for the next album. Phil was all for it. Long story short: Collins turned up in a bad mood for the 2010 "Going Back" tour and griped at Thompson because Thompson hadn't prepared the Motown drum parts in enough detail. He had seen what turned out to be my last Weather Report concert, but he was very familiar with the Zappa stuff. This is before they had their own studio. None of the other members really knew how to communicate in a funny way with their audiences. It was a rare thing where the lead singer of a band is also the drummer. Im constantly writing, constantly trying new stuff. Ive still got pretty mixed feelings about it. It was great. 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? Influenced by the likes of Max Roach, Art Blakey, Elvin Jones, and Tony Williams along with the popular music . Well, its been quiet. Say It Right, Aug 16, 2018 #152 The_Windmill likes this. I had a conversation with Mike Rutherford, not knowing what they were going to be doing. A great experience to see. I read it and just wept because most of it had happened by that point. thxs VB; Black Market split in half drumwise; good stuff. Beans and Corn Bread was probably my favorite Louis Jordan tune. It didnt frustrate me so much that I didnt do it. Not all his music is that way.With the exception of his Disney music albums and his "Testify" album, I have listened to most of his albums.I found some good songs there. Thread starter Vistalite Black; Start date Feb 5, 2021; Prev. He had done all the R&B and soul stuff, but at that point in his life he just really dove into jazz. His disparaging remarks about prog was probably a case of being less than honest.Another point in his defense is that he was one of the later ones to "sell out". JavaScript is disabled. As a matter of fact, we had already been told what dates to hold for 2008. We go in the studio with Jaco, and Alphonsos feel and Jacos feel are radically different. And then I ended up doing Phils Motown thing and that didnt go well. It turned out he was Ben E. Kings musical director. Im sure if you spent time with him one-on-one it would be different. Daryl and I came back. I was there just a week and I actually ran across them in Sydney. What I don't like is MUZAK (Elevator music), and that's Phil's field. His work ethic was just phenomenal. That is the reason he left the drums to Chester and Bruford. But not only did Thompson stick with Genesis all the way through their Turn It On Again reunion tour of 2007 Collins also brought him over to his solo career in 1981 and used him for nearly all of his tours between 1981 and 2010. He canceled a tour and was honest about it. Just trying to make the best use of the time. In the latter years, he had a pretty clear picture. I did most of my tracks like Inca Roads with George on piano. 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. We had this other guy jump in. IMO, he is a good composer, a funny showman, a very good lead & backing singer, and one of the best drummers in Rock music. I don't subscribe and I sat and read it for a good 20-25 minutes. Her parents are now in her band. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7_vNpVXubA, What happened from there? Lee Kerslake: he sings backing vocals but again not the main composer in Uriah Heep. But Steve wa always a Genesis fan, even when he wanted to make some modifications, he only could achive that making it himself, and lets be honest, he used an expensive cast: LOL. And Maurice too, actually. Wed do eight-hour rehearsals. Among other things, in one interview Bruford said: "In YES, the most important members are the singer, the bassist and guitarists like Rabin and Howe. Enjoy! Reading the book I get the feeling that he only felt really involved in Selling EnglandFirst he says he had a slight inferior complex as a composer, his ideas were not well recieved, his marriage ended etc. Theyd add horn sections and stuff. Why? Would have to be an idiot not to agree with this, my problem is not with his drumming, I recently had a discussion with a member who said he was only an average drummer not able to play with Yes. -Guitarists/vocalists/bassists/keyboardists "heroes" are the most important members in a band . I hadnt done that. Even though he played with Brand X, he was not comfortable with soloing. Playing that stuff from the Seventies was full of charge. Also note that Onion Head didn't do much writting on the good Genesis LPs like: Foxtrot, Trespass, Selling England, Lamb, Nursery, Trick of the tail, EWnd and Wuthering. They kind of assumed that he would. Almost a tradition? He is just a great drummer. Roger Taylor: good singer, good composer, good drummer, but he has never had the same success as Collins with his solo albums. Oh, my goodness. Hes gone., Were the dates in Australia and other markets you didnt hit the first time? George shared with me that [violinist] Jean-Luc [Ponty] didnt enjoy it so much because he couldnt stand being silly. Theres quite a music community here in Nashville, man. [Laughs] There was no way I could learn it by the next day. Before one tour, we sat there and listened to all the previous tours and everything we did. As of late though, I think Phil Collins has sold out, but not the with Genesis. I cant scroll fast enough to the good parts! Napoleon Murphy Brock was auditioning at the same time for vocals and saxophone. Ginger Baker: mainly a composer as soloist. When Phil Collins moved from the drum kit to the front of the stage in 1976, Genesis hired former Yes drummer Bill Bruford to join them on tour. A lot of well-known names. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/llins-frank-zappa-weather-report-1122064/amp/, https://ultimateclassicrock.com/chester-thompson-phil-collins-solo-tour/. 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. You are using an out of date browser. The amount of music he made in that time is just remarkable. Theyre just sitting there like, Impress me. It really annoyed them that they reached event status as opposed to just playing to fans. All of the above. Goodness. I was asked by Genesis's manager if I would go and photograph the band at a secret location in Surrey (which may have been Mike Rutherford's studio) and take some pictures while they rehearsed ahead of the Knebworth show in 1978. Sorry man, but Steve is the only Genesis member that released a whole album with new version of Genesis songs, i can't understand how somebody can say he didn't liked the music. I saw everybody in those days. I know people were caravanning from here to see it, but it was still a little too raw at that point. Mike, Tony and Peter seem to be working very well together composing and its hard for Phil and Stevein the beginning to contribute. The way my life has gone down, I cant say that I planned any of it. Man, what an education to see all those people in their prime. The first album after Gabriel left was still very progressive sounding, and as the albums after came out, the change could be heard more and more. Other than that, Id go back to the hotel. How did he know you? I cant do that.. Phil Ehart: owner of the name "Kansas", who also worked as their manager sometimes, he is not one of the main composers in the band. I kind of fell in love with the flute. But he still had that American stuff. They brought in Bill Bruford for that one tour [in 1976], but it was a fairly short tour. By the time they reached out to me, they allowed 10 days for rehearsal and it was a two-and-a-halfhour show. I dont think hes holding a grudge. Behind a login thing. That was my introduction to that. But I was fortunate. We went back and forth. Oh, yeah. And Phil and I had a lot of the same roots. Boy, we got in rehearsal and it was like oil and water. The cool thing was my family came out on the road a lot. I am reminded of this Amazon review of "Dance Into the Light" (which, incidently, has the funniest Phil Collins album cover). If you were in Franks band, you had to be willing to be silly. Everything wasnt that, but a lot of the tunes went that way. What were your early impressions of Frank? There were all these conversations going back and forth that Id try to track. I certainly never dreamed it would go on and on like it did. There was no getting around it. By the time I was eight or so, maybe a little older, you started hearing some Motown. Peter Criss (Even lead vocals), Keith Moon, Carmine Appice, Roger Taylor (Much better backing vocalist than anybody else and even lead a couple of times). According to what Chester said in an interview, he had offered his services as a drummer, but Mike and Tony were looking to make a fresh start and looked for different musicians to play with the band. Ive already played stuff for the guys. I didnt know until later. I guess I had clarity of what I hoped to accomplish. Im always very aware of whats going on. Like I said, it was never a band in that sense. Obviously it's not definitive, but the Chester Thompson Wiki page does have some information on it. most great drummers won't ever do that, because they live for their drums. Not the first day. In the meantime, they had brought in [drummer] Narada Michael Walden. It was just there. Y'know, it's funny, but when I see the name Chester Thompson . What I can't still understand is the almost in memorian picture of him in Live 73. A lot of well-known names. Unfortunately, they never had enough of his clear vocals to release it, or anything. I was never in a teenage band. The reason we were doing it was to raise money for Peter since he went broke doing his first WOMAD show. How about pop music? Im really grateful and Im just excited to see what comes next. He only truly related to drums. But I was pretty surprised when he left. None of that. He was a virtuoso, no question, but most of his stuff was straight 16ths. Did they talk to you about being a part of that? He said, I just thought you should know that. So, of course, I went on doing what I did. What I don't like is MUZAK (Elevator music), and that's Phil's field. I was like, Man, when you turned around and looked, it threw me off.. He's probably one of the nicest, most down-to-earth guys in music (and that should be a good thing). 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 was taking lessons from a friend of my brothers who was a jazz player by choice. 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. During that particular run, there was none, ever. It is an impressing line up. But Im over it now. The Australia leg got added later and they wound up doing a film of the tour. It was sort of weird, though. Getting the gig was no walk in the park. Fortunately, the bass player [Bob Babbitt] stepped in and started the tune. How has your Covid year gone? But the opening fill, all of that, is me.

Nic And Patrick Edwards Brothers, Tishomingo County Drug Arrests, Articles P