Collins can't play anymore - followup

I'd be remiss...or I should say, I was remiss...in not noting that Collins' drumming career extended well beyond Genesis. The early Brand X records - frantic, blistering, screws-loose fusion, bred from an obvious love of Mahavishnu (without all the foreign-language modals) were chuck full of Collins absolutely playing his ass off outside the fairly rigorous controls of Genesis and their orchestral album-version dogmatism.

I've been tempted to turn my USB turntable process loose on a few of those records - Morroccan Roll and Unorthodox Behaviour especially - but I fear they're way too worn down for decent reproduction. In grazing my CD collection a few years ago, I did come across Missing Period, which is a collection of rehearsal versions of selections from both albums. Honestly don't remember ever getting the CD, but it was fun to find it and I do listen to it fairly regularly. There are a few obvious mistakes in there, and some comically off-the-grid soloing that would have sounded out of place (even for them) on album versions. But it's also a view into just how good this band was.

Phil hasn't drummed with Lumley and Goodsall for many years - but it'd be an oversight not to mention that affiliation in any discussion of Phil's drumming career.

Collins also showed up on other people's records - notably his old lead singer Peter Gabriel - but also outside the strictly-rock arena. I remember a long hitch I did from Boston to NY back in the late 70's, and getting picked up by a guy who, about my same age, also had very similar musical tastes and a a few tracks from Vimana, debut record from Narada Michael Walden's post-Mahavishnu fusion outfit. Terrific record, if not altogether easy to find anymore.