Thank you for the Lamb analysis
I love the Lamb Lies Down On Broadway it's absolutely brilliant!
I was fortunate to see The Musical Box Perform the Lamb show at the corn exchange Cambrige England 2006 A dream come true!!
I had seen many pictures of the lamb show in many genesis books and wondered what it was like to have been like to experience the lamb shows THANK YOU MUSICAL BOX!!
The reason I am writing to you is because I am Interested to know about Phil Collins percussion work on the album and what was his kit set up in the Studio and on tour?
I would love to see Phil's kit in the vintage instrument tour
all the best thanks for the analysis!
from Steven Brill
Bedford England
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Hellay, hellay, dear Steven !
I am gratified to hear that my Vintage Instrument Tour vids expanded your joyful experience/memories of seeing The Musical Box perform The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.
I am definitely WITH you - on wanting to complete filming a finished piece on Phil's historic (and rather esoteric) drum set used during the Lamb era.
Tom Lord-Alge and I are still waiting to see if we can (someday) get either Martin Levac (TMB's original, and extraordinary, "Phil Collins") or Simon Collins (Phil's son, and current member of Sound of Contact) to host an insightful Vintage Instrument Tour of that particular drum set.
Below, you can check out one of the many pics I was able to capture on the stage of the Tribeca P.A.C. - when TMB allowed us to shoot their vintage equipment... (posted, below)
TLA and I have the raw footage we shot of the kit, itself, but do not want to release it until we have a bonafide Collins expert to address the truly unique pieces contained, within.
For now, here is a list of those now rare percussive instruments which Phil used to not only provide (the complex) structure to the Lamb's intoxicating melodies..but the pervasive aural-texturing, as well:
Phil's equipment (source/ Melody Maker's Chris Welch "Back Seat Driver"article May 26, 1975):
Hi Hat ==> was Phil's central point of the Lamb kit (because of how everything else was spread around him, in groupings)
Premier Kenny Clare outfit w/Double Shells + Glockenspiel and vibes.
Four Timbales descending in size
3 Tune-able Tambourines
Paiste Cymbals + a few Zildjains
Chinese Blocks (aka Monkey Skulls)
Tubular Bells
Bell Tree
Assorted Chimes
(Phil stated in interview for 1970-75 Box set collection: "At the time of the Lamb and for the next few years with Brand X - I was probably at the height of my playing. Lots of inventive stuff from everybody....a real surge forward. For the Lamb, my drumset was huge - from a big drum kit - just lost of noises, here..lots of things, here...I was whizzing around it.)
Here is the exact stuff for 74/75/76:
It's the Kenny Clare with a 20x15 bass drum, 14x5 wooden snare and 12x8 13x9 14x14 and 16x16 tom-toms.
I have a deal with Paiste cymbals and I have just got a couple of sets but I also have some old Zildjians so I use what I feel like at the time.
I have a range of cymbals from the four inch Chinese gong up to a 26 inch sizzle, so I have a good cross section.
My pedals are Speed Kings I've been using them since I was 15, I did try a new Japanese style that has chains instead of leather straps but they didn't suit me.
The hi-hat pedals are Slingerland which are the best I have played.
The Timbales I have been using are Slingerland as well, I have a 13 and 14 inch. I have been trying to get someone to make me a 16 inch metal timbale as I reckon it will sound incredible.
I have quite a bit of other stuff from Premier as well like vibes and some tubular bells.
The Premier kit is the best for live work but the Gretsch I have used on all the Genesis studio albums.
Finally ~ from my collaborator, Paul Davis, Genesis collector/researcher, in the UK:
The final thing I found was a description of the Lamb Kit as looked down on from above..I think it's fairly accurate although it was in the booklet that came with an early bootleg box set that predated the first Archive set....
It goes as follows from left to right...20 inch cymbal..24 '' gong..19'' inch cymbal..19'' cymbal..11''cymbal..19'' cymbal..tuneable tambourines..
Then underneath all of that...16'' tom..14'' tom..20'' bass..13'' tom..12'' tom..
The snare and hi-hat next..
Behind was the rack with triangle..small bells..cow bell..dog bark (!!?)..
Swiss bells and then a frame of tubular bells..
He also had the glockenspiel and various whistles and wooden effects bits.......
Xoxo, Lil