In the months leading up to his ‘Not Dead Yet Tour,’ iconic drummer Phil Collins started experiencing nerve issues in his hand, which made playing the drums a real challenge. Fortunately, he had a helping hand nearby. He hired his son, Nic Collins, to play drums on his tour from 2016 until 2019. The unexpected turn of events occurred when the father-son team had Nic sit down at the piano during the tour’s stop in Houston.
After Phil showed Nic his discography, his son discovered a song that Phil liked, Phil told the crowd. As a sign of their mutual sense of humor, Phil joked, “Just one,” and Nic corrected him, saying, “Two songs… mainly just one.” “You Know What I Mean” is the Phil Collins solo debut album track that Nic enjoyed. Then, with Phil singing and Nic playing piano, the duo broke into a moving rendition of the song.
A large number of Phil Collins’s admirers were pleased to discover that, despite his health problems, Phil was still performing live, and they left encouraging comments all over the video. In the end, more than 2.70 million people watched the performance video. The sight of the father-son performing together moved many spectators; one person even went so far as to say, “Wonderful to see father and son together that way.” Many spectators pointed on Nic’s musical ability and said, “Nic Collins inherited Phil’s musical talent.”
The tour provided an opportunity for Nic to showcase his many musical abilities, and he didn’t disappoint, particularly on the drums. During the same Houston performance, Nic had his chance to show off his drumming skills in a duet with fellow percussionist Richie Garcia. Even Nic’s dad couldn’t help but be impressed by his drumming skills. When Nic walked out onto the stage to play the cajon with Richie and his dad, the performance transformed into a drum trio.
Nic continued to accompany his father on drums on his 2020–2022 Genesis tour after the tour concluded in 2019. In the time after, he joined Mike and the Mechanics, a touring band featuring his father’s Genesis bandmate Mike Rutherford, and played drums for them. Better Strangers, Nic’s solo project that premiered in 2022, is a must-listen for anyone interested in hearing more of his drumming. Nic Collins will undoubtedly have plenty of opportunities to showcase his talents in the years to come, what with continuing his father’s work and creating his own musical trajectory.
