Phil Collins was one of the greatest rock drummers you could find, so he can do whatever the hell he likes, but with that brilliant and powerful gated drum sound he recorded for “In the Air Tonight,” he inadvertently set a bad example for imitators to overuse! It was a sign of the times, for sure, just like the twangy guitar was back in the day for Speedy West. Every period has a sound that becomes its signature cliché.
