Uploaded March 2008 | Updated September 2026, 8 hours ago
Please see Part 1 first, if you have not already looked!
Ok, well, here is my INTERPRETATION of this fairly epic medley of songs from Genesis. I do not claim to be playing note for note; just trying to get the basic patterns and feel across for the various different sections of this 20 minute track.
I had to split this somewhere, for the purposes of fitting onto YouTube, and chose to go at the halfway point. Unfortunately, this means a split just after the hectic Firth Of Fifth intro, which is a shame -- sorry. The alternative was to split this in three, and I did not want to do that.
I had a big problem with my headphones just before recording this. They broke. This meant I had to drum to the music without phones, which has resulted (a) in a poor sound mix (b) music being too quiet and (c) I lose track of things at times, 'cos I cannot hear a fucking thing. Apologies for this. I think I am going to re-record at least Firth Of Fifth awkward intro, and upload that, just show how I would have liked it to come out.
I have heard that a lot of Genesis fans hate this 1992 Medley from the We Can't Dance Tour. I can see why this might be, but I have to say that it still is a feast of drumming by Phil and Chester, and trying to play along with it is just great fun!
Firth Of Fifth (main section) -- This is a great groove by Phil and Chester. Really HUGE drum sound, and works with that epic guitar solo brilliantly, in my view. I love the massive fills, which are impossible for me to capture on my little kit in my little summer-room. Still, I love trying! For reasons that are obscure, I have always found the bit where it starts to resolve into I Know What I Like completely unfathomable. Something about the fact that a hi-hat is going whilst the ride is being hit, and off-beat crashes, and a snare pattern that is lazy or something. I presume Phil is in the middle of jumping off his kit at some point during this, but it must be when it's nearly over, because I am damned if one drummer can really sound quite like it does on the cd! Maybe it is just me?
I Know What I Like -- Please forgive the bad timing at the beginning of this -- it really was difficult to hear the music! Anyway, this is deceptive -- the groove Chester gets on his slightly open hi-hats and that damn bass drum of his. It kind of reminds me of Squonk live -- you think it will be ok to copy, but it ain't! I always wish it was being played on the ride, 'cos that would be so much easier, I think! Anyway, this is great fun to play, and a challenge to keep the bass drum grooving throughout. The fills are sometimes in 'half time' (16's) and sometimes they are 32's. This is difficult, 'cos you have to keep the hi-hat slightly open and grooving in 'half time' (8's). Fantastic stuff! I love it when it goes to the quiet bit, and Phil gets his trademark tambourine in on the act.
That's All / Illegal Alien / Own Special Way / Follow You, Me -- I imagine this is the bit that upsets a lot of Genesis fans. That may be, but this whole section is still difficult on drums. Again, you have to keep the groove going on bass drum and hi-hat, and the fills are difficult to maintain. I love Follow You Follow Me, especially the end bit with the hi-hat / cymbal interplay at 7:56 -- it sounds so perfect for the song.
The End -- well, I tried to crescendo at the end of the song as Chester does, but finished to damn soon, as is usually the case (I did it on Los Endos live I believe!).
Anyway, that's that. I hope you enjoy it. Try not to get too hung up on the fact that it is not note for note, please! Let's not find ourselves in another discussion like that that occurred on Duke!
:-)
Please see Part 1 first, if you have not already looked!
Ok, well, here is my INTERPRETATION of this fairly epic medley of songs from Genesis. I do not claim to be playing note for note; just trying to get the basic patterns and feel across for the various different sections of this 20 minute track.
I had to split this somewhere, for the purposes of fitting onto YouTube, and chose to go at the halfway point. Unfortunately, this means a split just after the hectic Firth Of Fifth intro, which is a shame -- sorry. The alternative was to split this in three, and I did not want to do that.
I had a big problem with my headphones just before recording this. They broke. This meant I had to drum to the music without phones, which has resulted (a) in a poor sound mix (b) music being too quiet and (c) I lose track of things at times, 'cos I cannot hear a fucking thing. Apologies for this. I think I am going to re-record at least Firth Of Fifth awkward intro, and upload that, just show how I would have liked it to come out.
I have heard that a lot of Genesis fans hate this 1992 Medley from the We Can't Dance Tour. I can see why this might be, but I have to say that it still is a feast of drumming by Phil and Chester, and trying to play along with it is just great fun!
Firth Of Fifth (main section) -- This is a great groove by Phil and Chester. Really HUGE drum sound, and works with that epic guitar solo brilliantly, in my view. I love the massive fills, which are impossible for me to capture on my little kit in my little summer-room. Still, I love trying! For reasons that are obscure, I have always found the bit where it starts to resolve into I Know What I Like completely unfathomable. Something about the fact that a hi-hat is going whilst the ride is being hit, and off-beat crashes, and a snare pattern that is lazy or something. I presume Phil is in the middle of jumping off his kit at some point during this, but it must be when it's nearly over, because I am damned if one drummer can really sound quite like it does on the cd! Maybe it is just me?
I Know What I Like -- Please forgive the bad timing at the beginning of this -- it really was difficult to hear the music! Anyway, this is deceptive -- the groove Chester gets on his slightly open hi-hats and that damn bass drum of his. It kind of reminds me of Squonk live -- you think it will be ok to copy, but it ain't! I always wish it was being played on the ride, 'cos that would be so much easier, I think! Anyway, this is great fun to play, and a challenge to keep the bass drum grooving throughout. The fills are sometimes in 'half time' (16's) and sometimes they are 32's. This is difficult, 'cos you have to keep the hi-hat slightly open and grooving in 'half time' (8's). Fantastic stuff! I love it when it goes to the quiet bit, and Phil gets his trademark tambourine in on the act.
That's All / Illegal Alien / Own Special Way / Follow You, Me -- I imagine this is the bit that upsets a lot of Genesis fans. That may be, but this whole section is still difficult on drums. Again, you have to keep the groove going on bass drum and hi-hat, and the fills are difficult to maintain. I love Follow You Follow Me, especially the end bit with the hi-hat / cymbal interplay at 7:56 -- it sounds so perfect for the song.
The End -- well, I tried to crescendo at the end of the song as Chester does, but finished to damn soon, as is usually the case (I did it on Los Endos live I believe!).
Anyway, that's that. I hope you enjoy it. Try not to get too hung up on the fact that it is not note for note, please! Let's not find ourselves in another discussion like that that occurred on Duke!
:-)
