In his basement, not the Alamo's.
September 17, 2014 10:22 AM Subscribe
Have you ever wondered who owns the largest private collection of artifacts related to the Alamo? Well, wonder no more. The answer is vocal mega-creep and platinum-selling recording artist Phil Collins.
I've known about this for a while. I have always had a nostalgic fondness for Phil Collins (Genesis albums formed the soundtrack to a good chunk of my adolescence) and I've also heard he literally is unable to play drums any more; then this came along, and it looks like it's become a sort of "Chapter 2" for him, which is completely surrealistically delightful.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:27 AM on September 17, 2014 [5 favorites]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:27 AM on September 17, 2014 [5 favorites]
MetaFilter: I've known about this for a while.
posted by jimmythefish at 10:28 AM on September 17, 2014 [6 favorites]
posted by jimmythefish at 10:28 AM on September 17, 2014 [6 favorites]
Little known fact: "In the Air Tonight" is about how Antonio López de Santa Anna stood by and watched as Phil Collins' best friend drowned.
posted by Iridic at 10:31 AM on September 17, 2014 [38 favorites]
posted by Iridic at 10:31 AM on September 17, 2014 [38 favorites]
Do you think we could get Elton John to take up Little Big Horn memorabilia and give up recording?
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:31 AM on September 17, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:31 AM on September 17, 2014 [3 favorites]
he literally is unable to play drums any more
Is he ill or something? How is that possible?
Chester Thompson is a better drummer anyway, but that's a shame.
posted by thelonius at 10:33 AM on September 17, 2014
Is he ill or something? How is that possible?
Chester Thompson is a better drummer anyway, but that's a shame.
posted by thelonius at 10:33 AM on September 17, 2014
Little known fact: "In the Air Tonight" is about how Antonio López de Santa Anna stood by and watched as Phil Collin's best friend drowned.
The "Alamo" is unspoken but clearly intended in the "Well I remember" lines.
posted by yoink at 10:35 AM on September 17, 2014 [34 favorites]
The "Alamo" is unspoken but clearly intended in the "Well I remember" lines.
posted by yoink at 10:35 AM on September 17, 2014 [34 favorites]
Also, this reminded me of the fact that Lemmy Kilmister owns a large collection of Nazi memorabilia.
Lemmy and Phil—will the similarities never end??
posted by Atom Eyes at 10:38 AM on September 17, 2014 [4 favorites]
Lemmy and Phil—will the similarities never end??
posted by Atom Eyes at 10:38 AM on September 17, 2014 [4 favorites]
> he literally is unable to play drums any more
Is he ill or something? How is that possible?
A couple of his vertebrae are way out of wack and last I heard he cannot close a grip on one of his hands.
If you look at old footage of him playing you'll see that he had a habit of hunching his shoulders and scrunching his head back; I suspect that that messed something up there. A drummers' forum discussed this at length here.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:44 AM on September 17, 2014 [2 favorites]
Is he ill or something? How is that possible?
A couple of his vertebrae are way out of wack and last I heard he cannot close a grip on one of his hands.
If you look at old footage of him playing you'll see that he had a habit of hunching his shoulders and scrunching his head back; I suspect that that messed something up there. A drummers' forum discussed this at length here.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:44 AM on September 17, 2014 [2 favorites]
Someone* needs to make a megapost about celebrities and their hobbies. I know Rod Stewart is an avid model railroader, going so far as to take modeling supplies on tour so he can paint buildings and stuff.
And of course there's Florence Henderson and her fight clubs.
* not me.
posted by bondcliff at 10:46 AM on September 17, 2014 [9 favorites]
And of course there's Florence Henderson and her fight clubs.
* not me.
posted by bondcliff at 10:46 AM on September 17, 2014 [9 favorites]
In the movie version, Phil Collins will be played by Josh Brolin. (Awesome thread title.)
posted by No Robots at 10:47 AM on September 17, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by No Robots at 10:47 AM on September 17, 2014 [1 favorite]
Harold Ramis collects Hittite phallic devices, and Novelist PD James is a noted vivisectionist. Successful people are weird, get over it!
posted by Mister_A at 10:49 AM on September 17, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by Mister_A at 10:49 AM on September 17, 2014 [3 favorites]
I know Rod Stewart is an avid model railroader, going so far as to take modeling supplies on tour so he can paint buildings and stuff.
I've heard Neil Young is into model trains too - in his case, though, it's something he and his son, who has cerebral palsy, could do together. Neil even designed a control system that his son could use.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:49 AM on September 17, 2014 [2 favorites]
I've heard Neil Young is into model trains too - in his case, though, it's something he and his son, who has cerebral palsy, could do together. Neil even designed a control system that his son could use.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:49 AM on September 17, 2014 [2 favorites]
Charlie Watts has a thing for the American Civil War.
Mr Ramis, he dead.
posted by IndigoJones at 10:49 AM on September 17, 2014 [2 favorites]
Mr Ramis, he dead.
posted by IndigoJones at 10:49 AM on September 17, 2014 [2 favorites]
Neil Young is a huge Lionel train collector. A friend of mine is also a collector and has ended up bidding against Neil at auctions.
posted by octothorpe at 10:50 AM on September 17, 2014
posted by octothorpe at 10:50 AM on September 17, 2014
he had a habit of hunching his shoulders and scrunching his head back
I wonder if this is due to singing while drumming, with a mic placed high above the kit.
I think Phil did a pretty good job keeping Genesis going after Gabriel left, at least for the first few albums, anyway. Duke and beyond is too poppy for my taste.
posted by rocket88 at 10:52 AM on September 17, 2014
I wonder if this is due to singing while drumming, with a mic placed high above the kit.
I think Phil did a pretty good job keeping Genesis going after Gabriel left, at least for the first few albums, anyway. Duke and beyond is too poppy for my taste.
posted by rocket88 at 10:52 AM on September 17, 2014
Mr Ramis, he dead.
And yet, oddly enough, he continues to collect Hittite phallic devices. He's even kept up his monthly column on Hittite phallic devices in Lingam Franca.
posted by Iridic at 11:02 AM on September 17, 2014 [16 favorites]
And yet, oddly enough, he continues to collect Hittite phallic devices. He's even kept up his monthly column on Hittite phallic devices in Lingam Franca.
posted by Iridic at 11:02 AM on September 17, 2014 [16 favorites]
rocket88: "I think Phil did a pretty good job keeping Genesis going after Gabriel left, at least for the first few albums, anyway. Duke and beyond is too poppy for my taste."
[insert obligatory American Psycho quote here]
posted by Chrysostom at 11:09 AM on September 17, 2014 [2 favorites]
[insert obligatory American Psycho quote here]
posted by Chrysostom at 11:09 AM on September 17, 2014 [2 favorites]
I don't have time to read all this right now, so I might be repeating something in the links, but recently he has agreed to give the entire collection to the Alamo (which I think is now run by Texas park service? Used to be daughters of Texas revolution.).
posted by double bubble at 11:09 AM on September 17, 2014
posted by double bubble at 11:09 AM on September 17, 2014
Charlie Watts has a thing for the American Civil War.
Actually, Charlie Watts has a thing for quite a lot of things!
From a rather sweet UK Guardian interview he gave last year, (just before the Stones played Glastonbury):
I collect jazz mostly. Drum kits as well. I've got one of Kenny Clarke's drum kits that he gave to Max Roach – I bought it off his widow. I have Duke Ellington's, the famous Sonny Greer drum kit, it's fantastic. Big Sid Catlett, one of the great 30s swing drummers, one of his … [continues in this vein for some time]. And books. Not antiquarian books. Signed first editions of mostly 20th-century writers. Agatha Christie: I've got every book she wrote in paperback. Graham Greene, I have all of them. Evelyn Waugh, he's another one. Wodehouse: everything he wrote.
posted by Jody Tresidder at 11:12 AM on September 17, 2014 [1 favorite]
Actually, Charlie Watts has a thing for quite a lot of things!
From a rather sweet UK Guardian interview he gave last year, (just before the Stones played Glastonbury):
I collect jazz mostly. Drum kits as well. I've got one of Kenny Clarke's drum kits that he gave to Max Roach – I bought it off his widow. I have Duke Ellington's, the famous Sonny Greer drum kit, it's fantastic. Big Sid Catlett, one of the great 30s swing drummers, one of his … [continues in this vein for some time]. And books. Not antiquarian books. Signed first editions of mostly 20th-century writers. Agatha Christie: I've got every book she wrote in paperback. Graham Greene, I have all of them. Evelyn Waugh, he's another one. Wodehouse: everything he wrote.
posted by Jody Tresidder at 11:12 AM on September 17, 2014 [1 favorite]
Remember the Sussudio!
posted by chavenet at 11:19 AM on September 17, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by chavenet at 11:19 AM on September 17, 2014 [2 favorites]
He's actually written a book about his collection.
posted by maxsparber at 11:45 AM on September 17, 2014
posted by maxsparber at 11:45 AM on September 17, 2014
This has been a big deal in Texas; folks are serious about the Alamo, and while they didn't begrudge Collins his obsession, there was concern about who would get the collection when the inevitable someday comes to pass.
A weird personal connection to the whole thing is that the "point man" for the Texas government on this is a friend's father-in-law, so I first heard about the gift when my pal posted a candid shot of his wife's pop and Phil hanging out at the Alamo like happy tourists.
posted by uberchet at 11:52 AM on September 17, 2014 [1 favorite]
A weird personal connection to the whole thing is that the "point man" for the Texas government on this is a friend's father-in-law, so I first heard about the gift when my pal posted a candid shot of his wife's pop and Phil hanging out at the Alamo like happy tourists.
posted by uberchet at 11:52 AM on September 17, 2014 [1 favorite]
Metafilter: [continues in this vein for some time]
posted by ricochet biscuit at 11:53 AM on September 17, 2014 [11 favorites]
posted by ricochet biscuit at 11:53 AM on September 17, 2014 [11 favorites]
Almost all modern pop songs are about the Alamo, even though the artist doesn't realize it. Its probably most clear in songs like Anaconda, or anything by Nine Inch Nails.
posted by blue_beetle at 11:54 AM on September 17, 2014 [7 favorites]
posted by blue_beetle at 11:54 AM on September 17, 2014 [7 favorites]
Unless they're French, then they're about the Battle of Leipzig.
posted by filthy light thief at 11:56 AM on September 17, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by filthy light thief at 11:56 AM on September 17, 2014 [1 favorite]
Agatha Christie: I've got every book she wrote in paperback. Graham Greene, I have all of them. Evelyn Waugh, he's another one. Wodehouse: everything he wrote.
I have the complete works of William Shakespeare!
posted by Naberius at 12:21 PM on September 17, 2014 [3 favorites]
I have the complete works of William Shakespeare!
posted by Naberius at 12:21 PM on September 17, 2014 [3 favorites]
or anything by Nine Inch Nails.
It's a bit garbled in the release version, but the lyrics are actually, "I won't forget you, like the Alamo. I want to fight you from the inside."
posted by rhizome at 12:31 PM on September 17, 2014 [15 favorites]
It's a bit garbled in the release version, but the lyrics are actually, "I won't forget you, like the Alamo. I want to fight you from the inside."
posted by rhizome at 12:31 PM on September 17, 2014 [15 favorites]
"Don't You Forget About Me" is actually written from the perspective of the Alamo. Not many people know that.
posted by Joey Michaels at 12:55 PM on September 17, 2014 [11 favorites]
posted by Joey Michaels at 12:55 PM on September 17, 2014 [11 favorites]
Whoopie Goldberg collects Wedgewood and has a pretty strong collection, I believe. I think Barbra Streisand may also.
posted by PussKillian at 1:07 PM on September 17, 2014
posted by PussKillian at 1:07 PM on September 17, 2014
I make a special dessert every year to commemorate the battle -- Pie Alamo'd.
posted by benzenedream at 1:11 PM on September 17, 2014 [4 favorites]
posted by benzenedream at 1:11 PM on September 17, 2014 [4 favorites]
This was the heart of an ongoing conflict between Collins, who always remembered the Alamo, and Gabriel, who didn't remember, didn't recall, and had no memory of anything at all.
posted by rocket88 at 1:38 PM on September 17, 2014 [12 favorites]
posted by rocket88 at 1:38 PM on September 17, 2014 [12 favorites]
Say, I think I have an Alamo artifact around here somewhere that he might be interested in...
posted by mantecol at 1:40 PM on September 17, 2014
posted by mantecol at 1:40 PM on September 17, 2014
Almost all modern pop songs are about the Alamo, even though the artist doesn't realize it. Its probably most clear in songs like Anaconda
Travis and Bowie said more troops are too slowy
Let's get Davey Crockett, got a big knife in his pocket
Santa Anna pulled up wit his army and he hit 'em with the jab like...
Dun-d-d-dun-dun-d-d-dun-dun
posted by kirkaracha at 1:58 PM on September 17, 2014 [2 favorites]
Metafilter: I don't have time to read all this right now
posted by asterix at 2:55 PM on September 17, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by asterix at 2:55 PM on September 17, 2014 [2 favorites]
Christina Aguilera is well known for her enormous collection of women's undergarments. Wait.
posted by latkes at 3:09 PM on September 17, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by latkes at 3:09 PM on September 17, 2014 [1 favorite]
Although his own abstract paintings fall under the heading "well, it's nice he has a hobby," Sylvester Stallone's personal collection of modern art is supposed to be fairly significant and broad.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 4:30 PM on September 17, 2014
posted by DirtyOldTown at 4:30 PM on September 17, 2014
they keep it all in the basement of the Alamo, right guys?
posted by nickggully at 4:40 PM on September 17, 2014
posted by nickggully at 4:40 PM on September 17, 2014
Kirk Hammett has a wonderful collection of horror movie posters.
posted by jonmc at 5:18 PM on September 17, 2014
posted by jonmc at 5:18 PM on September 17, 2014
Ozzy Osbourne collects spores, mould and fungus.
not intentionally of course.
posted by wabbittwax at 7:39 PM on September 17, 2014 [1 favorite]
not intentionally of course.
posted by wabbittwax at 7:39 PM on September 17, 2014 [1 favorite]
I've always thought that Phil Collins is an excellent drummer.
okay:
Cowboy #1: What's your name?
Pee-wee: I can't remember.
Cowboy #2: Where are you from?
Pee-wee: I can't remember.
Cowboy #1: Can you remember anything?
Pee-wee: I remember... the Alamo.
[Texans cheer]
posted by ovvl at 8:44 PM on September 17, 2014 [1 favorite]
okay:
Cowboy #1: What's your name?
Pee-wee: I can't remember.
Cowboy #2: Where are you from?
Pee-wee: I can't remember.
Cowboy #1: Can you remember anything?
Pee-wee: I remember... the Alamo.
[Texans cheer]
posted by ovvl at 8:44 PM on September 17, 2014 [1 favorite]
I've always thought that Phil Collins is an excellent drummer.
Oh, yay, an excuse to re-post a drum duet link. (Sadly, it's also an example of the posture that probably broke Phil....)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:40 AM on September 18, 2014
Oh, yay, an excuse to re-post a drum duet link. (Sadly, it's also an example of the posture that probably broke Phil....)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:40 AM on September 18, 2014
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Al—Al—Alamo!
posted by Atom Eyes at 10:26 AM on September 17, 2014 [4 favorites]