Quite Frankly Drums - The History

My introduction to drums came when I was perhaps 2 or 3 years of age when my parents bought me a child's toy set. I loved that little outfit right from the start, but sadly it didn’t last long as an over enthusiastic adult neighbour wrecked the set by breaking two of the three heads.

Unfortunately there are therefore no no images of me with that set of drums, although oddly, to this day some 50 plus years on, I still have the small bag that the tools came in and that has the outfit printed upon it.

My full appreciation of drums and drummers really started in 1971 when aged 8, I saw a 14 year old by the name of Simon Phillips perform with a drum trio at our school concert. The sight and sound of three unaccompanied drummers tearing it up, just blew me away!

It took a further four year of tapping my hands on everything in sight before my father presented me with his own (all be it banana shaped) vintage drum sticks and brushes from his playing days in the 1950s.

That was December 31st, 1975 and like most things, I still have those brushes to this day!

My father's father, had also been a drummer, fronting his own 12 piece dance band in the 1920s - 1940s, while I understand that even my great grandfather was also a musician, so I guess it was in the blood?!

Below is a recently found image of my late Grandfather Frank Collins Snr, seen here at the microphone rather than on the drums with one of the bands, circa 1944.



Since that final day of 1975, I have always been around drums in some capacity and I was destined for a career within or around the music industry. Even during a 24 years break from playing myself, I always kept two drums in my cuboard just to say to myself that I had some drums! My last snare, a Gretsch 14x8" that I purchased new in 1983 after a talk with Phil Collins and an original 10" Remo Roto-Tom.

During my working life in touring and travel, I have been fortunate to work alongside many legendary drummers. Phil & Simon Collins, Taylor Hawkins and Nick Mason remain among the favourites from the many hundreds that I have assisted or toured with in some capacity over the decades.

Over the last decade, I have also been incredibly fortunate to also acquire some wonderful and very historic drumming items.

One such item is the former Phil Collins Pearl Concert Tom BLX set of drums that he played extensively on multiple tours, recordings and one off shows during 1982 & 1983.

The Pearl drums were used on the following:

Genesis - 1982 'Three Sides Live' World Tour.
Phil Collins - 1982 'Hello, I Must Be Going' European Tour.
Phil Collins - 1983 'Hello, I Must Be Going' North American Tour.
Robert Plant - 1983 'The Principle of Moments'
Genesis - 1983 'Genesis' Album Sessions.
Eric Clapton - May 23rd 1983 - Civic Hall, Guildford
Peter Gabriel - July 9th - Selhurst Park, London
Robert Plant - 1983 UK Tour Rehearsals

Another iconic set in the collection is the former Pink Floyd Bird's Eye Maple DW kit from their 1994 Division Bell tour.

Only two were made, one for Nick Mason (who still has his to this day) and a second matching set for Gary Wallis who augmented Nick's playing on the tour and which can be seen on the wonderful P.U.L.S.E dvd. I have the majority of Gary's massive set seen in the above image.

My main focus for vintage collecting has been the often overlooked and long gone British AJAX drum sets along with their related drums and brands, however there is just something about the most vintage drum sets that captivates me in general.

The 1920s - 1960s in particular interests me with many top end sets of drums featuring the highest level of craftsmanship, engineering and artistic design concepts, much of which has sadly been long pushed aside for economic or simply practicality reasons.

In recent years, I have also started to study and collect the great American Slingerland sets and snares.

I had unknowingly loved their sound since I was a young boy as it transpired that all of my father's favourite bands had drummers who back then, all played Slingerland!

Naturally I am talking about the likes of Louie Bellson, Jake Hanna, Rufus "Speedy" Jones and of course, Buddy Rich & Gene Krupa and therefore, I guess it was only a matter of time before an American Slingerland kit or two sat among all of my English kits and very special kits they are!

Gene Krupa was my father's favourite drummer, so just as this website is dedicated to Frank Collins Jnr and his father, Frank Collins Snr, my two Slingerland kits are both Gene Krupa Deluxe Radio King outfits in Gene's famed White Marine Pearl.

Some of the earliest records I bought in the early 1970's were to also at the time, unbeknownst to me, featuring Slingerland drummers.
Bill Ward of Black Sabbath and Bev Bevan of ELO to name but two.

Along the way, through my various connections, I also gained an appreciation for the 1980's Pearl DLX / BLX kits which originally stemmed from my time touring with Phil Collins when he endorsed the Pearl brand.

Many top drummers played these kits in the 1980's and many still talk fondly of them today.

My choice of 'modern' drums also have a retro feel to them, with my 'go to set' being a stunning George H Way Tradition "Tuxedo" mahogany Duco set of drums, made by the ever creative Ronn Dunnett.

Ronn obtained the rights to George Way and George H Way drums and is now making astonishing and faithful modern retro recreations.

This Quite Frankly Drums website is essentially a record of my drum collection past and present along with the history behind each set of drums where known. 

I play the drums for fun, its about them, not me.
I am a (poorly!) self taught drummer and my limited time behind a drum set spans just 1976-1985, 2009-2013 and now, 2018 and long into the future I hope!

As mentioned on the home page, the site is also dedicated with loving thanks to my late father, Frank Collins who along with his father, Frank Collins senior, set me on my lifelong drumming and music path.

Like the drums and music, this website is a labour of love, a slow build with items and information being added just when I am able and of course, as I perhaps uncover more historic information!

Thank you for visiting and I hope you enjoy your time here.
Graham Collins