Collins did a couple of little
Les Pauls, and this Godin is
tours called The Phil Collins
in the middle. The amps I use
Big Band. It was like a jazz
all the time are two Mesa/
band. We backed up Tony
Boogie Mark 1’s. I use them
Bennett. Quincy Jones was
for a straight sound. I don’t
the conductor, and we did
use the distortion channel;
it in Europe with only a few
any distortion or effects are
dates in the United States
done with my pedals. I like
because it’s not the kind of
a warm, clean sound, and
thing that sells well here. It
that’s what I get out of the
was Phil Collins and Genesis
Mesa/Boogie Mark 1.
music done in a big band
style with legitimate big band
CG: Your working relationship
arrangem ents. I used my 335
with Genesis has outlasted
for that because it’s more
most personal relationships.
of a jazz guitar. Otherwise,
What makes it work?
I would not use that guitar.
I have some old acoustic
DARYL: I’ve done the job
guitars, not super old, but
they want me to do and I
older Takamines. There’s a
have not let them down. I
lot of stuff back there that I
think they know that. I’ve
should probably sell because
been a consistent player,
it accumulates and I’d rather
playing
have someone use it. There’s
especially, and then playing
always the main gear you’ve
in Phil Collins’ band since
used for the last ten or twenty
1981. He trusts me and he
years that you hang on to.
knows I’ll be there for him. Of
live
with
them
course you have to be there
CG: Is there one that got
musically, but you also have
away?
to be there personally. I like
being on time and I come
DARYL: Yes. I was about
prepared. I’ve been married
16 and I had 1960 or 1962
since 1978 and have two
Fender Strat. This was in 1969 and I was in a
time. I can imagine how these things would
girls, all the guys have two or three kids, our
band. I have pictures of me playing it. I sold it
sound and feel today.
families know each other, and we are respectful
for $125. Now I wish I had that guitar! It was the
of each other’s lives. We don’t see each other
one with the three-way pickup selector, not the
CG: Could you get by with one guitar and one
often, but when we do it feels like we’ve been
five-way that we have now. It sounded great
amp, and if so, which ones?
only apart for a few months. I think we’re all
and it played great. At the time you think, I want
on the same page and we have the same
to get a new guitar, so I’m going to sell this,
DARYL: Right now I’m using the Godin guitar
goal. When I was 16, I had a band, played out,
and $125 meant a lot. Today it would probably
and I can do it all with that one. But if someone
had a good time playing with my friends, and
go for quite a lot more huh? That’s one that
said, “From now on, the only guitar you’re
I’m still doing the same thing. I’ve never had
got away. There are probably other ones, but I
ever going to play …” I think a Strat would be
another job. I found something I love doing and
don’t think about it because I don’t like having
the one. It’s easy to play, it’s a good feel, but
it became my career. I think everybody in the
regrets. That one comes to mind because
I would have to have a Strat with single coil
band is the same way. This is all they’ve ever
I have pictures and a recording of that band.
and humbuckers. That’s what I like about the
done, it’s what they love doing, and it’s what
I was playing it through a Super Reverb with
Godin: the humbucker pickups. They’re thicker-
holds everybody together.
10-inch speakers. That sounded nice and it got
sounding. But you can also switch to single coil.
away too. I sold all that stuff around the same
So I would have to have that. I love Strats, I love
May June 2016
CollectibleGuitar.com
~ Alison Richter
33