The Genesis of Quite Frankly Drums

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The Genesis of Quite Frankly Drums.
The Next Chapter - Part I



Read all about it - Quite Frankly Drums joins the world of Substack!
https://quitefranklydrums.substack.com/publish/post/157536372

From Phil Collins, Pink Floyd, Slingerland to Gretsch & more, an insight into my rare & unique drum collection with sets spanning 100 years! These are my musings & a tribute to the drums & their history. Quite Frankly Drums.

Established in 2008*, it took until 2014 for the name to be born out of the personal loss of my father, Frank Collins.

Like his father before, Frank Collins Snr, my father had been a drummer, not professional, but even in his last days, he would still tap the change in his pocket like he was riding the cymbal in a big band.

I was born into the sound of the music; Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Glenn Miller, and Syd Phillips (father of the now legendary drummer Simon) along with many others, while Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich were his favourite drummers who were often played and discussed.

During my youthful days, I cared not about his music which followed us wherever we went thanks to the new invention of 8 Track Cassettes, but what I did know was that by the age of 7, I loved music and drums.

We can now fast forward many decades, passing 1976 which had seen me given my father’s old warped drum sticks and brushes (which I still have) and by now, it was 2008.

Two very important drums sets came in to my possession. The first being the unique and legendary former Phil Collins Pearl BLX concert tom set which I was blessed to have been on the road with in 1982 during the Genesis 'Three Sides Live' tour.

The second, a large set of drums and former Pink Floyd, the stunning DW kit played by Gary Wallis on the Division Bell Tour, finished in the fabulous lacquered Exotic Birdseye Maple.

*That was the start of my collecting, although two drums in the collection have remained with me for around 48 years, so technically, I now realise that, actually it all started in 1977?!

Established 1977 - I like that!

When my father passed in 2012, it left a huge void, but we would raise a smile whenever anyone uttered Frank’s favourite phrase, “Quite frankly…..”

While looking through old family photos and his record collection, the Big Band sound re-entered my life and the music and vintage drum sets on the covers fascinated me.

Soon after, came the remarkable finding of a near mint 1955 Ajax Drums, Jack Parnell Deluxe set and that opened the flood gates to my now extensive collection of past and present drum sets.

The website to document these drum sets needed a title, and so in tribute to my father and his father in turn, it was officially named in 2014 - Quite Frankly Drums.

Quite frankly... it’s all about the drums!
Love & miss you Dad. x