E-mu SP-12

The E-mu Systems SP-12 was a sample-based drum machine owned by Phil Collins and Mike Rutherford.

Phil Collins' E-mu SP-12
Phil started to use this drum machine around the time of recording Invisible Touch in 1985/86, using it for sampled drum sounds on the album - this replaced the Movement MCS Drum Computer Mk. II. According to him, he copied sounds from the Roland TR-808 onto this drum machine, though he might have been confusing it with the SP-1200 instead; he's listed as using both SP-12 and the TR-808 on the Invisible Touch tour program, so it's rather unlikely he had done so with the SP-12.

Phil Collins commented he was rather flattered by the inclusion of his drum sounds into the E-mu SP-12, which were in fact treated drum machine sounds: "'There's a funny little story about the SP-12. When I played the presets it was like... that's 'Sussudio', that's the downbeat, there's the backbeat, there's 'Don't Lose My Number' and 'In The Air' - the three songs that [the drum machine manufacturers] pull out are drum machine sounds, they're not even me. They're just a drum machine put through an AMS [digital reverb] or something. People are sampling what they think is me, but it's just a drum machine! (laughs)'"

Mike Rutherford's E-mu SP-12
Mike Rutherford used the SP-12 for writing & demoing purposes for the Living Years album: "My method is to get my E-mu SP12 drum machine going with a pattern. That runs the Linn, and the Linn cowbell sets a beat on the un-MIDI'd bass pedals which I pitch with my feet while I'm playing chords with my guitar synth and singing. So I can get quite a full sound!"