Phil Collins has shared a rare health update, explaining that it’s ‘still sinking in’ that he can no longer play the drums, and that his health has deteriorated.
The legendary musician has been in the spotlight for decades, thanks to his work with Genesis as well as his solo career.
The 73-year-old has struggled with his mobility recently, following a spinal injury in 2007 – he has undergone a string of operations over the years, but was eventually forced to retire from performing in 2022.
In a new Drumeo documentary titled Phil Collins: Drummer First, released on Wednesday, he became emotional as he sat at a drum kit for the first time in years, before shedding light on his health.
‘It’s still kind of sinking in a bit…,’ he told the cameras in the footage, which was recorded in 2022. ‘I’m 71. I’ve spent all my life playing drums. To suddenly not be able to do that is a shock.
‘The drumming has taken it’s toll on my hands, legs…
‘f I can’t do what I did as well as I did it, I’d rather relax and not do anything. If I wake up one day and I can hold a pair of drumsticks, then I’ll have a crack at it.
‘But I just feel like I’ve used up my air miles.’
Phil’s son, Nic Collins, took over his tour duties as his health declined, and opened up about rockers often feeling as though they were ‘invincible’ at the peak of their careers.
‘People in bands, in general, had this thought that they were invincible,’ he added. ‘I think that’s really what it is with my dad.
‘It’s this sense of you’re a drummer, you’re invincible, you do what you do. But you don’t know what is going to take a toll in the long run.’
Phil joined Genesis in 1970, and regularly performed with band members Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks.
Over the years, they were responsible for hits including Mama, Invisible Touch, Follow You Follow Me, No Son of Mine, Turn It On Again and I Can’t Dance.
The In The Air Tonight star then pivoted to his own solo career in the 90s and took home an Oscar for best original song thanks to his bop, You’ll Be In My Heart, which was on the Tarzan soundtrack.
Sadly, Phil faced a series of health setbacks behind the scenes, and revealed in 2009 that he was unlikely to play the drums again.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, he said at the time: ‘After playing drums for 50 years, I’ve had to stop. My vertebrae have been crushing my spinal cord because of the position I drum in.
‘It comes from years of playing. I can’t even hold the sticks properly without it being painful, I even used to tape the sticks to my hands to get through.’
He joined his Genesis bandmates from a choir while on stage in 2021, before appearing in a wheel chair for his final performance the following year, while Nic has stepped in to replace him for some performances.
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