Phil Collins has shared a candid health update, admitting it has been difficult to come to terms with no longer being able to play the drums.
The 73-year-old music icon, known for his illustrious career with Genesis and as a solo artist, spoke in a new documentary about the challenges he has faced since stepping away from performing in 2022.
In the Drumeo documentary Phil Collins: Drummer First, released on Wednesday, the musician became emotional as he sat behind a drum kit for the first time in years.
The footage, recorded in 2022, captures Collins reflecting on the impact of his spinal injury and subsequent health decline.
“It’s still kind of sinking in a bit,” he said. “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 its toll on my hands, legs…”
He added: “If 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.”
Collins’ struggles with mobility, stem from a spinal injury sustained in 2007, which necessitated multiple surgeries over the years. Despite his efforts, the toll on his body eventually forced him into retirement.
As his health declined, the star's son, Nic, stepped in to take over drumming duties during Genesis’ farewell tour. In the documentary, Nic reflected on the pressures and physical toll of life in a band.
“People in bands, in general, had this thought that they were invincible,” Nic said. “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.”
Collins joined Genesis in 1970 and helped create some of the band’s most memorable hits, including Invisible Touch, No Son of Mine, and I Can’t Dance.
Alongside bandmates Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford, and Tony Banks, he became a defining figure of progressive rock.
Beyond Genesis, the musician embarked on a hugely successful solo career in the 1990s. He won an Oscar for Best Original Song for You’ll Be In My Heart, featured in Disney’s Tarzan, and became known for classics like In The Air Tonight.
By 2009, Collins publicly acknowledged that he was unlikely to play the drums again due to his condition.
