Phil Collins explains why he can’t play drums with health issues

Phil Collins He will always love playing the drums, but years of rocking and rolling have taken their toll on him.

“I’ve spent my whole life playing drums. To suddenly not be able to do it is a shock,” admitted Collins, 73. Phil Collins: first drummer Documentary, published by Drumeo on Wednesday, December 18.

The musician explained that after playing drums live with Genesis for five decades and touring solo since the 1980s, it took a toll on his hands and feet. The strain on his body led Collins to retire from drumming in March 2022 after his last performance with his band Genesis.

“If I can’t do what I did the way I did it, I’d rather relax and do nothing,” he said. “If I wake up one day and can hold a pair of drumsticks, then I will.”

“I just feel like I used up my air miles,” Collins continued, noting that not being able to play “still sunk in a little bit.”

The Oscar winner got his first plastic drum at the age of 3, which started it all. Two years later, Collins was playing music for his family. “It was something I could sit in, and I wrestled with the television set,” he recalled.

Looking back on his career, Phil’s son Nick Collins Said his father was like many musicians of his time and didn’t think what drumming would do to his muscles.

“Musicians, people in bands in general had the idea that they were invincible,” explained Nick, 23. “I think that’s really what it is with my dad, it’s just that kind of feeling that you’re a drummer, you’re invincible, you do what you do. But You don’t know it will take a toll in the long run.”

In 2015, Phil had neck surgery that “came from all those years of playing drums and bad posture,” according to Nick. Phil also suffers from foot drop, which is when one of your feet has no feeling. This disease led to the singer using a walking stick.

Ahead of the Genesis reunion, Phil announced that Nick would be taking over on drums due to his health. He remains as the lead singer.

“I would love to, but you know, I mean, I can barely hold a stick with that hand. So there are certain physical things that get in the way,” Phil said BBC Breakfast in September 2021. “I’m a little physically challenged and it’s very frustrating because I would love to play up there with my son.”

Phil hinted at the time that the tour could be his last. “We’re all men our age, and I think to some extent, I think that probably puts it to bed,” he teased. “I think, yeah, I think in general for me, I don’t know if I want to go out on the road anymore.”

Phil joined Genesis in 1970 as the drummer. The band included a bassist Mike RutherfordKeyboardist Tony Banksguitarist Steve Hackett and a singer Peter Gabriel. The group went on hiatus in 2000 but reunited in 2006 for Run it again tour.

Phil set off The last domino? tour with Genesis in September 2021. His last show with the band was in March 2022 with Nick on stage with him and his daughter Lily Collins in the crowd

“Tonight marks the end of an era. Witnessing this last show was truly a once-in-a-lifetime memory and an event I will hold in my heart forever,” Lily, 35, Written through Instagram After the show in London.

She continued: “Endless gratitude doesn’t begin to do it justice. So much love was left on the O2 stage and an even greater amount was shared amongst an audience that didn’t want it to end. Thank you @genesis_band for the memories, thank you dad for being such an inspiration and thank you @ nic_collins you made me the proudest sister ever. 50 years of songs later and still more generations to celebrate you long after this tour is over…”

Phil shares son Simon, 48, and adopted daughter Julie, 52, with his first wife, Andrea BertorelliHe divorced him in 1980 after five years of marriage. He shares Lily Jill TablemanLe was married from 1984 to 1996. The musicians also share Nick and son Matthew, 20, with his ex-wife Orien Svi. The exes were married from 1999 to 2008.