Phil Collins has spoken out about the health problems he has endured as a result of his years of playing the drums. The interview with him dates back to 2022, but was only broadcast now – in the Drumeo documentary “Phil Collins: Drummer First”.
The 73-year-old reports that he is still getting used to no longer being able to use his beloved drum set.
“If I can’t do what I did as well as I did, I’d rather relax and not do anything at all.” And further: “If I wake up one day and can hold a pair of drumsticks, then I will try it. But I just feel like I’ve used up my airline miles.”
He is still struggling with the trauma of no longer being able to work as a drummer. “I’ve spent my whole life playing drums. To suddenly not be able to do that is a shock.”
His son Nic Collins fleshes out Phil’s problems in the “Drummer First” documentary. He revealed that his father needed “major surgery on his neck, which came from all the years of drumming and poor posture.”
He also suffers from fallen arches, a condition in which “one of his feet has no feeling,” so he had to use a cane.
Phil Collins in the documentary:
They are moving scenes. Collins, on his cane, takes a seat behind his drums. In the teaser, bandmates like Leland Sklar talk about Collins, admirers like Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), as well as Collins’ son Nicolas, who took over his father’s drummer job in Phil’s solo band and in Genesis .
Phil Collins on Instagram:
“I’m not the type of singer who plays a bit of drums,” he says. “I’m a drummer who also sings a little.” In the end, Phil Collins could only sing, and only while sitting. On March 26th he played what was probably the last concert of his career with Genesis in London. Peter Gabriel watched.