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

Phil Collins will always love to play drums, but years of rock and rolling have taken their toll on his hands.

“I have spent my whole life playing drums. To suddenly not be able to do that is a shock,” Collins, 73, confessed to the paper Phil Collins: Drummer first documentary, which was released by Drumeo on Wednesday, December 18.

The musician explained that after playing drums with Genesis for five decades and touring solo since the 80s, it affected his hands and legs. The strain on his body caused Collins to retire from drumming in March 2022 after his last performance with his band Genesis.

“If I can’t do what I did as well as I did, I’d rather relax and do nothing,” he said. “If I wake up one day and I can hold a pair of drumsticks, I’ll grab it.”

“I just feel like I used up my miles,” Collins continued, noting that not being able to play “was still sinking 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 on and I would thrash along to the TV set,” he recalled.

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

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

In 2015, Phil underwent neck surgery that “stemmed from all those years of playing drums and bad posture,” according to Nic. Phil also suffers from drop-foot, which is when one of your feet has no feeling. That disorder led to the singer using a cane.

Ahead of Genesis’ reunion, Phil announced that Nic would be taking over for him on drums due to his health. He remained as lead vocalist.

“I’d like to, but you know, I mean, I can barely hold a stick with this hand. So there are certain physical things that get in the way,” Phil shared BBC breakfast in September 2021. “I’m a little physically challenged, which is very frustrating because I would love to play up there with my son.”

Phil hinted at the time that the trip could be his last. “We’re all men our age and I think to some extent it’s probably putting 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 a drummer. The band consisted of a bassist Mike Rutherfordkeyboardist Tony Banksguitarist Steve Hackett and singer Peter Gabriel. The group went on hiatus in 2000, but reunited in 2006 Turn It On Again Tour.

Phil went out The last domino? Tour with Genesis in September 2021. His last show with the band took place in March 2022 with Nic on stage with him and his daughter Lily Collins in the crowd.

“Tonight marks the end of an era. To have witnessed this final show was truly a memory of a lifetime and an event I will hold in my heart forever,” Lily, 35, wrote via Instagram after the show in London.

She continued: “Infinitely grateful doesn’t begin to do it justice. So much love was left on that 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 for making me the proudest sister around. 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 Joely, 52, with his first wife, Andrea Bertorelliwhom he divorced in 1980 after five years of marriage. He shares Lily with Jill Tavelmanto whom he was married from 1984 to 1996. The musicians also share Nic and son Matthew, 20, with ex-wife Orianne Cevey. The exes were married from 1999 to 2008.