Phil Collins Shares Candid Update on Health Battles and Retirement from Performing

LONDON — Legendary musician Phil Collins has offered a candid update regarding his ongoing health challenges, acknowledging the physical limitations that have brought his decades-long performing career to a permanent close.

The 75-year-old Genesis frontman and solo hitmaker, who retired from touring following Genesis’s final reunion concert in March 2022, reflected on his daily life and the neurological and orthopedic issues that have steadily restricted his mobility and ability to play instruments.

Managing Severe Neurological and Spine Issues

In recent years, Collins has faced a series of complex health setbacks stemming from a major spinal injury sustained during Genesis’s 2007 reunion tour, which damaged vertebrae in his upper neck and left him with severe nerve damage in his hands.

Impact on Drumming: The nerve damage left Collins unable to hold drumsticks or play the drums—the instrument that launched his career—forcing his son, Nic Collins, to take over drumming duties during his final solo and Genesis tours.
Mobility Challenges: Collins also copes with drop foot and severe mobility issues, requiring the use of a walking stick and, for major public appearances, a wheelchair.

Speaking about his current routine, Collins shared that while he misses the energy of live performance, he has accepted his physical reality and is focused on resting and spending time with his family.

“My health has been a bit up and down, but it is what it is,” Collins noted when discussing his day-to-day life post-retirement. “I can’t play the drums anymore, which is frustrating because I’d love to, but my hands just won’t do it. I’m taking it easy now and enjoying a quieter life.”

A Final Bow on Stage

The update follows Genesis’s emotional final show at London’s O2 Arena in early 2022, where Collins performed seated from a chair while delivering vocals for classic tracks like “Invisible Touch,” “In the Air Tonight,” and “Land of Confusion.”

Despite his physical limitations, the tour was praised by fans and critics alike as a courageous and fitting farewell to one of rock music’s most enduring figures.

A Towering Musical Legacy

With a career spanning over five decades, Collins remains one of the best-selling artists in music history, having sold over 150 million records worldwide both as a solo artist and as a member of Genesis. He is one of only three recording artists—alongside Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson—to have sold over 100 million albums both as a solo artist and as a principal member of a band.

While Collins has ruled out future touring or live performances, his vast catalog of hits continues to inspire new generations of musicians and fans around the globe.