Phil Collins says he’s “used up my air miles” in new documentary
Phil Collins has opened up about his ongoing health struggles in a new documentary, admitting he’s “used up my air miles” as a performer.
The interview was recorded in 2022 but was only recently released in the new Drumeo film Phil Collins: Drummer First. In the conversation, Collins spoke candidly about coming to terms with no longer being able to drum, which prevented him from playing the instrument during Genesis’ farewell tour in 2022. His son, Nic, instead played the drums for the band, and Collins was aided by a walking stick for the performances.
“If I can’t do what I did as well as I did it, I’d rather relax and not do anything,” Collins said of his decision to no longer play the drums because he can no longer reach the standards that he set for himself.
Collins also admitted it has taken a toll on him to no longer be able to play the drums, adding, “If I wake up one day and I can hold a pair of drumsticks, then I’ll have a crack of it. But I just feel like I’ve used up my air miles. It’s still kind of sinking in a bit… I’ve spent all my life playing drums. To be suddenly not be able to do that is a shock.”
Elsewhere in the documentary, his son, Nic, explained that his father went through a “big surgery on his neck that stemmed from all those years playing drums and bad posture.”
Nic also stated that his father suffers from drop-foot, which he says means “one of his feet has no sensation”; therefore, he uses a cane to deal with his mobility issues.
Genesis played their final show in March 2022 at the O2 Arena in London. During the concert, Collins told the crowd: “Tonight is a very special night. It’s the last stop of our tour. And it’s the last show for Genesis… After tonight, we’ve all got to get real jobs.”
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Previously, during an interview in 2021 with BBC Breakfast, Collins explained how his son filling in on drumming duties for Genesis was a necessary move, stating: “I’d love 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.”
Collins added: “I’m kind of physically challenged a bit, which is very frustrating because I’d love to be playing up there with my son.”
His health problems began in 2007 when he suffered a spinal injury while touring with Genesis. Despite undergoing surgery in 2009 and further surgery in 2017, Collins’ condition has worsened over the years.
In 2016, Collins admitted during a press conference that he’d “never play the way I used to” and explained how his injury occurred. “Something happened on the Genesis reunion tour. At the end of each show, I had a drumming duel with Chester Thompson, and one night something happened. It just went,” he revealed.
The Genesis founder explained that he had “tried everything” including using bigger drumsticks but his skillset “never came back”, which he labelled a “mystery”.
