Rock legend Phil Collins is opening up about his health, including the toll drumming for decades has taken on his body.
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The documentary Phil Collins: Drummer First, released on Wednesday, features the 73-year-old reflecting on stepping away from drumming after a lifetime behind the kit.
“It’s still kind of sinking in a bit…” the former Genesis member says in the film, which was taped in 2022. “I’ve spent all my life playing drums. To suddenly not be able to do that is a shock,” he admitted.
The “Easy Lover” singer revealed that he began playing drums at the age of 5, but after decades of performing, the relentless drumming has taken a toll on his hands and legs.
“If I can’t do what I did as well as I did it, I’d rather relax and not do anything,” the “In the Air Tonight” singer reasoned. “If I wake up one day and I can hold a pair of drumsticks, then I’ll have a crack at it. But I just feel like I’ve used up my air miles.”
Phil’s son Nic shared how years of performing and touring have impacted his health. “Musicians, people in bands in general had this thought that they were invincible,” he explained.
“I think that’s really what it is with my dad is just this kind of sense of you’re a drummer, you’re invincible, you do what you do. But you don’t know it’s gonna take a toll in the long run,” Nic added.
Phil Collins Underwent Neck Surgery in 2015
Nic, who has been following in his father’s footsteps as a drummer, revealed that Phil underwent major neck surgery in 2015 due to years of drumming and poor posture. Phil Collins also has drop foot, a condition causing loss of sensation in one foot, requiring him to use a cane.
Collins officially retired from drumming in March 2022. Set over several days in October 2022, the documentary provides a unique glimpse into his career. According to its synopsis, Collins reflects on his journey, offering insights “from a drumming perspective.”
Phil Collins: Drummer First follows “his early days behind the kit to his groundbreaking work with Genesis and his celebrated solo career, from his time with the jazz-fusion group Brand X to composing for Disney’s Tarzan, forming his own big band, and ultimately passing the torch to Nic during the final Genesis and Phil Collins tours.”
The documentary is currently streaming on YouTube.