Phil Collins is so ill he’s totally lost interest in making music.
The 74-year-old former Genesis frontman, who retired in 2022 due to physical limitations, made the admission as he gave a poignant update on his health battles – after he was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and complications from a spinal injury dating back to 2007.
“I keep thinking I should go downstairs to the studio and see what happens. But I’m not hungry for it anymore,” he told Mojo magazine.
The Grammy winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee added: “The thing is, I’ve been sick, I mean very sick.”
Collins first spoke about his spinal problems in 2009, saying: “My vertebrae have been crushing my spinal cord because of the position I drum in. It comes from years of playing.”
“I can’t even hold the sticks properly without it being painful. I even used to tape the sticks to my hands to get through. Don’t worry, I can still sing.
Collins made his latest comments on his health as part of a retrospective on Genesis that Mojo is running.
His career began in acting, playing the Artful Dodger in Oliver! on London’s West End in 1964, before he moved into music.
Drumming from the age of five, Collins joined Genesis in 1970 at 19, replacing John Mayhew. He became the band’s lead singer in 1975 following Peter Gabriel’s departure.
Collins remained with Genesis until 1996, during which time the band released eight albums.
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As a solo artist, he won eight Grammy awards, six Brit Awards, four Billboard Music Awards, three American Music Awards, two Golden Globes and an Oscar.
He also addressed his declining health in the 2023 documentary Phil Collins: Drummer First, which examined Genesis’s final tour in 2022.
The film shows Phil performing while seated, with his 23-year-old son Nic taking over on drums.
“It’s still kind of sinking in a bit. I’ve spent all my life playing drums. To suddenly not be able to do that is a shock,” he said in the film.