Phil Collins, 74, reveals he is ‘really sick’ in grave health update while admitting he has lost ‘hunger’ for music
Phil Collins has revealed he’s lost his “hunger” for making music as he battles ongoing health issues at age 74.
The Genesis legend, who retired from performing in 2022, made the candid admission in a new interview with MOJO magazine.
“I keep thinking I should go downstairs to the studio and see what happens,” Collins told the publication. “But I’m not hungry for it anymore.”
The Grammy winner spoke frankly about his deteriorating condition, adding: “The thing is, I’ve been sick. I mean very sick.”
The revelation comes three years after the musician’s retirement, which saw him perform his final show alongside Genesis bandmates Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks at London’s O2 Arena.
The rock icon has been grappling with multiple health challenges that have severely impacted his ability to perform.
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Collins’ health struggles began in 2007 when he dislocated a vertebrae in his neck, causing severe nerve damage to his hands.
“My vertebrae have been crushing my spinal cord because of the position I drum in. It comes from years of playing,” he told Daily Mail in 2009.
The condition became so severe that he resorted to taping drumsticks to his hands to continue performing.
Years of drumming and poor posture have left Collins with drop foot, a condition that makes lifting the front part of the foot difficult, requiring him to use a cane.
In 2021, he spoke about these challenges on BBC Breakfast: “I’m kind of physically challenged a bit, which is very frustrating because, you know, I’d love to be playing up there with my son.”
Collins’s early show business career started in London’s West End, where he played the Artful Dodger in Oliver in 1964.
During this period, his interactions with the orchestra leader and drummer inspired him to pursue percussion professionally.
He joined Genesis in 1970 at age 19, replacing John Mayhew on drums. After Peter Gabriel’s departure in August 1975, Collins stepped up as the group’s frontman.
His career achievements include eight Grammy awards, six Brit Awards, four Billboard Music Awards, three American Music Awards, two Golden Globes and an Oscar. The group released eight albums together before Collins departed for a solo career in 1996.
In the 2023 documentary “Phil Collins: Drummer First,” the music legend reflected poignantly on his forced retirement.
“It’s still kind of sinking in a bit,” Collins said. “I’ve spent all my life playing drums. To suddenly not be able to do that is a shock.”
His final tour saw him performing seated while his son Nic, 23, took over drumming duties.
“If I can’t do what I did as well as I did it, I’d rather relax and not do anything,” Collins explained in the film.