Phil Collins has confessed that he is still coming to terms with the fact that he will not be able to perform again after his retirement in 2022.
The former Genesis frontman, 73, stepped away from live concerts after suffering from long-standing neck and back problems.
Now the musical legend, known for his iconic drums and powerful voice, has starred in a new documentary, Phil Collins: drummer first.
In a moving scene, the frail-looking musician emotionally returns to his personal drum kit, sitting in front of the instrument and holding a pair of drumsticks.
He also spoke candidly about how he feels knowing he will no longer be able to give concerts, in footage filmed in 2022.
“It’s still sinking in a little bit,” he said. ‘You know, I’m 71 years old. I’ve spent my entire life playing drums. That suddenly not being able to do it is a shock.’
Phil Collins has confessed that he is still coming to terms with the fact that he will not be able to perform again after his retirement in 2022.
In the documentary, Phil tells his life story in his own words, focusing on his passion for drums rather than his singing career.
“I’m not a singer who plays drums,” Phil said in one section of the film. “I’m more of a drummer who sings a little.”
In an emotional scene, Phil is seen walking towards his drum kit with the help of his son Nic, 23, who took over as Genesis’ drummer during their farewell tours.
Holding the drumsticks for the first time in years, a visibly overwhelmed Phil admitted: “It feels very strange to hold a pair.
“If one day I wake up and I can hold a pair of drumsticks, then I’ll try it,” he said.
“I feel like I’ve used up my airline miles.”
The documentary, created by online drum education platform Drumeo, features tributes from other drumming legends, including Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith and Dream Theater’s Mike Portnoy.
While Chad praised Phil for his unique sound, saying that ‘Phil Collins’ drumming has such a unique sound and style that you immediately recognize him when you hear him’, Mike claimed that he is ‘really criminally underrated as a progressive icon.’
Now the musical legend, known for his iconic drumming and powerful voice, has starred in a new documentary, Phil Collins: Drummer First.
In a moving scene, the frail-looking musician makes an emotional return to his personal drum kit, sitting in front of the instrument and holding a pair of drumsticks (pictured with his son Nic).
The documentary, which premieres next week, will see the music icon tell his life story in his own words, focusing on his passion for drumming rather than his singing career (pictured in 1980).
But the most striking tribute comes from the late Dom Famularo, who poignantly said before his death: “The fact that we are living in the time of Phil Collins is almost the same as it was when people lived in the time of Mozart.” .’
Phil’s health problems began in 2009, when a serious vertebrae injury suffered during a performance caused debilitating nerve damage.
In 2009 he told the Daily Mail that he was unlikely to play drums again, revealing: “After playing drums for 50 years, I had to stop.” My vertebrae have been crushing my spinal cord because of the position I drum in.’
‘This comes from years of playing. I can’t even hold the clubs properly without it hurting, I even used to tape the clubs to my hands to get through,” he said.
Despite your struggles, and after two breakups and a reunion tour, did you manage to reunite with Genesis for The Last Domino? tour in 2022, marking a bittersweet chapter in the band’s history.
And in August, a close friend of Phil revealed that the musician has been working on new music, despite his ongoing health problems.
Phil last released original music for the 2003 Disney film Brother Bear, and his last solo album of original material was Testify in 2002, followed by an album of covers of R&B standards in 2010, Going Back.
Phil Collins: Drummer First will be available to watch on Drumeo’s YouTube channel from Wednesday 18 December.