Phil Collins finished the debut concert of the Genesis tour yesterday (September 20th). The 70-year-old singer, whose health has been causing him issues, played the entire show from his chair.
Genesis is on the road for the first time since 2007, and frontman Phil Collins is sticking with his band despite his health. Collins recently revealed to BBC Breakfast that he’s become so weak he can no longer play the drums. Collins underwent back surgery to repair a series of fractures. He now has permanent nerve damage and relies on a cane for walking.
“I can barely hold a stick with this hand,” he said on the British morning show. “So there are certain physical things that get in the way.”
Because of his condition, his son, Nic Collins, will drum in Phil’s place. And Phil will continue to sing for the group that is doing its farewell tour.
“I’m kind of physically challenged a bit which is very frustrating because I’d love to be playing up there with my son,” he added.
Frail Phil Collins begins Genesis farewell tour in Birmingham, singing from chair onstage https://t.co/KAG6zQbs0T pic.twitter.com/lHrLzECz0R
— Page Six (@PageSix) September 20, 2021
The tour won’t just be the last for Genesis either. The In The Air Tonight singer said he’s also retiring after the tour ends. During his chat with BBC, Collins said that he’s no longer interested in traveling.
“We’re all men of our age, and I think — to some extent — yeah, it probably is putting it to bed,” he said. “Just, generally, for me, I don’t know if I want to go out on the road anymore.”
The Legendary Career of Phil Collins
Phil Collins may be stepping away from the microphone, but his career in the music industry will live on.
Collins, who currently holds the most U.S. Top 40 hits, is one of the most successful musicians of all time. He became a sensation in the 1980s as he sang with the band Genesis and carried a strong solo career on the side. Collins’s first solo single, “In The Air Tonight,” went platinum three times. And his first solo album, Face Value, went diamond.
Throughout the decades, the “Against All Odds” artist has also racked up an impressive list of awards—including an Oscar for his work on the Disney Tarzan Soundtrack. Among his other accomplishments are ten Grammys, two Golden Globes, and one VMA.
