Why has Phil Collins retired? The Genesis singer’s health issues explained

During Genesis’ 2007 ‘Turn It On Again’ concert tour of Europe and North America – the group’s first tour in nearly a decade – Phil would battle the band’s session drummer Chester Thompson towards the end of the show.

During Genesis’ 2007 ‘Turn It On Again’ concert tour of Europe and North America – the group’s first tour in nearly a decade – Phil would battle the band’s session drummer Chester Thompson towards the end of the show.

In 2016 during a press conference, Collins revealed he’d “never play the way I used to” after feeling his neck go during one duel.

“Something happened on the Genesis reunion tour. At the end of each show, I had a drumming duel with Chester Thompson, and one night something happened. It just went.”

“I tried everything – bigger drumsticks and so on, but it just never came back. It’s a mystery what happened, I just couldn’t get it back.”

In 2016 during a press conference, Collins revealed he’d “never play the way I used to” after feeling his neck go during one duel.

“Something happened on the Genesis reunion tour. At the end of each show, I had a drumming duel with Chester Thompson, and one night something happened. It just went.”

“I tried everything – bigger drumsticks and so on, but it just never came back. It’s a mystery what happened, I just couldn’t get it back.”

Since 1967, Collins has been behind the drums of progressive rock band Genesis, though when Peter Gabriel left he took up duties as the group’s singer too.

They achieved enormous success throughout the 80s and beyond, selling over 100 million records and transforming into one of the best-selling bands of all time.

With the release of Face Value in 1981, Phil Collins became a solo sensation in his own right, with single ‘In The Air Tonight’ turning the drummer-turned-singer extraordinaire into one of the world’s biggest and most unlikely pop stars.

He later returned to Genesis, with the band continuing to release records until 1997 with Calling All Stations, though the trio – alongside Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks – continued to tour for much longer.

That was until 26th March 2022, when the band finally called time on their career in live performance with a final concert at London’s O2 Arena.

After years of suffering, Collins couldn’t face the rigours of a worldwide touring schedule, as he was no longer able to walk having to perform whilst sat on a chair.

With his health having deteriorated drastically, his well-documented struggles meant he’d never to step foot on stage again much to the dismay of their global fanbase.

Here’s all you need to know about Phil Collins’ health issues which led to his retirement, and the end of Genesis.

Phil Collins has been suffering from a spinal injury since 2007, which occurred during a Genesis reunion tour that year.

After surgeries in 2009 and 2016 to help a dislocated vertebrae in his spine heal, resulting in nerve damage left him “more immobile” than ever according to bandmate Rutherford.

During Genesis’ 2007 ‘Turn It On Again’ concert tour of Europe and North America – the group’s first tour in nearly a decade – Phil would battle the band’s session drummer Chester Thompson towards the end of the show.

In 2016 during a press conference, Collins revealed he’d “never play the way I used to” after feeling his neck go during one duel.

“Something happened on the Genesis reunion tour. At the end of each show, I had a drumming duel with Chester Thompson, and one night something happened. It just went.”

“I tried everything – bigger drumsticks and so on, but it just never came back. It’s a mystery what happened, I just couldn’t get it back.”