Phil Collins has sparked concern amid ongoing health concerns
Phil Collins has sparked new fears over his declining health after the ‘crippled’ music legend admitted he still wants to keep working despite years of debilitating medical problems that forced him to quit touring and drumming.
RadarOnline.com can reveal Collins, 75, the former frontman of Genesis and one of the most successful solo artists of the 1980s and 1990s. During a candid new interview, he revealed that he continues to ponder a return to music from his home studio, even after officially stepping away from live performances following Genesis’ 2022 farewell tour.
The singer and drummer has endured years of back injuries, nerve damage, multiple surgeries and worsening mobility issues, while confirming earlier this year that he now requires a 24-hour live-in nurse and continues to battle kidney problems linked to previous alcohol use.
A source close to the musician said Collins’ latest comments had alarmed his inner circle over the visible toll his health problems have taken in recent years.
The source said: “People close to Phil are concerned because he continues to push himself mentally, even though his body has been through so much. They hear him talk about wanting to work again and it immediately raises fears about how vulnerable he has become, and that he could be pushing himself into the grave early on.”
Despite officially retiring from touring, Collins insisted he still feels creatively driven and continues to think about writing and recording music.
He said, “I keep telling myself, ‘I have to get back to my studio at home.'”
Collins added, “There are things I can sink my teeth into and start working on.”
The musician also admitted that he still couldn’t imagine returning to the demands of touring, although he said his condition had improved compared to previous years and that he might eventually “consider” getting back on the road.
He said he “can’t really see himself back” on tour. However, Collins added: “I’m healthier now than I’ve been in a while. Whether or not I would go out again… I would think about it.”
Another source close to the singer said Collins remained emotionally attached to performing despite understanding the physical limitations caused by his illnesses.
They added: “Phil has worked, recorded and toured all his life. Even now, after everything he’s been through, he still struggles to let go of the idea of making music because it has been his identity for over 50 years.”
Collins recently made a rare public appearance at Buckingham Palace with ex-wife Jill Tavelman and is preparing to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame later this year.
During his new interview, the Grammy winner revealed that he turned down an invitation to perform at the ceremony because he didn’t feel physically capable.
He said: “They asked me if I would perform and I said, ‘No.’ To be able to do something like that, you have to be fit to compete.”
Collins continued, “You can’t just go on stage.
“You’re going to have to rehearse, and at that point, if you haven’t sung, your voice will be shot, and that won’t be good.
“I’d rather not.”
Earlier this year, Collins explained during a podcast appearance that a spinal cord injury suffered in 2007 caused severe nerve damage, preventing him from playing drums properly.
He later developed ‘foot drop’ after surgery – a condition that made it difficult to lift the front part of his foot.
Previously spoken in the documentary Phil Collins: Drummer firstCollins reflected on the emotional impact of losing the ability to perform as he once did.
He said, “I’ve played drums all my life. To suddenly not be able to do that anymore is a shock.”
Collins added: “If I wake up one day and can hold a pair of drum sticks, I’ll give it a try.
“But I just feel like I’ve used up my airline miles.”
