One of the most well-known musicians in the world, Genesis’ lead singer and drummer Phil Collins has garnered eight Grammy nominations. He is one of only three musicians—the other two being Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson—to have sold more than 100 million albums both as a solo performer and as a band member.
“Barely hold a drumstick anymore,” admits Phil Collins.
Collins was born on January 30, 1951, in London, England, to artistic parents, and soon after, he fell in love with music-making. Collins remembered how his uncle had made him a drum set when he was only five years old out of toy drums, tambourines, triangles, and cymbals. He told Interview Magazine, “Well, at least it will keep him quiet,” which is a cliché.
At his parents’ boating club, he soon began performing plays.
When I began playing seriously with the Shadows and other bands, the English beat movement had just begun. Collins remembered, “It was in the very early 1960s. I can imagine buying Please Please Me. I used to put the record player on loud and set my drum set up so I faced the mirror so I wouldn’t have to look at what I was doing.
In order to learn how to read drum music, I went to a teacher when I was fourteen years old. When this rock and roll thing was over, I figured I’d have to play in an orchestra pit or a dance band to make a living. I thus learned to read drum music, but I quickly came to the conclusion that this skill was far inferior to playing entirely instinctively“.
He can “barely hold a drumstick anymore,” according to Phil Collins.
The year 1970 marked a pivotal moment in Collin’s life. He had already begun playing in a few bands when he came across a job posting for a drummer by the band Genesis. He decided to get in touch with them, and the rest is history. During the first years Collins was a member, the band put out five albums, five of which had top-40 singles.
Genesis’ original lead singer, who left the group after its founding, was replaced by Collins. He sang while beating the drums. He acknowledged that he didn’t feel particularly at ease in his new role but that he was forced to fill in because the band couldn’t find a singer. Collins not only participated in Genesis but also enjoyed a successful solo career. With hits like You Can’t Hurry Love, I Don’t Care Anymore, and In The Air Tonight, he quickly ascension to the top of the music industry.
Collins stated that he felt it was time to refocus his musical career after 25 years with Genesis and put more of an emphasis on his solo endeavors. “My current focus will be on my solo career, a few jazz projects, and movie music. Regarding the Genesis guys’ future, I have a lot of optimism. Still, we are very near. However, in 2017 he decided to reteam with the group. The pandemic made them postpone the world tour they had previously announced for The Last Domino.
Phil Collins admits that he “barely holds a drumstick anymore.”.
Fans were eager to see the group perform live, but Collins gave a BBC Breakfast interview that raised questions about his health just as they were getting excited to see the group on stage together. Collins would only sing, they decided, and Nicholas Collins would play the drums. Nic can imitate early Phil and is a fantastic drummer. That was always pretty exciting for Mike and me, said Tony Banks of the Genesis band. It suggests that with Phil on drums, you can play a number of songs that you haven’t played in a while.
Phil Collins reveals he can “barely hold a drumstick anymore”.
The musician admitted that his inability to hold a stick in that hand is the reason he isn’t playing the drums: “I’d love to but you know, I mean, I can barely hold a stick with this hand. ”. As a result, some physical obstructions exist. I’m physically challenged, which is very upsetting because I’d love to be playing up there with my son, he said, adding that he’s not sure how long he wants to continue touring. We’re all men our age, and I believe that it is likely putting it to rest to some extent, he said. “I don’t know if I want to travel anymore, I think yeah, I think just generally for me“.
Collins had some health problems over the past few years that made it difficult for him to stand up. In an interview with Billboard, he disclosed that a surgery in 2009 left him with a dislocated vertebra and nerve damage. He also had a broken foot, which made him feel as though he was walking “on sticks. Tell your family and friends about this, please. Like us for additional motivational tales“.
