Phil Collins revisits his drumkit for the first time in years: 'It just feels ...

Sign up to Roisin O’Connor’s free weekly newsletter Now Hear This for the inside track on all things music

Get our Now Hear This email for free

Get our Now Hear This email for free

Legendary drummer Phil Collins revisited his drumkit for the first time in years, in a poignant moment from a new documentary about his life and work.

Collins, who is widely viewed as one of the greatest drummers of all time, has suffered a number of health issues over the years, many of which have stemmed from a 2007 spinal injury that left him with limited mobility.

He made an appearance during what was billed as the final ever tour of his band, Genesis, in 2022, singing and playing tambourine while his son Nic filled in on the drums.

Now 73, Collins opened up about his music career in Phil Collins: Drummer First, which premiered on 18 December on the Drumeo YouTube channel.

“It’s still kind of sinking in,” he said as he surveyed his drumkit. “I’ve spent all my life playing drums. To suddenly not be able to do that is a shock.”

He reflected: “If I can’t do what I did as well as I did it, I’d rather relax and not do anything. But if I wake up one day and I can hold a pair of drumsticks, then I’ll have a crack at it. But I just feel like I’ve used up my air miles.”

Yet he was evidently still passionate, holding drumsticks as he commented: “It just feels so strange to hold a pair.

open image in gallery

The documentary demonstrated Collins’s immeasurable impact on music by interviewing a number of fellow musicians who spoke about his talent and influence.

A number of younger musicians said they discovered his music through a famous advert for Cadbury’s Dairy Milk chocolate, which featureda gorilla playing one of his best-known songs, “In the Air Tonight”.

Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music

Sign up now for a 4 month free trial (3 months for non-Prime members)

Sign up

Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music

Sign up now for a 4 month free trial (3 months for non-Prime members)

Sign up

In one scene, Collins recalled Eric Clapton’s amazed reaction to his drumming “F***ing hell, what was that?!”

“I’m not a singer who drums a bit,” he pointed out. “I’m Phil Collins, and I am a drummer.”

open image in gallery

His son, Nic, also appeared alongside him in the documentary, explaining how years of drumming had taken a major toll on his father’s spine and posture, creating issues that required major neck surgery.

Collins, who began playing drums when he was five years old, has achieved huge success both as a member of the rock band Genesis and as a solo artist behind hits such as “In the Air Tonight”, the lead single from his 1981 debut, Face Value.

He won a Grammy for Album of the Year thanks to his third solo record, No Jacket Required – one of the best-selling albums of all time – which was released in 1985 and featured collaborations with Peter Gabriel, Helen Terry and Sting.

Last year, Collins’s bandmate Steve Hackett grew emotional while talking about the drummer’s health issues, saying “he doesn’t deserve what happened to him”.

Meanwhile, Collins told BBC Breakfast in September 2021: “I can barely hold a stick with this hand. So there are certain physical things that get in the way.”

“I’m kind of physically challenged a bit, which is very frustrating because I’d love to be playing up there with my son.”

Phil Collins: Drummer First is out now.