Is Phil Collins Retiring?: ‘I Can Barely Hold A Stick With This Hand’

KEY POINTS

Phil Collins said he is "physically challenged"
The singer said he does not know if he wants to continue touring
Collins' son Nic has taken on the drumming duties in the band

Phil Collins might soon bid farewell to concert tours due to his declining health. In an interview with his band Genesis on “BBC Breakfast,” the singer admitted his frustrations on not being able to perform the way he used to because of his health issues.

Collins has turned over his drumming duties to 20-year-old son Nic, although he remains the band’s lead vocalist.

“I’m kind of physically challenged a bit, which is very frustrating ’cause, you know, I’d love to be playing up there with my son,” Collins shared with BBC’s Media and Arts Correspondent David Sillito Thursday.

Sillito then asked the musician if he is still able to play drums, to which Collins replied, “No. I’d love to but I can barely hold a stick with this hand, so there are certain physical things, which get in the way.”

In 2009, the “You’ll Be In My Heart” singer first announced he can no longer play drums due to a painful spine injury.

“My vertebrae have been crushing my spinal cord because of the position I drum in. It comes from years of playing. I can’t even hold the sticks properly without it being painful; I even used to tape the sticks to my hands to get through,” he said as per Page Six.

Despite this, Collins said he will continue to sing.

However, in 2017, the legendary musician had an accident that sent him to the hospital.

Collins slipped in the bathroom and had to get stitches on an area near his eye after hitting his head on a chair.

Considering his age and health woes, Sillito asked the “One More Night” singer if he is contemplating on retiring from touring duties. The singer said, “We’re all men of our age, and I think — to some extent — yeah, I think it probably is putting it to bed.”

“I think just, generally, for me, I don’t know if I want to go out on the road anymore,” he continued.

The band did not announce whether there would be changes in the tour dates and location. In April, Collins and the rest of the band members Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford, Daryl Stuermer and Collin’s son Nic said they will begin the North American leg of the tour on Nov. 15 in Chicago.