Phil Collins says goodbye to live shows, I can't play anymore

Phil Collins says goodbye to live shows: the Genesis concert on Saturday 26 March in London, at the 02 Arena, was the last of his life

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The 71-year-old music legend is no longer able to play after back surgeries.

"Now I'll have to find a real job", he joked as he greeted the fans, as told by the online Mirror.

Genesis - in addition to Phil, keyboardist Tony Banks and guitarist-bassist Mike Rutherford - had announced the reunion for The Last Domino? Tour, after 14 years of absence from live, but last year they canceled several dates due to Covid. .

During the tour Collins appeared weak and fatigued, he performed while sitting, he could not even use the cane to walk.

"I don't do anything - he explained some time ago to the Guardian -. I don't train to sing at home, not at all. Rehearsals are practice. My health changes things, doing the show while sitting changes things".

In an interview with the BBC she had talked about his frustrations and a dream, performing with his son Nicholas: "I'd like to play with him on stage, but I can barely hold a wand in my hand," he admitted.

Phil Collins' health problems date back to at least 2009, when the musician suffered a crushing of the vertebrae due to the position in which he played the drums: hence a first surgery, followed by another in 2015 which caused nerve injuries. .

To worsen the clinical picture, problems with diabetes, acute pancreatitis, a bad fall in 2017 in which he hit his head and forced him to suspend the Not Dead Yet Live Tour.

Born on January 30, 1951, Phil Collins represents a very rare case in the history of rock: in the 70s he began his career with Genesis as a drummer, becoming the voice of the group when Peter Gabriel left in 1975. With him the band artistically it has changed direction, but it has achieved that planetary success from which Gabriel had fled.

But that's not all: as a soloist Collins not only created a career as a star, but he also took away the whim of recording one of the most famous drum "fills" in history, that of "In The Air Tonight", and also of playing as a drummer in Brand X, a band loved by music lovers between progressive and jazz.

All while remaining the drummer, live for years now with Chester Thompson, and of course the lead singer of Genesis.

In short, the pop soul prevailed with Phil Collins, but the artist has shown that he knows how to do it great, revealing surprising talents as an implacable hit maker.

But even on his most spectacular tours where the entertainer prevailed over the musician, he remained the excellent drummer of Nursery Crime, Foxtrot, Selling England By The Pound, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.

As a soloist he has sold some 150 million copies worldwide.

Between the 80s and 90s it depopulated: cover of the Supremes, "You Can't Hurry Love", then "Against All Odds", theme of the film "Two lives at stake" complete with Grammy, the duet with Philip Bailey , the best-selling album "No Jacket Required" with "Sussudio" and "One More Night", then Live Aid,

with double appearances in London and Philadelphia, "Another Day in Paradise".

In the meantime he had left the Genesis, but shortly after he put the company back on its feet.

Phil Collins also made his mark as a producer and author of hits like "You'll Be in My Heart" on the soundtrack of "Tarzan" the Disney cartoon that earned him an Oscar and a Golden Globe for best original song and , not to miss anything, even the star on the Walk of Fame.