Say what you will about Phil Collins, Genesis, or “Sussudio”, that drum fill on “In the Air Tonight” is pretty killer. Even Ozzy’s allegedly obsessed with it. Either way, Collins was a very influential drummer in his various projects and especially as a session player, but those days are over.
“I’ve got a condition that means I can’t play any more,” he told Mirror. “After playing drums for 50 years, I’ve had to stop. Obviously I’m very sad about it. My vertebrae has been crushing my spinal chord because of the position I drum in.”
It’s sad to think of rockers’ bodies breaking down well-beyond their intention to rock, but you’ve gotta respect his perseverance. “I can’t even hold the sticks properly without it being painful,” Collins added. “I even used to tape the sticks to my hands to get through. But don’t worry, I can still sing.”
Okay, we need a vertebrae transplant stat.