The Genesis concert Phil Collins said would be their last
Drummer and singer Phil Collins has now put his career as a musician to rest. The Genesis drummer-turned-vocalist has enjoyed a nuanced journey through the music industry, but his health has been severely declining for several years. Collins appears to have been suffering from debilitating pain in his back and throughout his body, making it difficult to even pick up a drumstick, let alone play a beat on the kit.
Back on March 26th, 2022, Genesis played a show at the O2 Arena in London, and it would prove to be their final live outing. Collins sadly had to play the entire show from a chair, and when he did move around, he had to be aided with a walking stick. It was an admittedly sorry sight to see, but a touching farewell from the band to their adoring fans, especially seeing as Collins’ son, Nic, played the drums in his place.
Upon the show’s conclusion, Collins announced the end of Genesis as a touring outfit. “Tonight’s a very special night, of course. We’re playing in London, and it’s the last stop of our tour,” he said. “And it’s the last show for Genesis. This is difficult for us to believe that you still came out to see us. Yes, after tonight, we’ve all got to get real jobs.” This drew immense and touching laughter from the crowd.
Genesis played through 23 songs from across their career that night, with an opening set consisting of tunes such as ‘Mama’, ‘Home by the Sea’ and ‘Afterglow’, followed by a second acoustic set with songs like ‘Follow You Follow Me’, ‘That’s All’ and ‘Domino’, the latter of which saw Collins address Genesis founder Peter Gabriel, who was sat in the audience.
The show’s encore saw Collins and Genesis play through ‘I Can’t Dance’, with his son Nic Collins and members of the Genesis crew doing the famous ‘I Can’t Dance’ walk. They then played ‘Dancing With the Moonlit Knight’ before closing the curtain on Genesis forever with a final song, ‘The Carpet Crawlers’.
After the show, Collins’ daughter Lily took to Instagram to reflect on the concert and her father’s career. She wrote: “Tonight marks the end of an era. To have witnessed this last show was truly the memory of a lifetime and an event I shall hold in my heart forever. Endlessly grateful doesn’t begin to do it justice.”
“So much love was left on that O2 stage and an even bigger amount shared between an audience who didn’t want it to end,” she added. “Thank you Genesis for the memories, thank you dad for being such an inspiration and thank you Nic Collins for making me the proudest sister there is. 50 years of songs later and still generations more to celebrate you long after this tour has finished.”
Collins had already expressed his decline in health prior to the show. He told The Guardian: “I don’t do anything at all. I don’t practise singing at home, not at all. Rehearsing is the practice. These guys are always having a go at me for not, but I have to do it this way. Of course, my health does change things; doing the show seated changes things.”
He added: “But I actually found on my recent solo tours, it didn’t get in the way; the audience were still listening and responding. It’s not the way I would have written it, but it’s the way that it is.” It’s a tragedy for Collins to have to call time on his career as a musician so early, but sometimes one’s health is more important than providing entertainment for fans.
Tony Banks of Genesis had recently informed the world of the official end of Genesis owing to Collins’ ill health. He said: “I don’t think there’s anything else left. The well is dry. We can’t tour anymore because of Phil’s state, so that’s the end of that.”
Mike Rutherford also opened up on Collins’ state, noting that he enjoyed the final concert, but that really was all he could muster. “He’s much more immobile than he used to be, which is a shame, but at the tour, he was in good spirits,” he said. “He’s fine now at home, enjoying life. He’s worked so hard over the years. I think he’s enjoying his time at home”.
