Introduction

Phil Collins: From “In the Air Tonight” to the Health Struggles That Changed Everything

There was a time when it seemed impossible to turn on the radio without hearing Phil Collins.

During the 1980s, he achieved something extraordinary: enormous success both as the frontman of Genesis and as a solo artist.

Then came “In the Air Tonight.”

Released on his 1981 solo album Face Value, the song sounded unlike almost anything else on mainstream radio. Its dark atmosphere gradually built toward one of the most recognizable drum moments in popular music.

That recording helped establish Collins as a superstar in his own right.

Hits followed.

“Against All Odds.”

“One More Night.”

“Sussudio.”

“Another Day in Paradise.”

By the middle of the decade, Collins seemed to be everywhere—records, concerts, television, movie soundtracks and major international events.

But extraordinary visibility eventually created a backlash.

To some listeners, Phil went from being admired to being overexposed. His personal life also became tabloid material, particularly his marriages and divorces.

One especially persistent story involved the claim that Collins ended a marriage by fax.

Collins disputed the simplistic version of that story, but it became attached to his public image anyway—a reminder of how quickly a sensational detail can become accepted as celebrity folklore.

Yet the most profound change came later.

His body began preventing him from doing what had defined him since childhood.

Drumming.

After experiencing serious physical problems, including issues related to his spine and nerves, Collins struggled with mobility and with his ability to play drums as he once had.

For one of rock’s most recognizable drummers, the loss was devastating.

Fans who remembered the energetic musician behind an enormous drum kit were eventually seeing an older Collins performing seated, sometimes walking with assistance.

Genesis nevertheless returned for The Last Domino? Tour, which ran in 2021 and 2022.

Phil remained the lead vocalist, but his son Nic Collins handled the drums.

The image carried enormous emotional weight.

A father who had once commanded the drum kit was now watching his son occupy that position while he sang the songs that had defined much of his life.

On March 26, 2022, Genesis played the final scheduled show of that tour in London.

For longtime fans, it felt like the closing of a circle.

The years