Contrary to all expectations, Phil Collins isn’t closing the door on new music.
The Genesis frontman, who has retired due to various health issues, said in an interview on Friday’s BBC Breakfast: “I always say to myself, ‘I need to get back to my home studio.'”
The 75-year-old singer said he has written down “a lot of lyric ideas” and has “some half-formed” and “completed ones.”
“It’s something I can really start working on,” Collins mused, but clarified that he “really doesn’t see himself” returning to touring.
But this is what he thought. “I’m healthier now than I’ve been in a while. I’ll think long and hard about whether to go out again.”
Notably, the Grammy winner turned down the chance to sing at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony scheduled for November.
“They asked me if I would perform, and I said no,” he confessed at a rally last week. “You have to be worthy to do something like that.
“It’s not just about getting on stage,” Collins added. “You have to rehearse, and if you’re not singing at that point, your voice will be destroyed, and that’s not good.”
The musician, who recently made a rare public appearance at Buckingham Palace with ex-wife Jill Tavelman, ultimately decided he would “rather not perform.”
In January, Collins spoke candidly about why he was forced to retire after Genesis’ final tour in 2022.
The drummer explained to listeners of the BBC’s Elas podcast that he suffered a spinal cord injury in 2007, which led to severe nerve damage.
Collins also developed “drop foot,” a condition in which he has difficulty lifting the front of his foot after back surgery.
This situation made it nearly impossible for the “In the Air Tonight” crooner to play drums.
“I have a nurse on call 24 hours a day to make sure I take the medications I need,” the songwriter continued. “Everything that could go wrong for me was all that could go wrong for me.”
The musician, who has undergone five knee surgeries, also revealed that he suffers from kidney problems due to his past drinking habits.
Collins has now been sober for more than two years.
In 2024, the hitmaker confessed that he was “still a little depressed” about stepping away from music.
“I’ve spent my entire life playing drums,” he said in the documentary “Phil Collins: Drummer First.” “It’s a shock to suddenly not be able to do that. If you wake up one day and can pick up a drumstick, you’ll be able to play right away. But I feel like I’ve used up all my air miles.”
