Genesis’ Mike Rutherford gives health update on ‘immobile’ Phil Collins

In a new interview on BBC Breakfast, Mike Rutherford mentioned the health struggles of bandmate Phil Collins. The influential musician has recently been struggling to maintain his health.

When asked about his condition to play with the band, Rutherford said (via The Independent), “As you know, Phil is a bit… He’s much more immobile than he used to be, which is a shame, but at the tour, he was in good spirits. 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”.

On the group’s farewell tour, Collins would sing and be seen walking with a stick to move around. Although he sang the songs, his son Nic was on hand to play the drums in his place. Collins had cited nerve damage after undergoing surgery on his back in 2017, saying (via CNN), “I’d love to, but you know, I mean, I can barely hold a stick with this hand. So there are certain physical things that get in the way. I’m kind of physically challenged a bit which is very frustrating because I’d love to be playing up there with my son”.

Rutherford said that Nic stepping in for his father was the best solution, saying, “it was really nice to have the two of them side by side”. The last Genesis gig took place in March of 2022, with Collins remarking from the stage (via Rolling Stone), “Tonight is a very special night. It’s the last stop of our tour. And it’s the last show for Genesis… After tonight we’ve all got to get real jobs”.

While no new tour dates have been announced, Collins has confirmed that he doesn’t feel the need to take to the road anymore, saying, “We’re all men of our age, and I think to some extent, I think it probably is putting it to bed. I think just generally for me, I don’t know if I want to go out on the road anymore”.