Collins was joined by Genesis bandmates Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks for their last show ever at London’s 02 Saturday evening. Collins, 71, performed the show sitting down and quipped to the crowd he will now need to find a real job, The band reunited for The Last Domino? Tour this year after postponing due to the coronavirus. The tour came after a 14-year live performance hiatus.
Collins has suffered from numerous health issues in recent years, including dislocating vertebrae in his neck in 2007 that left nerve damage to his hands. He has used a cane since 2015, when he had back surgery, and revealed in September he can “barely hold” a drumstick. “I don’t do anything at all. I don’t practice 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. 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,” he continued.
Genesis first formed in 1967 and skyrocketed to fame in the 1970s, selling more than 100 million records. Collins became the band’s drummer and backing vocalist in 1970, before becoming lead vocalist in 1975.
I remember back in 1985 when he played Live Aid in London and then flew to the US on the Concorde to play another set on the same day. You have to have a lot of energy to do that. Getting old sucks.