Phil Collins has opened up about a near-fatal health crisis and his reliance on musical instinct in an interview on Piers Morgan Uncensored released in October 2026.
The former Genesis frontman revealed that severe alcoholism caused his kidneys and other organs to shut down, leaving him on life support as relatives gathered to say goodbye.
A Health Battle That Nearly Claimed His Life
Collins described the severity of his condition during hospitalization, saying he was on a dialysis machine as his body broke down.
He noted that doctors faced difficult decisions about whether to keep him on dialysis.
The organ failures reached a critical stage where family members gathered, though Collins remained unconscious of their presence.
He acknowledged the high risk of mortality before he eventually recovered.
When asked if he felt lucky to be alive, Collins replied, "Yeah. I do.
It was not looking good at one point."
From Drummer to Frontman: A Career Built on Instinct
Collins reflected on his original aspirations when he first entered the music industry as a young drummer.
He said he wanted to be a drummer and earn a living with it, and he learned to read drum music.
However, he found that his capacity for reading was not as good as playing by instinct.
He decided to abandon formal music education and has lived off his musical wits ever since.
Moving from drums to lead singer of Genesis in 1976 created new emotional difficulties for him on stage.
He felt exposed after living behind the security blanket of a drum kit, and he did not want the job.
When he considered retiring, his daughter urged him to keep writing and recording music.
Intense public scrutiny during his peak years caused him to feel overwhelmed by fame.
Performing older material during subsequent Genesis reunion concerts felt unnatural to him, like putting on someone else's suit.
Collins emphasized that a strong drummer remains essential to the overall sound of any musical ensemble.
In separate real estate news involving his past assets, private equity manager Orlando Bravo bought Collins' former Miami Beach estate for $39.25 million in January 2021 before obtaining approval to demolish the structure for new construction.
