Phil Collins is working on new solo music for the first time in two decades

21 August 2024, 12:44

It was thought he was enjoying a well-earned retirement.

Due to his well-documented issues with illness, Phil Collins performed his final ever live concert with Genesis in 2022.

On 26th March, the legendary drummer alongside bandmates Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks called time on their career together as Genesis with an epic farewell at London's O2 Arena.

Going back and forth several times on whether or not retirement was for him, ultimately Collins could no longer face the rigours of touring because of his spinal issues.

• Why has Phil Collins retired? The Genesis singer's health issues explained
• How heartbreak encouraged Phil Collins to pursue pop superstardom
• How many kids does Phil Collins have, and who are they?
• Phil Collins emotionally says goodbye to fans as he announces his final ever live show due to ill health

So Genesis was no longer, with Phil having to perform seated on a chair for much of the band's latter years, though his voice was still better than ever.

And, there's still a chance he's putting his iconic vocals to good use - it's been reported that Phil Collins is working on new solo music for the first time in over two decades.

In the two years since Genesis came to an end, Collins has been keeping himself busy by reissuing his older music, with a 30th-anniversary box-set edition of Both Sides arriving next month.

But he's also been keeping himself busy in other ways according to his close friend and creative confident, Simon Napier-Bell.

Napier-Bell has been working with Collins on an upcoming documentary about London's iconic Marquee Club venue.

In a recent Facebook post, he confirmed that "we're going to hear some new music" from Phil in the future.

"Yesterday we filmed Phil Collins at his house by Lake Geneva," Napier-Bell wrote. "He was in top form, full of wicked stories, hugely fun."

"And he's just had his studio revamped. For sure, before too long we're going to hear some new music."

Whilst it's not full official confirmation of a return to music-making from Collins, he and Napier-Bell have been close friends for many years so it's as reliable a source as any.

Nevertheless, it's enough for fans of Phil Collins to get excited about, given the impression he's been enjoying retirement.

Though Phil has never been one to fully commit to his decision to retire, based on his previous in's and out's.

In 2011, he first decided to retire from music and live performance to focus on his health and family life.

He went back on his decision four years later in 2015 however, proving you can never really trust what he says when it comes to retirement.

If Phil is whiling away the hours preparing a new recording studio, it'll also mark the first new solo music Phil has made since 2003, having contributed to the soundtrack for Disney movie Brother Bear.

His most recent album however, came in 2010 with Going Back, though it was an album that consisted entirely of cover versions.

We'll have to wait and see if Phil returns to the fore with new solo music, but it's positive news regardless.