10 Years Later Phil Collins Returns To Stage After Major Health Scare

Celebrity

10 Years Later Phil Collins Returns To Stage After Major Health Scare

It's been awhile since we last saw Phil Collins perform.

The Another Day in Paradise singer announced his retirement in 2011 after decades of chart-topping hits but unfortunately, in the years that followed it wasn't all rainbows and butterflies.

The singer had been dealing with back problems since the early 2000s when he suffered nerve damage caused by dislocated a vertebra in his neck. The trauma extended to his hands and he was left unable to play the drums.

In 2015, the Genesis frontman and drummer had to undergo surgery for a to fix the nerve issue after he lost movement in his foot upon waking up one morning.

"I had an MRI and my back and hips were just shot," he told the magazine. "The doctor had to go in there, work on the sciatic nerve and take my back apart and unscramble the mess," Phil admitted in a Rolling Stone interview.

He spent the last 2 years recovering from the surgery and spending time with his children who fuelled his triumphant return to the stage this year.

"They're always saying, 'Oh, when you gonna go out again Dad? When you gonna write some new songs?' And I started to think, 'Why aren't I doing it?'" Phil told ABC News about his sons Matt and Nic.

"Thanks to the fans, my family and support from some extraordinary artists I have rediscovered my passion for music and performing. It's time to do it all again and I'm excited. It just feels right."

The 66-year-old singer was inspired enough to get back on the road for his Not Dead Yet: Live 2017 Tour which kicked off this week with a 5-night residency at London's Royal Albert Hall.

See what Phil looks like on stage after a 2-year hiatus and major surgery on the next page.

The legendary singer took to the stage for the first time in nearly a decade on Sunday, June 4 at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Despite being forced to perform while sitting due to his declining health, Phil delivered a stellar performance of all his popular hits and even played the piano.

The icon also brought on a very special guest to support him on stage during the gig.

His 16-year-old son, Nic, inherited his dad's talent on the drums and has been putting it on display for the world to see.

"There's a lot of me in him, and he plays a lot like me," Phil gushed. "He has that attitude and aggression, which is good. [It's] nice to bring some youth and aggression to what I do!"

The father-son duo along with the rest of the crew will be playing shows in Europe before closing it out in London's Hyde Park on June 30.

Prior to the tour launch, Phil and Nick performed a show in Liverpool on Friday and the singer delivered a performance of Sussudio, a first in 12 years. Check it out below:

We're so glad Phil has gone against all odds and is back to doing what he loves.

What do you think of Phil's comeback? Let us know in the comments!

Blair isn't a bestselling author, but she has a knack for beautiful prose. When she isn't writing for Shared, she enjoys listening to podcasts.