Phil Collins came close to death in April 2024 after a relapse with alcohol sent him to a hospital in Switzerland, where his kidneys and other organs began to fail. His manager of 50 years called his five children to his bedside as doctors weighed the most extreme options.
According to a report by Billboard, citing an interview published in The Sunday Times on August 3, Collins described what happened in stark terms.
"Because there were some decisions to be made about 'Do we keep Phil on life support?' kind of thing. My kidneys were packing up, my organs were just seizing up," Collins said. "People were coming to say goodbye. But I don't remember them coming, I didn't have no idea this was going on. They were all worried that they wouldn't see me again. It could all have gone so terribly wrong."
Collins said he was unaware of the visits because of his condition. He survived, and says he has not had a drink since.
The 75-year-old former Genesis drummer and singer had been sober for years before the relapse. He discussed his alcoholism publicly in his 2016 memoir Not Dead Yet, and had previously been admitted to intensive care in 2012 with acute pancreatitis, after which he got sober with the help of the medication Antabuse. He could not identify exactly when he started drinking again. "When I was drinking, the calendar goes out the window," he said.
A hospital stay in November 2023 lasted three days, but Collins was soon rushed back into intensive care and spent seven months there. The April 2024 episode in Switzerland was the most critical. By his own account, the pattern of drinking had become routine before he recognized it as a problem.
"But I'd have wine when I woke up. That was what I'd want for breakfast, a glass of wine. But I didn't drink into the night, you know. So I wasn't really aware of having a problem, to be honest," he said.
Collins last performed live in 2022 as part of Genesis' farewell tour. He can no longer play drums due to nerve damage and multiple surgeries on his knees and spine.
The Sunday Times interview also covered a recently repaired relationship with Paul McCartney. Collins had previously said in an interview that McCartney treated him condescendingly. McCartney read those remarks and responded. "saying, 'I'm a bit disappointed, blah blah'. He said don't be so … 'sacrosanct' was the word he used. I'm not sure what that means, but anyway it kind of left a bad taste in my mouth and obviously left a bad taste in his," Collins said.
The two eventually reconnected through a charity auction involving the King's Trust, after Collins wrote McCartney a letter and McCartney agreed to donate an item. "I wish I hadn't said it, although it did happen. But we've made up, he's happy about the fact that we discussed it, and I'm happy we discussed it, so it was just really lovely that it's gone full circle now," Collins said.
Collins is set to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo act in November, alongside Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Oasis, Sade, Luther Vandross, and the Wu-Tang Clan.
