Phil Collins announces his retirement

"Hello, I Must Be Going!" And this time, Phil Collins isn't kidding
"Hello, I Must Be Going!" And this time, Phil Collins isn't kidding

Phil Collins has hinted at retiring over the years, and now he's made it official. In a statement on his website titled "BREAKING NEWS - A Message From Phil..." the 60-year-old superstar, who enjoyed worldwide success as a member of Genesis and as a solo artist, says that he really must be going, and he explains why.

According to Collins, in his own words:

1. I'm not stopping because of dodgy reviews or bad treatment in the press.

2. I'm not stopping because I don't feel loved, I know I still have a very large fan base that loves what I do. Thank you.

3. I'm not stopping because I don't fit in, this was proved with Going Back reaching No 1 in the UK, and doing incredibly well worldwide.

4. I'm not stopping so I can dive full time into my interest for the Alamo.

I am stopping so I can be a full-time father to my two young sons on a daily basis.

"Some of the things mentioned above have been said by me in various interviews, but said as asides with a smile on my face and in passing," he continues. "They were not meant to be 'headlines', they were small parts of a conversation. This clearly doesn't come over in print and I should know better."

Collins points out that some press coverage has portrayed him as a "tormented weirdo," but he reassures fans there is "no need for the straitjacket."

A couple of years ago, the drummer suffered a spine injury, caused by years of bad posture while playing, that prevented him from being able to hold his sticks. In his post, Collins makes no mention of his condition.

Joe Bosso

Joe is a freelance journalist who has, over the past few decades, interviewed hundreds of guitarists for Guitar WorldGuitar PlayerMusicRadar and Classic Rock. He is also a former editor of Guitar World, contributing writer for Guitar Aficionado and VP of A&R for Island Records. He’s an enthusiastic guitarist, but he’s nowhere near the likes of the people he interviews. Surprisingly, his skills are more suited to the drums. If you need a drummer for your Beatles tribute band, look him up.