Friday, September 11 2009, 10:20 BST
By Mayer Nissim, Entertainment Reporter
Rex Features
Phil Collins has said that he will never play the drums again.
The former Genesis star told The Mirror that a spinal injury causes too much pain for him to even hold his drumsticks.
Collins said: "I've got a condition that means I can't play anymore. After playing drums for 50 years, I've had to stop.
"Obviously I'm very sad about it. My vertebrae has been crushing my spinal cord because of the position I drum in."
He added: "It comes from years of playing. I can't even hold the sticks properly without it being painful. I even used to tape the sticks to my hands to get through.
"But don't worry, I can still sing."
Collins joined Genesis as the band's drummer in 1970 before moving to vocals following Peter Gabriel's departure in 1975.
He later had a successful solo career with hits including 'In The Air Tonight' and 'Another Day in Paradise'.
Former Genesis band member Phil Collins has announced that he will never play the drums ever again. Phil Collins singing in Dusseldorf, Germany. 

Collins says his decision is due to a spinal injury which makes it too painful for him to hold up his drumsticks.  In an interview with British tabloid, the ''Daily Mirror'', Collins, age 58 said, "I've got a condition that means I can't play any more.  After playing drums for 50 years, I've had to stop."

"Obviously I'm very sad about it. My vertebrae has been crushing my spinal cord because of the position I drum in. I can't even hold the sticks properly without it being painful. I even used to tape the sticks to my hands to get through," added Collins who also said that he is still able to sing.

One of Collins' friends said to the ''Daily Mirror'', "He is devastated as drumming is everything to him. It's how he made his name and it set him on the road to superstardom."