Genesis delighted fans last year by getting the band back together, with Phil Collins, Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford announcing plans for their first tour since 2007.
But Phil - who turns 70 today - cut a frail figure as he arrived at the studios in October using a walking stick and a wheelchair.
The master drummer has been plagued by agonising health issues for a decade, starting when he injured a vertebrae in his upper neck while performing in 2009.
Two years later, the British star was forced to retire after the crippling nerve damage left him unable to play the drums that made him a star.