Simon Phillips

Don't know when that pic was taken, but...it's good to see he packed away those octabans...

They were cool & all, but aft awhile, the sound of them got a little on my nerves [too much usage]...kind of like PMetheny w that synth-horn gtr patch, & AllanH w that synthaxe...[maybe even Futureman w those triggered drumatar sounds, even tho he's bloody fantastic at it] [img]wink.gif[/img]

...I'd rather hear T-Boz's, Scheuerell's [or Nick Mason's-Time!] rotos sound any day [img]wink.gif[/img] [img]cool.gif[/img] ...JMO

- Si's 1st solo disc, "Protocol" '88 [w the title tune & "V-8"]; JBeck's There & Back; & also PTownshend's "Give Blood" from White City = [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ March 13, 2005 03:29 PM: Message edited by: fuseU1 ]</font>

I'm wondering if I didn't hear Simon say recently that the octobans will be back, and that the timbale was just temporary.

I know what you mean, Fuse, but comparing Si's use of octobans to Metheny's use of that synth-horn-thingy almost feels like blasphemy! [img]biggrin.gif[/img]
(I soo wish that instrument had never been invented!)

Btw, Simon is in the studio with Toto now, and I'm a bit excited about that (being a big fan of Luke's guitar playing). According to Luke's website, it's going to be a great record. (However, I think that's what they said about 'Through the Looking Glass' too...)

The octabons are not gone permanently. In fact, he sometimes plays 'em with his feet these days.

what can you say about Simon one of a kind

i still remember when i heard for the first his playing on Space Boogie (Jeff Beck's There&Back) http://smilies.sofrayt.com/^/aiw/swoon1.gif

couple of videos
http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers..._Phillips.html

his website is pretty informative http://www.simon-phillips.com/
From his site
"Question:
Your drum performance on Jeff Beck's "Space Boogie" I feel is one of the most intense and definitive displays of fusion drumming that exists, extremely influencial and a landmark piece of drum work. In the studio, about how many takes did you need to do before getting the keeper take for that song? How much "comping" and punching-in was done on those drum tracks?

Simon:
Thanks for the kind words. From my recollection that take was the second one we played. No fixes or drop ins. I think Mo (Bass) may have had a repair or two - it was the first time he had played that song and was reading a chart. Tony of course overdubbed the Acoustic Piano and synths. Jeff didn't play on the take as he wasn't happy with his sound at the time. We had previously recorded that song on another session with Ric Laird on bass but didn't use it - it was a slower take! "

Simon Phillips http://smilies.sofrayt.com/%5E/u/king.gif

<font color="#a62a2a"><font size="1">[ March 14, 2005 01:33 PM: Message edited by: Rotel ]</font></font>

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ March 14, 2005 01:34 PM: Message edited by: Rotel ]</font>

Dude, that little bug-eyed, fainting smiley is da shedd. Darn if I can't save it as a .gif; [img]wink.gif[/img] only a bitmap [img]graemlins/hmmm.gif[/img] - wth...

Eh, the 'bans are allright...every now & then. But now, if you're talkin 'bout 'da player, weh-heh-hellll... [img]wink.gif[/img] [img]cool.gif[/img]

When PM lays on those loud synth-axe notes, & frequently holds & sustains them like at the end of one of those tunes for what must be minutes, it's like a CGI moose on helium being slowly strangled...I know he's trying to emote some serious pain & crying, but, if it's done too much, it's just, well, too much. Ohhhh, Pat, you're such a great gtr player & all, but, please, STOP that...[nails on chalkboard]...somewhere some former soldier jumps like at the sound of revelie...

Eh, wth do i know.
[Galdurn drummers.]

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ March 15, 2005 01:37 AM: Message edited by: fuseU1 ]</font>

I opened up for Simon on his Uk tour in 2000.
I struck up a friendship with Simon and still keep in contact through email.

The time I spent with him was probably the most educational time in my drumming life, I learnt SO MUCH from Simon.

We would travel to the clinics together and we would talk drums, drums, drums.
When it came to the clinic whatever we had been talking about would appear in Simon's solo!
We had been talking about Marco Minneman one day and sure enough Simon played all this mad ostinato stuff!

One of the greats!

SP favorites:
There and Back; Jeff Beck
Touch Me There; L Shankar
Give Blood; Pete Townsend
Rocks, Pebbles and Sand; Stanley Clarke
Symbiosis; SP
Vantage Point; SP and Jeff Babko (ridiculous solo on this...)

Why is it so mind-buggeringly difficult to get hold of Simon's solo stuff in the UK? I practically had to lift a burning brazier between my forearms to get hold of Symbiosis and Out of the Blue. I can't find a copy of Vantage Point for love nor money.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by moosetication:
Why is it so mind-buggeringly difficult to get hold of Simon's solo stuff in the UK? I practically had to lift a burning brazier between my forearms to get hold of Symbiosis and Out of the Blue. I can't find a copy of Vantage Point for love nor money.

---

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">LOL

...ditto on that SP - VP, awa OOTB [!]
[img]eek.gif[/img] [img]frown.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/grrr.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/hmmm.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/thinking.gif[/img]

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ March 16, 2005 12:10 AM: Message edited by: fuseU1 ]</font>

FORCE MAJUERE was the Simon CD I had a problem getting but Me2 (remember him?) sent me a copy on my birthday a year or so ago. It's a great live trio fusion disk utilizing the tunes and players from Simon's teaching videos.

Doves of Fire live in Japan is what I really want! [img]cool.gif[/img]

Vantage Point is really interesting as it is a hard bop type of thing and its wierd to hear SP paying straight ahead (he plays coated heads so his sound is a bit different and he plays two rides each side of the kit.)
It was recorded I think by Simon in his living room.
Simon plays in a very Tony Williams-esque style.

I think it was done to show that fusion guys can play straight jazz which I think is an interesting point. I would rather hear vinnie or simon or weckl etc playing straight jazz than some of the guys that are supposed to be THE players in that style.
In the UK there is a real tendency in the jazz world to play in the Roy Haynes school. I class myself firstly as a jazz player but seldom get jazz gigs as I play double kick, a relatively big kit and perhaps, too loud!!! anyway, I'm wandering off topic...