Simon Phillips

Re: Can Simon play jazz?

What can I say guys? I checked this thread out after being away for a day, expecting maybe 1 or 2 extra replies and I find this!! Thanks for putting some energy into the debate. I've certainly learnt a lot from the guys here with a sound knowledge of jazz. I asked the question because I felt hugely under qualified to satisfy my own intrigue. In my very poorly informed opinion, the performance left me a bit cold. He didn't nail it as a rock player nor did he approch the piece with the syncopation and avoidance of first beat in the bar accent I'd expected. Don't get me wrong here, a whole ton better than I could achieve but not up to the usual Phillips innovation approach. Take his playing with his band, Protocol http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3H0tm-Hs9qo from 92. For most rock drummers, a really uncomfortable departure, yet he performed this with a certainty of purpose. That clarity of direction is missing on the jazz piece we're discussing. A sort of "on the fence" performance. I'm no good at analyzing the finer defining points of this feeling, it's just the vibe I pick up.

I've seen Simon many times. Unless you've seen him live, it's almost impossible to appreciate the power, dynamics and musicallity of this man. I can honestly say I've never been as impressed by any other player live as I have by Simon Phillips. This one just misses the mark for me, as does the latest PSP stuff I've heard to date, oh so clever but devoid of passion.
 
Re: Can Simon play jazz?

He is a very musical player and he knows to surround himself with great players, Anthony Jackson here. He is a great fusion drummer and certainly looks like he is having a good time on this clip.
 
Re: Can Simon play jazz?

I believe Simon started out in his fathers Big Band and later moved on....

Therefore, early on, he was playing big band music, some jazz and his early infuences are all jazz related...

The performance on the video was excellent in my opinion...

While I am not fond of his association with Babko as it takes away from his monstrous playing...

I have most of Simon's solo stuff, with Beck, Priest, Toto, members of the Who, instructional DVD's, etc...

The guys on hundreds of albums....

One of my favorite players of all time..Just saw him play with Greg Howe, Eddie Jobson, Trey Gunn, and Marco Minneman on duel drums!!!!

Amazing!!!!

The guy can play anything with authority!!! I watched them tear up Mahavishnu material as though it was a cakewalk!!!!

Yeah, he can jazz it too!!!!
 
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IMO a thread about Simon Phillips isn't complete without mentioning his work on 801 Live with Phil Manzanera and Brian Eno.

His power, energy, tightness and speed was awesome on East of Asteroid (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39eHgk5b1Ek) from that album, which was a mashup of Phil's East of Echo and Quiet Sun's Mummy Was an Asteroid, Daddy Was a Small Non-Stick Kitchen Utensil (yes, that's what it was called :)

It's hard not to like a guy who can not only do the "herd of stampeding elephants" double kick thing and super smooth grace notes.

As a side note, Quiet Sun was an experimental project of Phil M's while he was still with Roxy and featured the excellent Charles Hayward on kit and Bill McCormack on bass.

OMG! This was one of the albums that got me drumming way back when. Stunning finesse and power - I was just listening to this the other day with an old friend (TNK). I am so glad you mentioned this - thank you!

I have been working on some grooves that are inspired by Simon's playing. It has got me open-handed and like a fish out of water... I really like when he plays an ostinato on the hat with left hand, accents around toms w/ right hand, then seamlessly switches to right hand on hat (same exact ostinato), left accenting drums to the left of his hat.

I am trying to develop my weaker side (left) and use some of his sticking. It's like deep tissue massage: painful to do but I like how I feel afterwards.
 
Very unique style with heads and tuning.
If you heard him soundcheck, sounds little too high when someone else plays.
But... when Simon sits down... mg!
Tried clear Ambassadors on my bassdrum. Sounds great. Just one problem for me...
Far less control over my playing, becouse the head is moving so much....

great drummer, one of my favs!
 
Nice outstanding performance by great musicians: drums & percussion.

http://www.drummerworld.com/Videos/simonphillipsmd082.html

Simon has a beautiful and free playing style...
Ian, you so know you're preaching to the converted here :) Have you heard Simon's latest collaboration with Anthony Jackson on Hiromi's trio project, Voice? Awe man!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79G18CjiRWw&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evOZJPmSk-k&feature=related
 
Yes! He's the man for me.

Here's a track from Jon Lord's solo album "Before I Forget" from early 80's with a young Simon Phillips, mind blowing stuff, at 5:53 the double bass goes to sextuplets! incredible...

It's Jon Lord's version of Toccata & Fugue by Johann Sebastian Bach...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9OFZ9Mh7GA
Awe man, that's just further wonderfulness. You really do have some knowledge of who played with who. After being out of the game so long, I'm largely ignorant of such gems. Thank you very much for highlighting lovely stuff (although that did cost me a couple of hours of listening to John Lord clips on Youtube :) )
 
Awe man, that's just further wonderfulness. You really do have some knowledge of who played with who. After being out of the game so long, I'm largely ignorant of such gems. Thank you very much for highlighting lovely stuff (although that did cost me a couple of hours of listening to John Lord clips on Youtube :) )

Thanks for the kind comments Andy :))

Sorry that I "forced" you to listen to Jon, however, I must point out that Simon's not playing all the songs on Jon Lord's album, it's shared with 2 other greats of the "rock" giants, namely Ian Paice and Cozy Powell (R.I.P.)...
 
...

... + Billy Ward playing shaker. 3 great drummers, and thats heck of a band Simon's put together,


...
 
When asked about his drum set, Simon said many drum sets have 10 pieces, but this one goes up to 11.
 
Here's another fabulous track by Mr monster groove's Simon Phillips with Mo Foster on bass (from the RMS trio) on the first solo album by Russ Ballard (the band Argent's guitatrist). The song's called "voices" and it's a hell of a rock groove... enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVehzvsZ5GY
Absolutely loving that. What a groove! Great song too. I'll be searching out more of that.

...
... + Billy Ward playing shaker.
.
Abe, just how the hell do you know that? Wow, I need to up the RAM content of my brain ;)

When asked about his drum set, Simon said many drum sets have 10 pieces, but this one goes up to 11.
Good quote Ken, & Simon has the playing balls to back that up too :)
 
Thanks a lot man! a real mind blowing gem, amazingly played by both - Jon & Simon.

Yes! He's the man for me.

Here's a track from Jon Lord's solo album "Before I Forget" from early 80's with a young Simon Phillips, mind blowing stuff, at 5:53 the double bass goes to sextuplets! incredible...

It's Jon Lord's version of Toccata & Fugue by Johann Sebastian Bach...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9OFZ9Mh7GA
 
Dear Andy - I will put it in one word: FLAWLESS.

...Thanks for sharing it mate!

It's good isn't? One of my fav's of Simon.

A young Simon Phillips playing for Judas Priest on "Sin After Sin" album - completely...one of my favourite rock one´s! back in 1977.

Starbreaker:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z3-QEOXPEU&feature=related

Dissident Aggressor:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlCu1QvntSU&feature=related

...listen to the bass drum and china!

I've got this one... great drumming and great band!

Thanks a lot man! a real mind blowing gem, amazingly played by both - Jon & Simon.

Yes! Back (Bach) then, I was totally blew away...

Absolutely loving that. What a groove! Great song too. I'll be searching out more of that.

And you know what Andy? the whole album is stuffed with groove like that... But "Voices" is my favourite song.

Just had an idea, could we start a thread showing the "not so obvious work" by Simon? YouTube videos, mp3, etc.

I'm sure there's hardcore fans who would like something like this, but on the other hand, I don't know if it has already been done. I didn't wanted to go through the hundreds of pages of the "Drummers" section to find out.

What do you think? Should we have a go?
 
It's good isn't? One of my fav's of Simon.

I've got this one... great drumming and great band!

A: Very True! I'm a hardcore Judas Priest follower on both: music career and drummers since Alan Moore, John Hinch, Simon Phillips, Les Binks, Dave Holland and Scott Travis.

Yes! Back (Bach) then, I was totally blew away...

And you know what Andy? the whole album is stuffed with groove like that... But "Voices" is my favourite song.

Just had an idea, could we start a thread showing the "not so obvious work" by Simon? YouTube videos, mp3, etc.

I'm sure there's hardcore fans who would like something like this, but on the other hand, I don't know if it has already been done. I didn't wanted to go through the hundreds of pages of the "Drummers" section to find out.

What do you think? Should we have a go?

A: Go for it! I back you up...You can also call it "Simon's B-side (work)."
 
Simon Phillips B-Sides - The Rarities

Heys guys

This thread's for the fans of the muli-styles talented super session drummer Simon Phillips who has recorded with hundreds of artists in almost any styles of music.

The idea of this thread is to show and share some of Simon's little gems and treasures through his, sometimes, not so well know brilliant work via the mean of videos, mp3, mp4 etc.

I have followed Simon's career from 1980, I eventually went back to the start of his session work from 1974.

So please post your videos and mp3 of Simon's rare or forgotten recordings here on this thread. I'll be delighted to discover "new" tracks I didn't know about.


So here's the first 4 links to start this thread with some magic grooves from the Man:

Sunshine of Your Love by Toto from Through The Looking Glass, I know it's not really a rarity, but it's a special one for Andy, I know he loves to play this track :))

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjaYkRO9Bsg

Behind your Dark Eyes by Bernie Marsden (Whitesnake, Alaska) from Look at Me Know (1981). A lovely 16th notes feel in this groove...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UU3J3FEkcL4&feature=related

Camino Real by Duncan Brown from The Wild Places (1978), a very young Simon on this track, with John Giblin on bass (later in the 80's he played for Simple Minds).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKpDxJvKCCI

Head The Ball by Bernie Marsden (again) from And About Time Too (1979), dream rythm section here, Jack Bruce and Simon, phheeww!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_9zriz_wRE

Enjoy!

And if you have an anecdote about Simon, tell us the story...

And please post some vids :))
 
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