Simon Phillips

If you like over-the-top slamming rock stuff, get Derek Sherinian's (ex-Dream Theater) solo CDs. Simon plays on "Inertia", "Black Utopia", "Mythology" and "Blood Of The Snake". They're all good but I'd say "Black Utopia" is the best of the bunch, followed by "Inertia".

Steve Lukather from Toto is on them too, along with guys like Yngwie, Zakk Wylde, Allan Holdsworth and Al Di Meola! Great stuff.
 
Great Drumclinic yesterday in Basel/Switzerland....

Enjoy the pictures...

Bernhard
 

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Thanks Bernhard, the pictures are real nice.eeeeeeeeeeeeee.
 
Great Drumclinic yesterday in Basel/Switzerland....

Enjoy the pictures...

Bernhard

Thanks ever so much! These are some of the nicest shots of Simon I've seen on the net yet! Absolutely incredible. Hope you have more!

Cheers

J P Lapp
 
While I never considered that he was trying to be Jeff, I thought that he was trying to be true to the songs which was obvious in the rest of the songs that he played But for some unknown reason, he did not do the shuffle to Rosanna, which confuses me and confounds me because I'm sure he can do it. And of course it is the signature sound to that song. The fact that he did not play at while he did the rest of the songs The same the way Jeff did still confuses me.
PS I knew he did not answer the questions it was purely rhetorical.
I have yet to get a satisfactory answer from any drummer I've talked to. The only conclusion I can come to, which was seen to be impossible. Is that he actually can't play that shuffle.
Of course we know he can, or it would seem improbable that he cannot.
Therefore, the question still remains, why did he not reproduce the shuffle. When he played Rosanna live with toto?

He did not play it like Jeff becasue that is what the guys in Toto wanted. They wanted him to stay true to the music but play it his style, not Jeff's. This is what was told to me firsthand from Toto's tour Martin Cole. We had a very long discussion after a Toto show a couple of years ago.

Cheers

J P Lapp
 
JP's right here, gang.
In fact...there's an interview somewhere online of a Mr. Legarde interviewing Luke (four or five days after Jeff's memorial service) and Luke said that they wanted simon to rip it up.
Which is what he's done for 16 years. To make it his own thing. They did NOT want someone to come in sounding like Jeffrey....because nobody but Jeff could sound like Jeff.

ps: AMAZING slideshow of Simon up on the front page. Was this put together from one clinic or several? There's some great angles on the Phillips.

T


He did not play it like Jeff becasue that is what the guys in Toto wanted. They wanted him to stay true to the music but play it his style, not Jeff's. This is what was told to me firsthand from Toto's tour Martin Cole. We had a very long discussion after a Toto show a couple of years ago.

Cheers

J P Lapp
 
Thanks Bernhard for the fantastic pictures!!! I was in Aarau to watch Simon on his drum clinics, couldn't make it to Basel.

It was great, just plain fantastic. Simon is a hell of a drummer (well, wouldn't you know?) and what a nice person he is.
 
I just watched the Live Toto DVD 'Falling In Between'. Jeff is greatly missed, but they could not of found a better replacement. Simon has the tastiest licks and I believe plays Toto's music just how Jeff would have wanted. Lee Sklar and Simon gettin' it!
 
Simon is in fact far more than just a replacement drummer. He's with Toto for a long time now and is responsible for producing some of their latest CDs (Falling in Between has been recorded in his own studio).
Simon isthe only one along with Steve Lukather touring with Toto since Jeff's dead. Bobby came back later, Mike wasn't on the last tour, same for Paich.
 
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.
 
Also worth mentioning his work with Lukather on Los Labottomy's. A bit of fun muso rock but probably the catylist for Simon joining Toto after Jeff''s departure. Worth a google. A few good vids out there.
 
If you like shreddy metal fusion, get Derek Sherinian's CDs "Inertia" and "Black Utopia". Both are amazing with Mr. Simon Phillips on the drums and (maybe more importantly) producing.

"Black Utopia" is one of my favorite CDs of the last decade. It's criminally overlooked.
 
Re: VIDEO : Great drumsolo by Mr Simon Phillips!

Neither solo really does much for me. I've never been a big fan of "arena solos". I use the term "arena solo" because they are geared more to an arena of screaming fans that don't know the first thing about playing drums but LOVE lots of notes, cymbals and double bass than to us regular drummers.

I find Steve Gadd's syncopated snare fills in the Buddy Rich drum-off to be more entertaining.

Don't get me wrong, Simon Phillips is in my Top 3 for players, but the solo doesn't do much for me.

BTW, didn't Tommy Lee hold the trademark for upside-down drum solos?

+ 1, Not to be hard on Simon Phillips at all, I think he's an incredible drummer, but, this type of solos are not my thing. It's ok, it is a part of the show and it is intended for the crowd to scream and drive'em crazy, but if I have the chance of choosing to hear them or not, I'd choose no
 
I went to see Simon Phillips at the UK Drumfest NIA last Sunday (12 / 07/ 09). He shared the gig with Carmine Appice, Jojo Mayer, Gregg Bissonette & Jason Bittner plus a local guy, Robin Day. I've seen Simon play many times both at his clinics and at band gigs (The Who, Toto, Protocol) but never on the same stage as other drumming greats. Carmine Appice was good in a standard rock sort of way with a great stage passion & dynamic. Jason Bittner was a bit bouble bass happy predictable but badly held back by having to use an electric kit. Gregg Bissonette played some fantastic Cuban style stuff that showed him to be the tasteful kit master he is. Jojo Mayer was very inspiring. Amazing left hand ability and a truely innovative session. Apart from Simon Phillips, Robin Day was the star of the show for me. A real down to earth presentation with lots of flair, a different angle & great personality. He was brought in at short notice too so extra impressive. Then along came Simon Phillips. Never have I had the chance to compare his playing with others in such a way. The difference was mind blowing. He really is on a whole different level to other players. This was no stadium solo style show but an incredible display of control, dynamics, musicality & technical skill beyond what you believe to be possible. A truly spine tingling experience. Do I think he's one of the greatest players ever? After that display along side his peers, you bet!
 
Can Simon play jazz?

I'm a Simon Phillips fan. I admire his sense of space, control, dynamic & musicallity that he brings to rock music primarily. I'm no jazz drummer. I'm a simple rock player but with an appreciation of many music forms. I'm interested in the opinions of those true jazz players we have in the DW community. Below is a link to a video of Simon playing with Jeff Babko & others. Please take a look and tell me if you think Simon can really play jazz.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5HaHhXB05U
 
Re: Can Simon play jazz?

Wow! Who knew Simon could swing. I really like it. His BD is too loud for me and his ride is not loud enough. But, the most important thing is that it's swinging.

Interestingly, he's playing a small set (for him anyway) and he's playing right hand ride.
 
Re: Can Simon play jazz?

Simon Phillips is one of those really intelligent and skilled musicians who can play anything and play it right. He's simply one of the very best drummers out there.
 
Re: Can Simon play jazz?

Nice post KIS. The 'Neil Peart Can't Swing' thread lead me to wonder what people would think of the likes of Simon Phillips and other's not known for their jazz playing as well.

Like you, I'm not skilled enough in the art of jazz drumming to really comment. Will watch this thread with interest.
 
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