PHILLIPS, SIMON
Since the tragic death of Jeff Porcaro, Toto's
drummer. Simon (1959) is the son of an English clarinet player.
His mother is witness of Simon 'playing' the drums since he was
about three years old: "There was a piano and my father's clarinet, otherwise that was it.
However he rehearsed the band in the house and that's where it all started. He had just recruited a
new drummer and set the band up differently so the first instrument I stumbled into when I walked into
the room was the drum kit, and that was it!!!"
"I grew up listening to Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Fats Waller, Bob Crosby - all favourites of my mother,
and also my father's music. We had literally hundreds of 78s of his band dating from the 30s. Also records
of Bert Ambrose who my father used to arrange for and played in. On top of that a smattering of classical
music which my parents loved - I was not too impressed however. There was very little pop or rock music in
the house - my father just never got it!" ('All About Jazz interview, march 1999)
First known recording with his father's
band, then in 1972 the musical Jesus Christ Superstar. Since 1974
he plays the double bass drum and 'becomes' a session musician.
From Dana Gillespie's 'Ain't gonna play no second fiddle' (1974)
and Nazareth's 'Hair of the dog' (1975), where he plays tabla
on one song, via '801 live' with Phil Manzenera and Eno (1976)
and many known and lesser known musicians 's, untill the Corrs's
'Forgiven, Not Forgotten (1995). Simon can be heard on more than
one hundred albums. Jack Bruce, Gordon Giltrap, Duncan Browne,
Mike Oldfield, Toyah .... to many to name them all. Several tours
i.e.hundreds of concerts are played by "the memory man"
(as Pete Townshend calles him on Join Together 1989). Tours from
Tears for Fears untill RMS with Gil Evans. Steve Lukather met
Simon on one of the many Jeff Beck concerts. To be precicely on
the 6th of June 1986 in Karizana, Japan. Simon Phillips plays
Starclassic drums from Tama with Remo Heads, Zildjian Cymbals
and Pro-Mark Sticks.
(Thanks to Hans Waalwijk)
In an interview with "All About Jazz" (march 1999), Simon Phillips respons to the question about how he feels when people critize his choice for playing with Toto:
"Most people regard Toto as a very musical band. The thing is I can play many styles - and enjoy playing different kinds of music. I see it all as Western music - whether it be Rock, R & B, Jazz, Fusion whatever - it still uses the same 12 notes and can easily move through different keys! However - Eastern music is a whole different arena - in most cases if you change key you have to retune the whole instrument - bummer!! But I really enjoy listening to that music when I get the chance. As for Toto - playing rock music is a big part of my life and is very natural - however I enjoy playing "straight ahead" acoustic jazz which I do from time to time in LA at a local club. In fact I have a band with Jeff Babko (Piano) and Dave Carpenter (Upright Bass), Trumpet/Flugelhorn and Tenor/Alto/Soprano for which Jeff and I have written music specially."
Related item: => How Simon Phillips came to join Toto
More information about Simon can be found on his personal website at http://www.simon-phillips.com.