Hi Simon, it’s very nice of you to participate in an interview with me. You were a part of the band Toto for many many years, so many fans would love to hear some more about this great drummer who was playing with them on the Toto stage. First we all like to learn some more about you so an obvious but important question to start an interview with a musicians is, when did you start playing music, who taught you and which musicians inspired you to start playing music?

 

I started playing the drums at around 3-1/2 years old. However I didn't have a drum kit

or any drums to play on. I started by hitting pots and pans and biscuit tins. My father used to rehearse his Dixieland band at home and I remember distinctly that he had a new drummer by the name of Dave Rogers and that was my first memory of being in awe of the drums.

 

Do you play more instruments besides the Drums?

 

No!! I "own" keyboards and I write on keyboards and guitar.

 

Can you name a few other drummers that you really admire for their unique style?

 

I could name many. However the poignant ones would be Buddy Rich, Louis Bellson, Gene Krupa, Danny Seraphine, Ian Paice, Jon Hiseman, Keef Hartley, Grady Tate, Bernard Purdie, Billy Cobham, Lenny White, Steve Gadd, Narada Michael Walden and Ralph Humphries.

 

You were born in the U.K. and moved to the States when you joined Toto. Will you be staying in the USA now that you have left the band or will you move back to England and can you tell me what the differences are between living in the USA and the UK?

 

Actually my move to the US had nothing to do with joining Toto. That was a total coincidence. I had been planning to move to the US for about 2 years - but had wanted to live there since I was about 10 or 12 years old - ha ha ha!! Los Angeles is my home for the moment - no plans to leave! I am sure that any differences that I felt back when I lived there have changed so hard to compare.

 

Besides music are there any hobbies you love to do?

 

I love motor racing. I used to race in FF1600 when I lived in the UK but I realized very quickly I was not going to make it into Formula 1!! I enjoyed it - I learned a lot and I did OK in my races. I follow F1 on the TV and I subscribe to "Autosport" (the racing bible!) I also love to build studios - wiring a speciality - and love carpentry and metalwork.

 

It came quite as a shock to many fans when you announced you were leaving Toto. How did you come to this decision after so many years and how did the rest of the band react when you told them?

 

I was in the band for 21 years. It has been my life since I moved to LA. As the years went on I became more involved as an engineer/producer of the band. However the band has been through many changes and I felt that both Dave and Luke wanted to pursue a different way of doing things as well as a couple of management changes. Our goals became different. I wanted to spend more time on my own projects and my own studio, Phantom Recordings  and other productions. Obviously the guys were disappointed but I know they understand my reasons.

 

Can please guide us a little through the amazing career you have so far, what are your personal highlights and the facts you are the most proud of when you re-live everything you have done so far?

 

I have been extremely lucky to have had so many highlights during my 45 years as a professional musician. It's really hard to pick out all the highlights. I would say playing with Gil Evans at Montreux Jazz Festival in 1983 - playing with The Who in 1989 on their 25th anniversary tour - playing with my own band Protocol II now!

 

Did you ever have a job that wasn’t connected with music or does your whole working career exist of only music?

 

I worked at a printing firm rolling up posters for a week once during a thing called "work experience week" when I was at school in 1972. I also worked in an electrical store in 1973 just after my father died and his band, which I was playing in at the time, was disbanded.

 

Imagine you are graduating from high school again and have to choose a career, would it be in music again?

 

I would hope so. Although I will say it must be extremely difficult nowadays to get ahead in this business. My generation was lucky. We had a booming recording business. I was lucky to see the development of recording from mono 1/4" tape recorders to multitrack 2" recorders. The dawning of the digital audio age from tape to hard drive recording. And then to internet recording and downloading.

 

I cannot imagine how it must be and what your thoughts and feelings are when you are in a place where there is music on the radio and they play songs on which you played drums, does it not make you want to shout out; “Hey people, I played on this tune” ?

 

Ha ha ha - yes that does happen. Not so much these days though.

 

You recorded and performed with numerous great names in music like Toto, Judas Priest, The Who, Jeff Beck, Mick Jagger and more. What are the most memorable of those co-operations?

 

There & Back - the Jeff Beck album I played on was a milestone in my career as I cowrote 4 of the tunes on that album. I was also more involved with the production of that album than with other albums at the time. All the Toto albums were special as I was in the band and I also wrote a few of the songs too.

 

Did you also compose some well-known songs?

 

The most famous songs I have been a composer of are The Pump, Space Boogie, Party In Simon's Pants, Dave's Gone Skiing, Caught In The Balance, Better World etc etc.

 

Do you still have a wish-list of musicians you'd like to work with that you have not already done so and who would they be?

 

John McLaughlin, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea.

 

You also participated in some movie scores, can you mention some of the movies you were involved in musically?

 

Blue Chips, Risky Business, The Preachers Daughter, The Lion King, Pirates Of The Caribbean III (I think), The Odessa File and I think one of the Pink Panther movies. Probably some others I was not aware of too.

 

What are some of the most well-known tunes you played the drums on?

 

I would say the Jeff Beck, Judas Priest and Michael Schenker albums.

 

You did play with Toto for many years. What’s the story of you getting the gig when Jeff Porcaro died. Did you get the job by audition or did they ask you straight away to play with the band?

 

No audition. I received a call from Luke about a week after Jeff passed away. The urgency being that they were getting ready to tour on the back of Kingdom Of Desire in the Fall of 1992. I was still living in the UK but was close to departing for LA. I would have left in October of '92 had Luke not called but because of the situation I left on September 1st. Once I had cancelled other commitments and I confirmed that I could

make the tour the band sent me DAT tapes of the songs and I remember writing charts on the plane flight over on Virgin Atlantic.

 

When did you first met the members of Toto? Was this when you accepted the job or did you have prior engagements with them?

 

I met the guys first either in London at one of their shows backstage or in the Valley in LA when I was there playing with Stanley Clarke. However I had only played with Luke before at a concert in Japan when I was playing with Jeff Beck in 1986.

 

What was your initial experience playing with Toto and what did you think of the strong fan base the band has?

 

The first song we played in rehearsal was "Hydra". I remember thinking what great time everyone had. it felt like walking on a tightrope. So precise. I loved that. The one part I hadn't thought about was the fan base and the amount of dedicated fans the band has. When we pulled up to the Ahoy in Rotterdam for our first European show they were all waiting at the backstage door. I did wonder how they would accept me.

 

What suits you more playing from musical perfectionism or grooves from your feeling?

 

Strange question but I'll try to answer. All music should feel good no matter how simple or complicated it is. I do not like playing complicated music for the sake of it. If it doesn't swing then it doesn't work in my book!

                 

What was your favourite tune from Toto to play?

 

There are many. Kind of like asking who is your favourite child! Ha ha ha!

 

You are now focusing on the Protocol II project. When did this band start, who are your colleagues in this band and how many albums did you already release with them?

 

The Protocol project started with a solo album back in 1988. It was a mini CD - just 5 tracks - which I recorded for fun. It developed into various line ups.

 

The first was Tony Hymas (keys), Ray Russell (gtr) and Anthony Jackson (bass).

The second was Ray Russell (gtr), Anthony Jackson (bass) and Tony Roberts (horn).

The third was Ray Russell (gtr), Jimmy Earl (bass), Billy Childs (keys) and Wendell

Brooks (horn)

The fourth was Andy Timmons (gtr), Jimmy Earl (bass), Jeff Babko (keys) and Wendell

Brooks (horn) for the 1997 and 1998 tours. Jerry Watts replaced Jimmy Earl on bass in 1998. I took a break from Protocol to pursue other projects but then reformed a solo band in 2008 and 2009.

 

Then in 2013 it was time to form what is now known as Protocol II. I have released 8 solo albums Protocol, Force Majeure, Symbiosis, Another Lifetime, Out Of The Blue, Vantage Point, Resolution and Protocol II.

 

Could it be when a major act asks you to fill the seat of the drums for a tour that you would take that job or is it mainly your solo career that has priority now?

 

That depends on who or what the project is. I have the Protocol II project and also the Trio Project with Hiromi and Anthony Jackson.

 

Speaking of touring, what do you miss the most when you are on the road and how do you spend your time on the road as we look at the long travels, the hotels and the hours prior to the shows?

 

My Cappuccino machine!!!

 

If you could take a look in the future what do you hope to do or where would you be in ten years. Still making music for instance?

 

Well of course I hope I will still be making music. I hope to be recording, writing, producing, engineering and playing.

 

Is there a question you want me to ask you, that no one would think of asking?

 

I think you have asked pretty much everything.

 

If you had to leave now to spend a month on a deserted island which 3 albums would you bring, which 3 books and which 3 movies?

 

I would just want to hear the sound of the ocean - look at the ocean and the sky - and just think!

 

Simon, it has been great talking to you and give the Simon Phillips fans a little inside look of who Simon Phillips is. I like to end this interview with my favourite part. I give you some names and words and you please give your first thoughts that come to mind when you see those words and names...

 

Music: Life

 

Playing live: Home

 

Playing in a studio: 2nd home

 

Life on the road: Normal

 

Life at home: Not enough

 

The pro’s of Internet: Not having to use the telephone

 

The con’s of Internet: Lack of privacy

 

Love: My beautiful girlfriend

 

War: Stupid waste of life

 

Toto: My home for 21 years

 

The Who: Anarchy

 

Protocol II: Fulfilment

 

Billie Rainbird: Love of my life

 

Simon Phillips: Who???

 

Thanks Simon, I hope you enjoyed this...  

 

Eddy Meuwese