Shawn Phillips is one of most fascinating and enigmatic musicians to come out of the early '70s singer-songwriter boom. In addition to recording more than 20 solo albums, he has worked with Donovan, Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Bernie Taupin, The Beatles and many others. Shawn has been described as "The best kept secret in the music business,” by the late rock impresario Bill Graham.
Infinity was recorded in 1989 using the “Infinity Device”. It was an innovative experiment, but remained unreleased until now. The “Infinity Device,” was a collection of pre MIDI Analog Synthesizers and drum modules modified to allow Shawn to perform alone yet sound like an entire band. Tracks 1-4 and 8 were done live by Shawn with no overdubbing. Tracks 2-3-5 and 7 were performed live by Shawn with additional parts played simultaneously by Elmo Peeler. Each track was recorded in one take. The Entire Album was recorded and mixed in two days at Cherokee Studios. This is the only studio recording of Shawn performing with the Infinity Device.
01. For The Lost And Lonely 02. Crown Of Love 03. I'm A Little Bit Older 04. Early In The Night 05. Everybody Gets Out Alive 06. I Will Never Leave 07. Money Dance 08. Infinity (Instrumental)
Three BBC sessions -- one from May 10, 1971, one from March 19, 1973, and the final one from October 8, 1974 -- are collected on this good-value 14-track, hour-length CD, in fine fidelity. Though not the fault of the artist, fans might be a little disappointed that this doesn't include anything in the way of otherwise unavailable songs. All of the tunes (all Shawn Phillips originals) come from his 1970-1974 studio albums, with the interesting exception of "Salty Tears," which was only available as a B-side to a 1974 single. By far the most interesting of these recordings are from the 1971 session, as all five of the songs are performed by Phillips solo with guitar (which is acoustic, with the exception of "Salty Tears," which is done on an electric one). Phillips did start out as a folk musician, and while these aren't exactly straight folk songs, the sparse arrangements serve as a reminder of that, though both his compositions and vocals here have a roving bite not associated with acoustic folk troubadours.
The other two sessions use his bands of the time, and move much more into singer/songwriter rock with prominent keyboards (by Peter Robinson), getting much deeper into jazz-funk fusion on the 1974 cuts, which include John Gustafson on bass. Overall, this set doesn't offer major surprises for those familiar with Phillips' eclectic efforts of the era, which -- somewhat in the manner of John Martyn, though Martyn went to odder extremes -- had an appetite for genre-shifting within the singer/songwriter format that limits his appeal to a cult level. It is, however, a good-sounding souvenir of Phillips performing the material in looser, more live-sounding settings than he brought to his studio albums of the time, Phillips and some of the backup players contributing comments to the liner notes.
01. Hey Miss Lonely 02. Spring Wind 03. Salty Tears 04. Withered Roses 05. L’Ballad 06. Spaceman 07. Not Quite Nonsense 08. Anello 09. I Took a Walk 10. Dream Queen 11. See You/Planscape 12. 92 Years 13. Talking In the Garden/Furthermore 14. January 1st
Shawn Phillips has changed his physical address more than a few times. What Phillips hasn't changed is his ability to strike resonant chords in the hearts of a legion of listeners while striking complex and inventive guitar chords to accompany his songs, which range from love songs to plain-spoken indictments of the music business and wars.
Born in Fort Worth in 1943, Phillips is based in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. In between, he has traveled the world and, though he's known for working gigs solo, has made music with a dizzying array of people, including Tim Hardin, Donovan, George Harrison, Joni Mitchell, Traffic and Paul Buckmaster.
“I toured South Africa in 2000, met my wife there and that's it,” Phillips said, laughing, during a phone interview from a Denver tour stop. “Best thing that ever happened to me.”
When Phillips plays a gig, people come out of the woodwork. It's likely that's what they'll do on Monday when Phillips brings his guitars to the Sam's Burger Joint stage.
“From 1994 to 2003 I was pretty much out of music completely,” Phillips said.
Phillips channeled his energy working as a firefighter and emergency medical technician in Briarcliff in Travis County. At home in South Africa, Phillips works with the National Sea Rescue Institute.
“The way the music business was going, and was going to go, there really wasn't a lot of call for singer/songwriters,” he said. “Back in the '80s, when disco came in, I used to sit in front of the desk of a vice president of A&M Records and listen to him rant about music being a business. I told him it was for him, but not for me. His statement has become more than true. All these television shows, 'American Idol,' 'X Factor,' they're just looking for clones.
“Now you have two choices. You can sign with a major label, which is good, because you'll have a whole machine behind you, but you have to 'take direction,' and you have to sign a deal where the machine makes all the money. Otherwise, you can get a following on the Internet, where you generally find more innovative artists.”
Phillips broke through on A&M in the early '70s with the albums “Contribution,” “Second Contribution” and “Collaboration,” which spawned fan favorites such as “Burning Fingers,” “Moonshine,” “What's Happenin' Jim” and “The Only Logical Conclusion/Get Up Off Your Ass and Dance.” Phillips is touring with a new album, his 25th, a straight-up independent double CD, “Perspective.”
“I don't like listening to albums where every track sounds the same,” Phillips said. “This album is called 'Perspective' because it's the way I'm looking at the world today. These are pieces of music I wanted to get out there. There's quite a few people who still like what I do.”
“Perspective” certainly runs the musical and topical gamut, to include economics.
“Almost every individual on the planet is surviving through World War III, which is an economic war,” he said. “We have cellphones, I talk to my wife in South Africa with Skype, we've made tremendous advances in music technology, we have tremendous medical technology, we've been to the moon, more than once; we communicate with a piece of technology on Mars, but we can't come up with an economic system that's equitable to everyone. It's numbers. It has nothing to do with politics.”
Phillips has spent a lot of time in studios and on stages.
“I turned 70 this February, but I pretend I'm dyslexic, so I'm only 7,” he said, laughing. “I tour alone. It's kickin' my ass. The thing about the studio is what you do will live forever so you've got to get it right. I've toured for 50 years. At some point, it just becomes a job. But, for me, it's still fun.”
Writing still figures heavily into Phillips' routine.
“When music comes to me, it just channels through. Seventy-five to 80 percent of the time, when a song comes through, it comes with words and music. When I write the first line, I don't leave the room until I get the last line finished. The longest it's taken me to finish a song was 'Talking in the Garden' (on the “Furthermore” album). It took me one day short of two weeks.”
Phillips' loyal audience is expanding.
“I'm seeing people I've been seeing for 40 or 50 years,” he said. “And I'm seeing a lot of brand-new people who come with those people, and they're walking out saying they've never seen anything like that. So I have a whole new audience at that point through word of mouth.”
CD 01 01 Brilliance 02 Devil's Highway 03 Infancy 04 Funkin' Country Rock And Roll Stew 05 Beyond The Rain 06 Watch Over Mary Anne 07 Circles 08 Light Of Life 09 Hadeda 10 America
CD 02 01 Radio 02 Silouettes 03 Take The Day - Ascent 04 Storm 05 Going Home 06 Choices 07 Slowly 08 Everything She Gives Me 09 Starlight
Shawn Phillips may not be a name that rings bells for the casual music fan, but it is a name that can be tied to some of the greatest moments in music history. Whether it's Donovan’s “Sunshine Superman” or The Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” singer/songwriter Shawn Phillips is someone that was there. The Fab Four had Phillips lend his vocals to “Lovely Rita,” and Donovan and Phillips used to sit in a room and write songs together. But this is only the beginning of the Shawn Phillips story.
This is a man that studied sitar with Ravi Shankar and gave George Harrison some basic lessons before the famed Beatle later found Shankar himself. He is also, through his work with Donovan, the first artist to introduce the sitar to popular music. Phillips also gave guitar lessons to Joni Mitchell while she was working as a waitress in Saskatchewan. Mitchell was interested in learning Phillips’ 12-string technique. Some of the musicians that can be found on Phillips’ albums are iconic names like Rick Wakeman, Michael Kamen, Steve Winwood, and Eric Clapton. Other world famous artists that Phillips has had relationships with are Delbert McClinton, The Moody Blues, Bill Cosby, Bob Ezrin, Jerry Moss, ZZ Top, Cass Elliot, Paul Buckmaster, Elton John and Bernie Taupin, Steve Morse, John Denver, Paul Simon, and more.
01. Take It Easy 02. I'm an American Child (on a Nuclear Pile) 03. Implications 04. Lady in Violet 05. Good Evening Madam 06. Lament pour l'Enfant Mort 07. Julia's Letters 08. Motes of Dust 09. Ease Your Mind
SHAWN PHILLIPS - GUITAR & VOCALS MICHAEL KAMEN - ORCHESTRAL ARRANGEMENTS, ACOUSTIC PIANO MARK CURRY - YAMAHA & ACOUSTIC PIANOS CHRIS NEILSEN - LEAD & ACOUSTIC GUITARS JEFFREY PORCARO, MICHAEL CLARK, MICHAEL BAIRD, MICHAEL BOTTS - DRUMS PAUL JACKSON, LELAND SKLAR, JOHN PIERCE - BASS PETER ROBINSON, SCOTT MAcDONALD - ACOUSTIC PIANO M.L. BENOIT - WATERPHONE MARK CURRY - YAMAHA & ACOUSTIC PIANOS RICK HART - BASS & FUZZ BASS RICHARD GREEN - VIOLIN MICHAEL KAMEN - OBOE M.L. BENOIT - PERCUSSION ROBIN MILLER - MANDOLIN
Shawn has twenty albums to his credit and a host of associations with some of the most respected names in the industry including Donovan, Paul Buckmaster, J. Peter Robinson, Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Bernie Taupin, and many others, yet he is virtually forgotten except by his cadre of loyal fans, despite remaining active through today.
Re-issue of 'Beyond Here Be Dragons' originally released only for a short time in 1988 due to the demise of the original label, Chameleon. 9 tracks including 'Of Love', 'It Takes No Time' and 'Share The Wealth'. 2000 release. Standard jewel case
01. Of Love 02. Circles 03. Sands of Time 04. It Takes No Time 05. Share the Wealth 06. Wind of the Angels 07. Discoveries 08. Spaghetti Inquistion 09. Moments
Shawn Phillips - Acoustic Guitar, Guitar, Vocals Caleb Quaye - Acoustic & Electric Guitar Ralph Humphrey - Drums J. Peter Robinson - Keyboards Alphonso Johnson - Bass
Shawn Phillips - Beyond Here Be Dragons - 1988 (2000)
Shawn has twenty albums to his credit and a host of associations with some of the most respected names in the industry including Donovan, Paul Buckmaster, J. Peter Robinson, Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Bernie Taupin, and many others, yet he is virtually forgotten except by his cadre of loyal fans, despite remaining active through today.
Re-issue of 'Beyond Here Be Dragons' originally released only for a short time in 1988 due to the demise of the original label, Chameleon. 9 tracks including 'Of Love', 'It Takes No Time' and 'Share The Wealth'. 2000 release. Standard jewel case
01. Of Love 02. Circles 03. Sands of Time 04. It Takes No Time 05. Share the Wealth 06. Wind of the Angels 07. Discoveries 08. Spaghetti Inquistion 09. Moments
Shawn Phillips - Acoustic Guitar, Guitar, Vocals Caleb Quaye - Acoustic & Electric Guitar Ralph Humphrey - Drums J. Peter Robinson - Keyboards Alphonso Johnson - Bass
Shawn Phillips - Beyond Here Be Dragons - 1988 (2000)
Shawn has twenty albums to his credit and a host of associations with some of the most respected names in the industry including Donovan, Paul Buckmaster, J. Peter Robinson, Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Bernie Taupin, and many others, yet he is virtually forgotten except by his cadre of loyal fans, despite remaining active through today.
Re-issue of 'Beyond Here Be Dragons' originally released only for a short time in 1988 due to the demise of the original label, Chameleon. 9 tracks including 'Of Love', 'It Takes No Time' and 'Share The Wealth'. 2000 release. Standard jewel case
01. Of Love 02. Circles 03. Sands of Time 04. It Takes No Time 05. Share the Wealth 06. Wind of the Angels 07. Discoveries 08. Spaghetti Inquistion 09. Moments
Shawn Phillips - Acoustic Guitar, Guitar, Vocals Caleb Quaye - Acoustic & Electric Guitar Ralph Humphrey - Drums J. Peter Robinson - Keyboards Alphonso Johnson - Bass
Shawn Phillips - Guitar, Vocal Mike Miller - Guitar Ralph Humphrey - Drums, Percussion J. Peter Robinson - Organ, Percussion, Piano, Synthesizer Leland Sklar - Bass
01. Moonshine 02. Lost and Lonely 03. Fondest Dreams 04. Moneydance 05. I Will Never Leave 06. Calico & Rainbows 07. The Man 08. Power of a Woman 09. Most of Us Don't Understand
10. Free Samples
11. Try To Find A Way 12. One Way Ticket 13. Sleep Pretty Baby 14. Peace Song 15. Par For the Course
Phillips is a rock pioneer. Keeping true to his roots in folk music, he experimented with classical, fantasy iconography, surreal verse, mysticism and voice. The results produced the multi-million selling album "Second Contribution." Four of his 18 albums charted on Billboard's top 100. Four singles charted on Billboard's top 40. Celebrating 40 years of recording and touring, Universal Music honored Phillips with a Lifetime Achievement Award in Johannesburg, South Africa on August 23, 2002.
Signifying the strength of his fan base, No Category, Phillips 18th studio album was a result of fans going to this website where they donated the money to cover the recording cost.
Shawn Phillips - Guitar, Vocal Mike Miller - Guitar Ralph Humphrey - Drums, Percussion J. Peter Robinson - Organ, Percussion, Piano, Synthesizer Leland Sklar - Bass
01. Moonshine 02. Lost and Lonely 03. Fondest Dreams 04. Moneydance 05. I Will Never Leave 06. Calico & Rainbows 07. The Man 08. Power of a Woman 09. Most of Us Don't Understand
10. Free Samples
11. Try To Find A Way 12. One Way Ticket 13. Sleep Pretty Baby 14. Peace Song 15. Par For the Course
Phillips is a rock pioneer. Keeping true to his roots in folk music, he experimented with classical, fantasy iconography, surreal verse, mysticism and voice. The results produced the multi-million selling album "Second Contribution." Four of his 18 albums charted on Billboard's top 100. Four singles charted on Billboard's top 40. Celebrating 40 years of recording and touring, Universal Music honored Phillips with a Lifetime Achievement Award in Johannesburg, South Africa on August 23, 2002.
Signifying the strength of his fan base, No Category, Phillips 18th studio album was a result of fans going to this website where they donated the money to cover the recording cost.
Shawn Phillips - Living Contribution - Both Sides - 2008
This double-CD, released in 2008 in conjunction with a DVD of the same name, presents the beloved British cult folkie in concert at Kirstenbosch Gardens in Capetown, South Africa. The tracks represent the full span of his career, from Isle of Wight flower child acoustic ramblings, through his bluesier 1970s work, through the more complex and poetic work of his later years. His guitar playing is as solid and nimble as ever, and his voice is in fine form, sliding jauntily from a light tenor up to a soulful falsetto.
CD 01 01. American Child
02. Radio 03. Steel Eyes 04. Ascent / "L" Ballade 05. Everything She Gives Me 06. Calico and Rainbows 07. Ballad of Casy Deiss 08. Moonshine 09. Woman/Keep On/Sleepwalker/Song for Mr C.
CD 02 01. Coming Down Soft and Easy 02. Landscape 03. Devil's Highway 04. Early Morning Hours 05. Serendipity Peace 06. It Takes No Time 07. One Way Ticket 08. Blunt and Frank 09. Fondest Dreams 10. Discoveries 11. Moments 12. We
Shawn Phillips - Living Contribution - Both Sides - 2008
This double-CD, released in 2008 in conjunction with a DVD of the same name, presents the beloved British cult folkie in concert at Kirstenbosch Gardens in Capetown, South Africa. The tracks represent the full span of his career, from Isle of Wight flower child acoustic ramblings, through his bluesier 1970s work, through the more complex and poetic work of his later years. His guitar playing is as solid and nimble as ever, and his voice is in fine form, sliding jauntily from a light tenor up to a soulful falsetto.
CD 01 01. American Child
02. Radio 03. Steel Eyes 04. Ascent / "L" Ballade 05. Everything She Gives Me 06. Calico and Rainbows 07. Ballad of Casy Deiss 08. Moonshine 09. Woman/Keep On/Sleepwalker/Song for Mr C.
CD 02 01. Coming Down Soft and Easy 02. Landscape 03. Devil's Highway 04. Early Morning Hours 05. Serendipity Peace 06. It Takes No Time 07. One Way Ticket 08. Blunt and Frank 09. Fondest Dreams 10. Discoveries 11. Moments 12. We
Shawn Phillips - Guitar, Vocal Mike Miller - Guitar Ralph Humphrey - Drums, Percussion J. Peter Robinson - Organ, Percussion, Piano, Synthesizer Leland Sklar - Bass
01. Moonshine 02. Lost and Lonely 03. Fondest Dreams 04. Moneydance 05. I Will Never Leave 06. Calico & Rainbows 07. The Man 08. Power of a Woman 09. Most of Us Don't Understand 10. Free Samples 11. Try To Find A Way 12. One Way Ticket 13. Sleep Pretty Baby 14. Peace Song 15. Par For the Course
Phillips is a rock pioneer. Keeping true to his roots in folk music, he experimented with classical, fantasy iconography, surreal verse, mysticism and voice. The results produced the multi-million selling album "Second Contribution." Four of his 18 albums charted on Billboard's top 100. Four singles charted on Billboard's top 40. Celebrating 40 years of recording and touring, Universal Music honored Phillips with a Lifetime Achievement Award in Johannesburg, South Africa on August 23, 2002.
Signifying the strength of his fan base, No Category, Phillips 18th studio album was a result of fans going to this website where they donated the money to cover the recording cost.
Shawn Phillips - Guitar, Vocal Mike Miller - Guitar Ralph Humphrey - Drums, Percussion J. Peter Robinson - Organ, Percussion, Piano, Synthesizer Leland Sklar - Bass
01. Moonshine 02. Lost and Lonely 03. Fondest Dreams 04. Moneydance 05. I Will Never Leave 06. Calico & Rainbows 07. The Man 08. Power of a Woman 09. Most of Us Don't Understand 10. Free Samples 11. Try To Find A Way 12. One Way Ticket 13. Sleep Pretty Baby 14. Peace Song 15. Par For the Course
Phillips is a rock pioneer. Keeping true to his roots in folk music, he experimented with classical, fantasy iconography, surreal verse, mysticism and voice. The results produced the multi-million selling album "Second Contribution." Four of his 18 albums charted on Billboard's top 100. Four singles charted on Billboard's top 40. Celebrating 40 years of recording and touring, Universal Music honored Phillips with a Lifetime Achievement Award in Johannesburg, South Africa on August 23, 2002.
Signifying the strength of his fan base, No Category, Phillips 18th studio album was a result of fans going to this website where they donated the money to cover the recording cost.
Shawn Phillips - Beyond Here Be Dragons - 1988 (2000)
Shawn has twenty albums to his credit and a host of associations with some of the most respected names in the industry including Donovan, Paul Buckmaster, J. Peter Robinson, Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Bernie Taupin, and many others, yet he is virtually forgotten except by his cadre of loyal fans, despite remaining active through today.
Re-issue of 'Beyond Here Be Dragons' originally released only for a short time in 1988 due to the demise of the original label, Chameleon. 9 tracks including 'Of Love', 'It Takes No Time' and 'Share The Wealth'. 2000 release. Standard jewel case
01. Of Love 02. Circles 03. Sands of Time 04. It Takes No Time 05. Share the Wealth 06. Wind of the Angels 07. Discoveries 08. Spaghetti Inquistion 09. Moments
Shawn Phillips - Acoustic Guitar, Guitar, Vocals Caleb Quaye - Acoustic & Electric Guitar Ralph Humphrey - Drums J. Peter Robinson - Keyboards Alphonso Johnson - Bass
Shawn Phillips - Beyond Here Be Dragons - 1988 (2000)
Shawn has twenty albums to his credit and a host of associations with some of the most respected names in the industry including Donovan, Paul Buckmaster, J. Peter Robinson, Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Bernie Taupin, and many others, yet he is virtually forgotten except by his cadre of loyal fans, despite remaining active through today.
Re-issue of 'Beyond Here Be Dragons' originally released only for a short time in 1988 due to the demise of the original label, Chameleon. 9 tracks including 'Of Love', 'It Takes No Time' and 'Share The Wealth'. 2000 release. Standard jewel case
01. Of Love 02. Circles 03. Sands of Time 04. It Takes No Time 05. Share the Wealth 06. Wind of the Angels 07. Discoveries 08. Spaghetti Inquistion 09. Moments
Shawn Phillips - Acoustic Guitar, Guitar, Vocals Caleb Quaye - Acoustic & Electric Guitar Ralph Humphrey - Drums J. Peter Robinson - Keyboards Alphonso Johnson - Bass
