Simon Phillips

[boomstick]

Just picked up this lovely snare drum off craigslist, Simon's signature model that he calls The Monarch.



Simon demos this and his other signature snares in this video:

He used one of these on tour with Toto. Here's a good example of its live sound, especially at around 5:00, the drums start going into isolation and the snare is really cracking.

 

[Bozozoid]

Simon has exxxxqusite taste in snaredrums. It appears you do as well.

 

[boomstick]

Simon has exxxxqusite taste in snaredrums. It appears you do as well.

Thanks! I actually didn't know about his sig snares until I saw this one for sale, but I did know that Simon always gets a great sound out of his drums, so I figured his main snare must be a good one.

 

[iCe]

Something i just remembered, and i hope my memory serves me well, but i remember that Simon at one point had 2 octobans mounted like bass drums.
So he had his bass drums and next to each bass drum was an octoban that he could play with a pedal.
I can't seem to find any pics nor did i save them (must be early 2000's), or am i completely bonkers and did some other drummer come up with this?

 

[spelman]

You are right, here's a pic (look closely):

 

[Al Strange]

 

[GretschedHive]

In which Simon the great runs through perhaps his most famous drum performance...and reveals not only the secret origin of how the recording which wasn't supposed to be came to be, not only where the most famous fill was ripped off from, but also that even one as monstrous as he can lose the ability to play righthanded if it's not utilized for long enough.

 

[JimmyM]

In which Simon the great runs through perhaps his most famous drum performance...and reveals not only the secret origin of how the recording which wasn't supposed to be came to be, not only where the most famous fill was ripped off from, but also that even one as monstrous as he can lose the ability to play righthanded if it's not utilized for long enough.

That’s just insane levels of insanity. Never would have thought it was so intricate just listening and not seeing him play it.

 

[Tiges]

That 30 anniversary signature is the best sounding by far in my ears lovely tones and plenty of OMFH.

 

[cbphoto]

In which Simon the great runs through perhaps his most famous drum performance...and reveals not only the secret origin of how the recording which wasn't supposed to be came to be, not only where the most famous fill was ripped off from, but also that even one as monstrous as he can lose the ability to play righthanded if it's not utilized for long enough.

I’d love to see him break down any of his performances with Hiromi Uehara. This concert blew me away.

 

[s1212z]

I’d love to see him break down any of his performances with Hiromi Uehara. This concert blew me away.

I was lucky enough to see them on the Spark tour right before Anthony had health problem. The trio was in top form, have give Hiromi credit on the vision of developing the chemistry rather than some 1-off album, you just get better improv if everyone is having fun. I imagine across the world, a 13 or so year old Hiromi watches this video and finds her rhythm section, haha.

 

[cbphoto]

I was lucky enough to see them on the Spark tour right before Anthony had health problem. The trio was in top form, have give Hiromi credit on the vision of developing the chemistry rather than some 1-off album, you just get better improv if everyone is having fun. I imagine across the world, a 13 or so year old Hiromi watches this video and finds her rhythm section, haha.

In an interview with Hiromi (somewhere online), she exclaimed how much she loved playing with Anthony and how his playing gave her so much joy.

 

[GretschedHive]

That’s just insane levels of insanity. Never would have thought it was so intricate just listening and not seeing him play it.

I stole the part he plays during the chorus—playing the hats with the left, while alternating the ride cymbal and snare with the right—for a song my old band did, which always got a good reaction from other musicians. And watching this video I just discovered that I was doing it wrong. (My way was easier and less cool.) Surprise, surprise.

 

[Rhythm666]

Gonna see a clinic of Simon tonight here in the Netherlands

 

[Drummy74]

The song you posted is actually from the Toto album Tambu released in 1995. This is taken from a live recording from 1997.

Open handed is a special playing where you're playing the hihat with the left hand instead of the right and the snare with the right instead of the left. When you do that, you usually play the ride at the left side too.

http://www.simon-phillips.com/equipment/images/drumkitgreen3.jpg
This is Simon Phillips' kit and as you can see, the hihat is VERY low and the ride is at the left. It was Simon that inspired me to play the same way.

I recently watched a video of SP and he was explaining why he had to learn to play, as he put it, "left handed." He didn't like having to put one ride tom way up out of line with his other ride toms so he he could fit his high hat in. He said he actually took a hack saw and cut down the high hat stand so it would fit in but was now much lower so he could not play high hat with his right hand because he would hit his left hand as he crossed over.
He said he struggled with learning to play "left handed" and would sometimes switch back to right handed in the middle of a song. He said there might actually be recordings of him doing this, but he wasn't sure what songs or what albums.

 

[Drummy74]

Starting at around 4:20:

 

[jaymandude]

I don’t very much like what he plays on but the guy is a seriously great player. Total mf

 

[classikdrummr]

I told some of you I would post one of his songs from his 1988 CD Protocol. The name of this song is Protocol. I love Simon Phillips he was one of the first to really get me into double bass drumming. Ever since I heard him do double bass on Give Blood by Pete Townsend I was hooked.

ENJOY!

http://newenglandsoftball.bizland.com/simon_phillips.htm

One of my Idols. He is so Creative , versatile and innovative. Check out his Work with Judas Priest and his Dancing Men on the Buddy Tribute. Mind blowing. He more than held his own on that Album with the Likes of Neil, Omar Hakim, Steve Smith , etc,

 

[Huw Owens]

One of my all time favourites - I’ve seen him many times over the years. I particularly remember a Zildjian Day in London where he topped the bill, appearing with Greg Bissonette, Trilovk Gurtu (another favourite), and Dennis Chambers. Simon was in a league of his own, even in that company.

The only time I didn’t enjoy his playing… no that’s wrong… the only time I felt he wasn’t a good fit, was when I saw him with The Who. Simon just didn’t have that sense of “the wheels might come off any second”, he was always in control.

Love his music with Protocol!

 

[cbphoto]

If you have a few hours…
(Four parts for a single drum solo)