PHIL VINCENT
Questions asked by Jon Wilde, added to Rock Realms 10th August 2009.
Phil Vincent is a multi-instrumentalist, writer and producer from America. His new release, Tragik - Outlaw, is an album with some seriously great music on it. Phil has more releases on the way and boasts a sizeable back catalogue to boot.
We caught up with him to see how life as an annoyingly talented musician is progressing...
Hi Phil, thanks for taking a moment to answer these questions. Hope you are well?
Phil: You are very welcome Jon. I'm just getting over a sinus infection so I've been better!! :-)
How did you originally get into music? Do you come from a musical family?
Phil: When I heard the Beatles. That was the moment I wanted to be a musician.
Who were your personal influences and inspirations - mostly the Beatles?
Phil: The Beatles, plus Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Whitesnake, Queen, Foreigner, Boston, Deep Purple and The Eagles. Oh, and I'm a huge Gwar fan.
What made you become a multi-instrumentalist? Are you a control freak, a perfectionist or did you just end up being able to play everything?
Phil: I think a control freak and perfectionist are the same thing!! LOL!!! And yes, I am both!! :-)
How would you describe the sound of the new Tragik album, and how does it compare to the first one?
Phil: With every release there should be growth or there would be no sense releasing more than one album. I hope people hear solid, honest hard rock with all the influences I had mentioned earlier, showing up intricately in the songs. "Poetic justice" was a great CD because it was so diverse. "Outlaw" tends to stay true to hard rock form with only the occasional diversion.
Are you pleased with the feedback so far?
Phil: Yes we are. We were hoping for it to catch on a little faster but it seems to be gathering steam slowly but surely.
What was with the Wild West cover and album title? It doesn't seem to bear much relation to the album's sound.
Phil: That's the diversity. We wanted the cover to look nothing like what how the music sounded. You can't judge a book by it's cover Jon!! LOL!!!
Are any of the songs getting airplay? There are a couple of tracks on the album vying for honours in best song of the year competitions...
Phil: Yes. The CD is being played all over the world on various web and over the air stations. We hope it translates into more sales so we can do another Tragik CD.
You create numerous projects - some with band names, some as solo work. What's the story behind that? Are you trying to separate different styles of music?
Phil: Well, if I'm the vocalist in all these projects then it's inevitable the sounds would be similar but the songwriting is different in Tragik. Dirk & Damian are into a lot more diverse music than I am so hopefully it shows in the songs.
Speaking of Damian D'Ercole and Dirk Phillips, how did they get involved on the Tragik album?
Phil: We're all friends that live within a few blocks of each other and I asked then if they were interested in recording some music and the rest is history. We do work very well together.
Which song/songs are you most proud of - both on the new album and from the back catalogue of all projects?
Phil: Each song holds a memory with me. Some good, some bad but they all have a place in my history. I'm very proud of any metal songs that I do because I really love metal and wish I had the pipes of Rob Halford or Bruce Dickinson. So when I finish a heavy tune that sounds just the way I envisioned it then I'm happy. "All Because of You", "I Want You Now" off "Passion & Pain" really excites me when I listen to them.
Is there anyone else you'd really like to work with on a future project?
Phil: Paul McCartney. I think we could write a masterpiece. He could sing and play guitar, piano and bass and I could play the drums, keys and some guitar and maybe add some backing vocals... but the songs would be killer!!!! I really believe that. I am constantly hounding my publisher to contact him and set it up but he probably doesn't even know I exist. If he only knew it was because of him that I got into this in the first place.
I understand you have another album on the way soon. Can you tell us about that?
Phil: "Controlled Insanity" will be released this winter. As every artist says about their new release "I think this is the best one yet"!!! LOL It has a very cool heavy sound to it. I used all new equipment and the metal tunes really smoke!!! I was very pissed off during most of the writing process and it shows in the music. Anger is good Jon. Don't let anyone tell you different. I write so easily when I'm pissed off!!! :-)
What's next on the agenda after the new album?
Phil: Hopefully a new Tragik CD. We're going over the artwork for it as we speak and unfortunately there won't be any naked women on the cover!! :-(
Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years, both musically and personally?
Phil: I NEVER look that far ahead Jon. Life is too unpredictable to do that. I've seen people plan out their whole lives only to be told they have 6 months to live. I've seen people live so cautiously, avoiding anything that might be considered dangerous only to have their life ended by a drunk driver!!! I know people who never had a cigarette in their life get lung cancer. So planning ahead is not what I spend my time thinking about. Here and now....that's my motto!! :-)
What are your top 5 favourite albums of all time?
Phil:
Boston by Boston
Foreigner by Foreigner
A Night at the Opera by Queen
Abbey
Road by The Beatles
Hell Bent for Leather by Judas Priest
Do you have a good rock ring tone on your cellphone?
Phil: ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!! My ring tone is a man screaming. It's hilarious and as far as I know, i'm the only one that has it so I ALWAYS know it's MY phone ringing!! HA HA HA HA HA
Do you get to play your music live very often? Presumably it would take some organising as you don't have a band as such?
Phil: I've done a few acoustic, radio station live gigs but no full band concert.....yet!!!!! I have a drummer, a guitar player and a bass player that are very anxious to play live so it's very possible we might work something out.
What's the best band you've ever seen live?
Phil: I just saw the WHITESNAKE/JUDAS PRIEST concert a few weeks ago and that was unbelievable!!! But KISS was always a great show. Styx was phenomenal last year and back in the day, Boston. I've seen them 8 times in my life and they were really special.
What are you up to once you've finished answering these questions?
Phil: I must work out Jon. I try to lift weights 5 days a week and because of my sinus infection I've been wiped out from the medication but your questions have given me a boost of energy!!! LOL!! Then I will shower and go listen to some new music. I just bought the new DYNAZTY CD and from what I've heard it sounds great. I really like the fact that young bands are appearing on the scene who know how to play their instruments. There's guitar solos everywhere you listen today. Disturbed, Mudvayne, Slipknot....they're all shredding now. That's a great thing Jon!!!!
Anything else you would like to mention?
Phil: Thank you Jon for all your help in exposing my music :)
Check out the review of Phil's 'Tragik' project here for further details...
http://www.myspace.com/philvincentrox
http://www.myspace.com/tragikrox
