Simon, I know that you recently returned from Europe performing drum clinics and touring with Toto. Can you tell us about your next musical projects?
Basically, what I'm doing at the moment is getting back into production. I have a couple of projects that I'm working on right now, more from a producer's point of view. This is something that I haven't done for a long time. Now, I'm ready to go back into that part of music I really enjoy, which is engineering and producing. Also, on top of that, my straight-ahead jazz project called, Vantage Point, is being released in the U.S. on September
When is your next tour and with whom?
It will be a solo tour with Vantage Point sometime in the next few months. However, there is some interest to take my electric band to Japan and possibly Europe.
In addition to your main kit, you also use smaller kits for your various projects. How do you determine which kit to use in each situation?
For rock, pop, fusion or anything based around contemporary music, I use my regular set up. That's what I consider my instrument. However, with certain situations, like straight-ahead acoustic jazz, it's a whole different ball game. It requires a whole different outlook and preparation. That's when I change my drum kit. I use a pretty radically different kit; I use four tom toms, one kick, and one snare drum. I also use a single pedal. The rack toms I use are a 12-inch and a 13-inch. The floor toms are a 14X14 and a 16X16. The bass drums are very traditional sizes. I choose from either a 14X22 or a 14X18. It goes back to a traditional drum kit.
Your Gladiator signature snare is your main snare along with your Pageant signature as your side snare. Do you use any other Tama snare drums?
A lot
of the times, when I'm recording, I will use a different snare for
almost every track. One of my favorite snare drums is the Tama metal 5 1/2X10
(PF15510). That is one of the nicest sounding drums and it records amazingly
well. I also use 5X14 and 6.5X14 maple snares.
I'd been
using wooden shell snare drums since 1977. Around the time that we were
designing the Gladiator, I started using the PB355 bronze snare. I don't
know what happened. There I was, using a bronze snare with triple flanged
hoops that I hadn't used in years. That's when I decided to change
to the bronze for my main snare. If you are going to make a signature snare
drum, I feel that you should have one that can be used for everything. I
suddenly realized everything that I was doing. I was playing everything
from jazz to fusion to rock and roll to heavy metal. I used the same snare
drum and everyone loved it. That';s when I realized that the Gladiator
would make a great signature snare drum.
How do you approach recording your 11-pc Starclassic maple drum set? Do you already know what sound you are looking for or do you have to experiment to get the sound that you are looking for?
My drum set really sounds the way it does. It's sort of an inherit drum kit sound which is basically the way I sound on a drum kit. All I am trying to do is capture the natural sound of my kit. When people ask me to play on their albums, this is the sound that they want, the Simon Phillips signature sound.
You use a Tama drum rack. Why did you choose a rack over conventional hardware?
This goes back to 1989. I had been using conventional hardware all the way up until then. For me, one of the big problems that I had using conventional hardware was the amount of space it took up and the fact that it would never set up the same way twice. I first started putting a rack together when I was touring with the Who back in 1989. Once I started using this rack, every night was the same. It was amazing. I'd never done a tour where I could just sit down and play without worrying about the set up. It's even gone beyond my own expectations!
You tilt your hi-hat stand towards you. How does that benefit your playing?
To have the hi hat stand perfectly straight would mean that my first tom tom would have to be further away, which would be more of a stretch. That was the deciding factor for me tilting the hi hat stand. As a by-product of this, I found that because I use my left hand positioned lower, I find it easier to play.
What records have inspired you lately?
Macy Gray's album, Meshell N'Degeocello's first two albums, and the first Brecker Brothers album.
Would you like to add anything in closing?
I have so much confidence in Tama equipment. I must say, I think that the Starclassic drums are probably among the best innovations ever in drums. I think that Tama has done an incredible job!
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