Townes Van Zandt, Blaze Foley, Willie Nelson, Guy Clark, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles, Stephen Doster, Will Sexton, Hank Williams, Woody Guthrie...
I started playing music at 19 and writing songs almost immediately afterward. Played in coffeehouses and bars and restaurants in Texas while finishing college. Sailed around the world at 21 and studied music in various parts of South America, Africa and Asia. After school I moved to New York where I got a job in the finance department of EMI Music Publishing. At night I would go out to open mikes and play 3-5 nights every week. Made a country record, Diggin in the Bottom of Mines, in Williamsburg with a great pick up band of Joe Humel a drummer I still work with; Rachel Birkin, an English fiddler; and a couple of guys I stole from a Hank cover band, a steel player and an upright bassist. Also Rebecca Hall sang on it.
After about a year I decided to leave New York, following James Thomas' example, and moved to Nashville where I played all open mikes I could and worked odd jobs to pay for my apartment. Went home to Austin for Christmas and played a solo gig at the Saxon Pub for the first time. Great crowd and got me thinking about moving back home. Went to Z-Tejas this same trip and saw Will Sexton, Stephen Doster and Bill Carter play their weekly Wednesday night gig for my first time. These guys would eventually become good friends and help me make records, as well as perform with me. James Thomas met me in Austin and we set out west for Los Angeles. We played music everywhere we went on this epic adventure which led us up to San Francisco, back to L.A., to Las Vegas, through Colorado, the Great Plains, and finally Chicago and back to Nashville. Back in Nashville, continued writing and playing in honky-tonks until May when I decided to move back to Austin. Before leaving Nashville, played bass on Harold Webb's album. Also wrote many songs during this period, inspired by traveling across the country.
Moved in to a big house in South Austin with 3 friends and a pit-bull named Dozer, played as much as possible, while working the door at the Saxon Pub. Made one record called Another Place to Disappear with Tom Johnson of Alta Vista, who I met at the Cactus Cafe. It was some live stuff at the Cactus, some studio stuff, some live stuff recorded at the Living Room in New York, and some stuff recorded on James Thomas' 4 track at my apartment in Nashville on the muddy banks of the Cumberland River. Made another record in 2003 produced by Stephen Doster called Paper Crosses with Will Sexton playing bass and JJ Johnson playing drums, and a lot of other great cats. In the wake of this record I was able to quit working at the Saxon Pub and play music full time, hitting the road all over Texas, playing honky-tonks and bars for three solid years. It received a good deal of airplay around Texas and was an overall success. After a year and a half of stubbornly refusing all other occupations, I began to dabble in lifeguarding, provided the City of Austin wouldn't ask me to work anywhere other than Barton Springs Pool, part time of course.
In Jan. 2005 helped my friend move to L.A. and was the only walker in town, logging 15 miles a day through the hills. Met my sister and brother-in-law, Pam and David Magee there who were going to the Golden Globe Awards where he was nominated for his screenplay for Finding Neverland. Did a play with the Vortex Theater - Sleeping Beauty - where I performed every night for 6 weeks as the Prince, singing songs I wrote for the play and serving as pit musician during the first act - before my big entrance. Very exciting. After the theater bug, in the spring of 2005, I went to New York to play at the Bitter End. Later in the year I went back to New York, hoping to write some film music or something. My brother-in-law, David, was kind enough to let me help him write the music for a couple of songs he was working on for a film he was writing, Miss Pettigrew, which is now being made. Played around NYC a lot, lived in a basement in Williamsburg that belonged to Michael Ginsberg of the Defibulators and John Hill, a producer, and took in a good deal of unexpected musical influence from both. Played at Bouche every Monday with Joe Humel and Charlie Faye and whoever else was around. Hung out with the Defibulators a good deal, playing here and there. Played at CB's Downstairs Lounge, the Rockwood Music Hall, the Bitter End and the Lakeside Lounge and many other places. Met Stayton Bonner and played with him for the first time during this stint.
After a good year, headed back to Texas after crazy long way journey through Florida and Mississippi. Came back to work at Barton Springs and picked up a bunch of gigs around. The Defibulators came down shortly after I returned and we played a lot around Austin, had a big time. Entered an online video contest at this time for famecast.com and fared pretty well. Also, seeing more and more people cover my songs, which is the highest form of flattery. The Defibulators have played my song "You're Gonna Get What's Coming to You" all over the country, and recently recorded it, which can be heard on their myspace page, myspace.com/thedefibulators and also on the new Sin City Sampler CD being handed out all over the country presently. Also, two albums recently produced by Stephen Doster currently are to feature my songs - one by Brent Allen, one by Jay Blair. This is cool. Recently played Antone’s for the first time, opening for Bill Carter and the Blame. A month or so ago, I went into Stephen Doster’s new studio and recorded a few new songs, which I hope to group with stuff I recorded in New York with some friends and eventually put out a new record. After a busy summer am enjoying a little time off this fall, and planning for the future. Headed back to Nashville at the end of Oct. to play a couple of gigs with Charlie Faye and attend the Americana Music Festival. It was the first time I'd been there in years, and it was great.
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hey philip gibbs it's a little last minute notice but rene and i will be playing a set over at momo's tonight at 7 p.m.... would love to see you out!!! i hope to catch one of your shows while i'm in austin!! xo
I thought you would like to know that I now own Townes Van Zandt's entire discography, I'll be happy to burn you which ever albums you don't have. Hope you're doin' well. Planning to pop up at one of your shows soon.
Phil, old man. I'm missin' the old days and old friends. Your song Sittin' in an Alley reminds me a bit of J.J. Cale. Awesome... You definitely have a signature sound, nurtured over the years.
I see you are playin' some bass now. I wonder what it would take to get our asses over to Austin this year. Mayby you, Joe, Jamie would consider a gig together. I know you could pull a few strings.
All the best, my friend. Continued success, and more.
Here's hoping that all is going great with you. Ruby and I have been getting ready to go to L.A. for our cd release show. I think your cd's fantastic. Great songwriting. Keep in touch when you can buddy. Take care.
Who would pay 4K an hour for that??? yeah, we were thinking the same thing! This week the bashers catch up on recent events and get as honest as possible. They also pay their respects to the late & great Arthur C. Clarke and figure out the differences between American English and the real thing.
What do really think about the primary elections? And what about those Grammys? Don’t worry, the iBashers feel the same way. Not to mention Heather Mills, Josh Grobin, Internet dating and people who cover The Beatles.
Hey bud - just surfing around early today and wanted to drop by to say hey. Really enjoyed sharing the stage with you at Momo's, my friend. That was very cool.
Hey Philip! Let me know if you'd ever like to come down to play my swanky little spot in San Antonio! I'd love to host you at Drink sometime. Hope all is well.
