The Province (www.theprovince.com) Jan 16, 2012
Shane Philip:
one-dad band
Musician Shane Philip.
A+
BY MIKE
DEVLIN, POSTMEDIA NEWS JANUARY 16, 2012
Shane Philip was born in Toronto, grew up in Ottawa, and went to university
in Thunder Bay, Ont. But if you ask him where he feels most at home, and where
he imagines he'll stay for the rest of his life, he'll say, without hesitation,
the West Coast.
"When I go to play in Toronto, where I'm from, they tag me as a West Coast
guy," Philip said with a laugh.
The rootsy singer-songwriter moved with his girlfriend and their 2
1/2-year-old son from Quadra Island, B.C., to Courtenay (50 kilometres south, on
the east coast of Vancouver Island), a switch that has paid off handsomely for
Philip. Artistically, he's never been at a loss for inspiration. But mentally,
the move to the Comox Valley has left him more refreshed than ever.
"I wanted to find a place where the mountains met the sea. That was my dream.
I was always attracted to mountains, and always wanted to be by the ocean. There
was always this pull to come out west. Once I got out here, I couldn't go back.
That was the end of it."
Philip's journey to this point has been adventurous, to say the least. He has
lived in Banff, 100 Mile House, Smithers, Gold River, Campbell River, Nanaimo
and Ladysmith, among other locales. He taught high-school social studies for
seven years, and raced competitively at the provincial level as a cross-country
skier.
Music -- now his full-time profession -- was kept on the periphery when he
was growing up. "It was always there, but I never really did it full-time," he
said. "My primary focus was athletics, growing up, and I always put music
secondary, or even tertiary."
The self-professed "big fan of outdoor pursuits" has also been a
whitewater-kayaking guide, and still counts himself an avid jogger. But over the
past few years, his outdoor activity schedule has slowed somewhat, as he grows
more accustomed to the freedom associated with being an artist, and balances his
burgeoning musical career with parental duties.
Philip had a solid year in 2011, which kept him on the road almost
constantly. He took four months off to end the year, in hopes of getting
recharged and refocused. Philip said he can already feel the difference. Soon
enough, however, he will be back in action. He launches a three-week tour on
Jan. 19 in Vancouver, opening for Bob Marley's backing band, the Wailers.
The amazing part of Philip's success? Not only is he a one-man band outfitted
with didgeridoo, aslatua shakers, djembe drums and Weissenborn-style guitar, he
is entirely self-taught. He learned guitar in Grade 6 and picked up the drums in
high school, but his formative years as musician were limited by his relative
isolation. "To find another drummer and another guitar player is a really big
chore when you're in farm country. The other drummer might be an hour away. When
you're 16, that doesn't work so well."
A natural athlete, Philip'ss focus was almost entirely on sports after high
school. He studied outdoor recreation and kinesiology in university, taking
courses that appealed to him. Upon graduation, however, he knew the life wasn't
right for him.
Philips worked various jobs during those uncertain years, the bulk of which
allowed him to follow his career as a cross-country skier. As such, he moved
often. He raced at the provincial level for the better part of 10 years and
enjoyed the lifestyle, but eventually, he grew tired of competing.
"It didn't take long to realize there was a definite end to that as a
career," he said. "My philosophy in life was developing at that time. I
realized, being 30 seconds faster than the next guy on that particular day, and
then having him be 30 seconds faster than me the next week, didn't mean
anything. I needed more."
He eventually took up teaching, and spent seven years at various schools in
B.C. It paid the bills, but Philip was still unsure. He was playing music on the
side, often for his students. But creatively, he felt stifled.
He soon realized teaching wasnÕt for the long-term. "If I'm going to spend my
entire life focused on something, it has to be something I'm really passionate
about."
Free from the daily grind, he dove into music full-time and recorded his
debut album, 2005's OM Cooking. "It was a real snap decision," Philip said. "I
made it overnight. It was the first career decision I made that wasn't
influenced by how much money I would make. I did it trusting that money would
follow, that I would be able to make a living doing it. I've never really been
interested in trying to get rich; I just want to make a living."
His music made some immediate waves in B.C., especially in areas well suited
to Philip's surf-friendly vibe. It didn't take him long to realize his decision
was the right one.
"Nobody knew who I was. But I just had to try. I had the sense that what I
was doing was fairly unique. I did fine, right off the bat, and it has been
growing ever since."
He released his second recording, Earthshake, in 2006, followed by his third
effort, In the Moment, in 2008. As luck would have it, Philip wasn't the only
one-man band with a didgeridoo setup on the circuit at that point, which caused
some confusion. Australian performer Xavier Rudd, who, oddly enough, spent time
in Courtenay during the late 1990s and who bears a striking resemblance to
Philip, was out of the gate first -- to Philip's complete surprise.
"I heard about him after I was doing my stuff," he said with a laugh. "I
thought I was completely unique, something that nobody in the world was doing. I
guess it's hard to be unique in this world."
Philip need not worry. Barring vast changes to his setup, he will always be
known as the guy with the vast artistic arsenal. "I do have a lot of junk with
me," he said of his cache of instruments, which grows regularly. "I'm the
equivalent of a five-piece band, in . . . the gear that I have. There's a lot
going on."
That said, if he could change anything about his career, it would be how
people regard him as a performer. "I don't like to call myself a one-man band,
because people think of the old guy with the cymbals between his knees and the
monkey. I'm just a songwriter who happens to express myself with a bunch of
different instruments at the same time."
Shane Philip - Live at Baker Studios (independent)
Shane Philip’s
new album, Live at Baker Studios, showcases the noted one-man band’s aptitude
for performance in high-pressure situations. With numerous musical instruments
at hands reach, including didgeridoo, drums, guitars and a Weissenborn, Philip’s
exuberant excellence beats out even the most zealous of multi-taskers. A
mythological deity in the eyes of single-instrument musicians, Phillips keeps
his cool and busts out Jack Johnson-ish riffs before building up to a climactic
cacophony question period—where you are left scratching your head and wondering
just who is playing all those instruments.
—Darshan Stevens
Shane Philip knows how to rock, and
his live performance at this year's Folk On the Rocks proved to be one of the
highlights of the festival. This is an artist who truly goes the extra mile for
his audience. - Lynn Feasey, Executive and
Artistic Director, Folk On The Rocks,
"Shane Philip and his
one man band is a wonder to behold! He had the crowd in the palm of his hand
from the first earthshaking didgeridoo sound... he wowed and grooved the
audience from start to finish! Wow...wow...wow...he is wow...."
Shara Gustafson - Artistic Director -
With influences drawn from every
corner of the music world, Shane Philip has become a one-man show instilling
audience members with awe and moving them to dance.
Christopher Zweerman, The Ontarion,
Guelph, ON
The
multi-instrumentalist's third album, In the Moment, is a shifty creature,
trolling the width and breadth of the ever-expanding folk music genre for
inspiration
Kathleen Bell, The Gateway,
Calgary AB
If there's a finite amount
of musical acumen floating around the universe, then people like
multi-instrumentalist Shane Philip are really blowing it for the rest of us.
Scott Harris, Vue Weekly,
Shane Philip is on his way to becoming a well known
Canadian musician who happens to make didgeridoos blend into what should become
pop music.
Fraser Wareham, The
Feb 1 2008
The Telegram (St John's NF)
Shane Philip
“In The Moment”
Like some aural stereogram, you have to ignore this CD to uncover it¹s
hidden beauty. Focus too intently, and the real picture is lost in its
parts; the changing rhythms, the sparkling guitar, the didgeridoo.
Yes, didgeridoo. But it works. Trust me.
CD REVIEW: Shane Philip - The Moment
By
Bhasker Gupta - 02/17/2008 - 01:37 AM EST
Artist:
Shane Philip
Album: In The Moment
Website:
http://shanephilip.com
Genre: Alternative Folk/Pop
Sounds Like: Ben Harper
Technical Grade: 9/10
Production/Musicianship Grade: 8.5/10
Commercial Value: 8.5/10
Overall Talent Level: 9/10
Songwriting Skills: 8/10
Performance Skill: 8/10
CD Review:
Shane Philip
is a multi-talented artist, evident from the fact that he plays acoustic guitar,
kick drums, didgeridoo, djembe and above all sings his compositions together
with delicate precision and mellowness. Despite didgeridoo being his first love
in instruments, he explores musical textures of other instruments with fierce
loyalty. Swinging between folk, country, reggae and at times surf music, Shane
delivers this well-fashioned third album in a quick succession to
OM Cooking(2005)
and
Earthshake(2006).
The album starts with thunderous Didgeridoo sound along with guitar picking.
Shane has been able to seamlessly provide various roots sounds all over the
album. Songs like
Good
Morning,
Seeing You
&
Work &
Play have folksy acoustic sound and
Same Road,
Strange Noises &
Smile
are close to surf-rock. What’s most interesting is the fact that
Shane has put in the Didgeridoo & Djembe sound in mostly all the songs without
compromising the mellowness of this product.
The ballad songs
Where the
truth lies,
Step Left
&
In the
Moment calls for the laid-back mid-night listening – melodious and
approachable. Shane’s voice resembles the adult-alternative singer songwriters
like Ben Harper, Iron & Wine exemplified in songs
The
Situations,
Deaf
&
Clearcut
Issue. There are other highpoints in this album like spoken words in
Push
on Through and instrumental songs like
Mocha
&
Serenity.
The album closes with the two minutes performance of Shane’s favorite instrument
- Didgeridoo.
Lisa Spizzirri
provides vocals in
where the
truth lies. Mocha &
the
situation are live off the floor solo performances.
Track Listing:
Genre:
Adult Alternative , Folk Rock
Website:
www.shanephilip.com
Running Time:
60:00 mins
In the Moment
Independent
Scott Harris / scott@vueweekly.com
If there’s a finite amount of musical
acumen floating around the universe, then people like multi-instrumentalist
Shane Philip are really blowing it for the rest of us. Driven by the haunting
sounds of the didgeridoo, Philip invites inevitable comparisons to Xavier Rudd
as he makes his way through spells on guitar, slide, lap slide, djembe,
electronic kick and aslatua to back up his vocals. Folk dominates, but Philip
does depart the genre on occasion, as in the reggae track “Same Road.”
While the talents of the BC native are undeniable—and his live show is likely something to behold—many of the songs on this, his third album, come across as a little too ... shanti. Not that it’s bad, but songs like “Good Morning” and “Smile” are either your thing or they aren’t. The infectious instrumental “Mocha” is the album’s highlight, showing off, along with the album’s final track, “Serenity,” Philip’s multi-instrumental prowess.
Date: 2008-02-06
By Paul Rellinger
In The Moment • Shane Philip
You want different? Welcome to different courtesy of this B.C. multi-intrumentalist
whose music arsenal includes the Australian-Aborigine didgeridoo. The haunting
sound of that instrument compliments his very capable vocal work nicely. "I
heard it and was blown away by it," notes Philip of his introduction to the
instrument. That pretty much sums up my reaction on hearing his third CD
release.
4 1/2 CDs out of 5
Lloyd Mack
Managing Editor
Kenora Daily Miner and News
From Feb. 7
One man folk act performs evolutionary leap
In the crisp heart of February, it’s easy to forget the beach fire jams of
summer. To rekindle that longing for summer nights and a sensual
relationship with folk music, In The Moment is the missing link.
On his hot off the press release, one man band Shane Philip packages up the
West Coast outdoor party and delivers it like correspondence to both those
who miss it and those who were never there.
He plays seven instruments and sings in a relaxed medley that carries a live
Saturday night into a lazy Sunday. Whether you¹re moving to the music or
observing from a hammock in the distance, the style puts its listener at
warm peace.
Having shared the stage with hidden gems like Ember Swift, Herbalizer,
Wassabi Collective and other sinful oversights of the mainstream Canadian
musical palate, Shane Philip is the next best act you¹ve never heard of.
There are times that his folky, dreamlike sound is reminiscent of the
Grateful Dead, and times when it sounds like Ben Harper¹s or Jack Johnson¹s
older, earthier jams.
He goes out of his way to incorporate elements of reggae, blues, funk, and
ska, blended up and laid out cleanly. His use of particularly the didgeridoo
breaks all the rules of smooth folk. The album is a huge leap for him as an
artist beyond the traditional folk rock into an organic, dancing vibe and it
teeters on the verge of clearing an evolutionary gap in the entire genre.
- Jon Thompson
Artist: Shane Philip
Album: In the Moment
4 out of five
Fringe - ArtsSpins
Shane Philip
In the Moment
independent (2008)
Shane Philip was likely one of the “cool” teachers when he taught a high school
social studies class in 2005. Turns out, he was too cool for school and now he’s
taken his didgeridoo and his drum set on the road, putting his academic career
on hold indefinitely. His new album, In the Moment is easy listening, often
reinforced with positive outpourings of emotion and everything is very much in
the moment. Some songs fit more easily into classic conventions, like reggae or
blues, while others soften the lines a bit. There’s enough variety that
listening to it doesn’t lull the listener to sleep, although I can imagine it
would be a rich, deep sleep with Philip’s rhythms as a pillow. I’ll bet good
money that Shane Philip is a better songwriter than he is a social studies
teacher.
4 out of 5 bong tokes
—Christopher Olson
ALBUM GROOVE WITH FRASER WAREHAM
The Moose Jaw Times Herald
Shane Philip In The Moment
Who is this Shane Philip and what is he doing carrying that didgeridoo? He is on
his way to becoming a well known Canadian musician who happens to make
didgeridoos blend into what should become pop music. His third album “In The
Moment” starts off with a groove, song one “ Strange Noises”, that is very
upbeat and I must say a little Dave Matthews esque. A great introduction to this
Belleville Intelligencer – Belleville ONT CANADA
Shane Phillip: now for something completely different
Posted: January 26 2008
(Independent, 2008)
The sound of the didgeridoo is unmistakable. Its tribal origins in the
identifiable. Shane Philip combines that special sound with such diverse
sounds as acoustic guitar, congas, Weissenborn lap slide guitar, Kona lap
slide guitar, cello, harmonica and various percussion instruments. This rich
sonic palette is dynamic and compelling for listeners, and provides a thick
backdrop for the vocals.
The music combines influences from reggae, ska, funk, folk, blues, and rock.
Hailing from
studies teacher until his music hobby became his primary focus. He has
performed with 54-40, Spirit of the West, Barney Bentall and
”In the Moment” opens with the growling didgeridoo laying the groundwork for
Strange Noises. Other highlights include the delicate Where The Truth Lies,
the foot-stomping Good Morning, the hint of Motown in Same Road, the bluesy
Deaf and the tribal Mocha.
If you're tired of the same old music, Philip clearly delivers something
different.
What's new in CDs
01/30/08
In the Moment
Shane Philip
(Independent)
For something completely different, but completely compelling at the same time,
music fans ought to give Shane Philip’s In the Moment a serious listen.
He cleverly melds touches of reggae, ska, folk, funk, blues and rock in his
tapestry of music, and also injects the sonic wonders of the hauntingly melodic
didgeridoo throughout. For those unfamilar with the fascinating instrument, it
originated with indigenous Australians hailing from the norther regions of that
continent.
Based on the west coast, Philips’ approach to crafting terrific tunes is
abundantly refreshing – from the beautifully rhythmic disc opener Strange
Noises to the bright, pleasant nature of Good Morning.
Same Road
courses along with a light, engaging reggae sensibility. His vocals – rich,
smooth and expressive — match his musical style perfectly as well.
It’s not often artists today are daring enough to truly follow their raw
creative impulses to the core, but Philips obviously has. In the Moment
reflects a stark individuality that is remarkable and constantly entertaining.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
-Mark Weber