Another great guitarist leaves this world.
Phil was founder member of Delivery, joined Robert Wyatt to form Matching Mole (the follow on band to Soft Machine), Hatfield & The North and National Health before forming his own band 'In Cahoots' and myriad other progressive Jazz outfits along the way.
"Phil Miller would rather play a wrong note than a note that somebody else had ever played" - Robert Wyatt.
"Journalists have always tended to describe Phil's playing in terms of
restraint, lack of ego, tastefulness, etc. This hardly does it justice.
His ambition is actually to hypnotise the audience into a state of utter
submission by means of a system of complex, secretive and often
terrifying facial grimaces that he has perfected". - Dave Stewart
A hero of mine, and many others. A fundamental entity of the Canterbury Scene.
We'll miss you Phil
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_nzfHPZgd4&index=2&list=PL94gOvpr5yt3qX6FpfPNeMNFy3wds8lxH
Feelin' Reelin' & Squeelin'
Comments
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIYKy35TV4U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyPNZiFJyS0
Love Hatfield and the North. I even learnt how to play the guitar lead of "Aigrette".
What on Earth are you doing, God?
Is this some sort of joke you're playing?
Is it cause we didn't pray?
Well I can't see the point of the word without the action
Are you just hot air, breathing over us and over all?
Is it fun watching us all?
Where's your son? We want him again!
And next time you send your boy down here
Don't hunt me down, for Heaven's sake!Give him a wife and a sexy daughter
Someone we can understand
Who's got some ideas we can use, really relate to
We've all read your rules, tried them
Learnt them in school, then tried them
They're impossible rules, and you've made us look fools
Well done, God, but now please...
You know that I'm only joking, aren't I?
Pardon me I'm very drunk!
But I know what I'm trying to say, and it's nearly night time
And we're still alone, waiting for something unknown, still waiting
So throw down a stone, or something!
Give us a sign, for Christ's sake!
This a great vid of Phil doing his thing.
What's always struck me about Phil's playing is his relative lack of vibrato compared to your average rock guitarist - the notes are very 'naked' and pure.