Simon Phillips is regarded as one of the world's most renowned and respected drummers, Simon's style not only reflects his technical gift but also his distinct musical sensibility. Throughout the '70s and '80s, he worked with diverse bands and artists including Jeff Beck, Michael Schenker, Pete Townshend, Mike Oldfield, Judas Priest, Mike Rutherford, Tears For Fears, 10cc, and The Who. After Jeff Porcaro's death in 1992, he became part of the world-famous rock band, Toto.
Phillips is Artist Of The Month on Drum Channel. During a Masterclass Q&A session, he looked back on replacing Porcaro.
Phillips: "Toto called me because they didn't wants to have sombody come in and copy Jeff. They wanted somebody who had his own style, sound, and brought something different to the band because it's never going to be the same. No matter who you get. If you get someone who's basically just going to play the songs the way that Jeff played them all the time, it's gonna be a weaker version."
The clips below feature Phillips performing a Masterclass drum solo, and a hilarious recollection of Toto rehearsals.
Phillips was a member of Toto from 1992 – 2008, and then again from 2010 – 2014.
