Phillip Phillips has always considered himself to be quite a mature person. Continue Reading →
Honest, Pure Phillip Phillips – Part 2 of our Exclusive Interview
Category: Interview
Site for Phillip Phillips | PhillPhill.com
New single, new album, married life and much more – Part 1 of our Exclusive Interview with Phillip Phillips
The first thing that you notice on meeting Phillip Phillips is his kindness. Continue Reading →
Phillip Phillips at Fresh Fall Fest
Last night, a few lucky fans had the chance to see Phillip Phillips and Dave Eggar perform an acoustic set as part of Fresh Fall Fest 2016.
The annual event, hosted by Fresh 102.7 New York, took place at the historic Beacon Theatre in New York, NY. OneRepublic and singer/songwriter Mike Posner were also part of the lineup.
Earlier, Phillip joined Christine Richie from Fresh 102.7 New York to talk about the show and answer some questions about his upcoming 3rd album. Among other things, Phillip confirmed that the album is done and that a new single should be released in the “next few weeks.” Take a look at the interview below!
Check out some more photos from last night below and of Phillip’s last visit to Fresh 102.7 at the link!
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Phillip Phillips Talks Invictus Games, New Album
Phillip Phillips called in today for a quick chat with radio host Mario Lopez on his show “On With Mario Lopez.” In the interview Phillip revealed a few details about his third album (he has been working on it for the last several months), his upcoming summer tour, and recent addition as one of the musical acts taking part in the 2016 Invictus Games.
The Invictus Games are an international sporting event for wounded, ill, and injured Service men and women – both active duty and veteran. Founded by HRH Prince Harry, the first Invictus Games were held in 2014 in London. The 2016 Games will take place May 8 – 12, 2016 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. Phillip will play on May 12 as part of the Closing Ceremony.
Listen to the interview below!
And click here to learn more and buy tickets for the Games.
Q-and-A with Phillip Phillips
Grand Canyon University student Ashley Romantic sat down with Phillip Phillips before his concert at GCU Arena Saturday night to talk about his music, faith, advice for college students and, of course, how to get your Lopes Up.
Q: Tell us about your album “Behind the Light.”
A: I think it’s got a little bit of everything to it. It’s got some funk, a little bit of soul, rock, a little jazz and pop. I think it’s good. It’s honest. I only have two albums out so it’s definitely my best work so far. I am starting to work on my third one right now and am really excited. It has some cool, kind of weird stuff happening, but I like it like that.
Q: I am sure everyone out there will think it’s really good.
A: Not everyone, there’s always somebody who thinks it’s not good, but that’s just people you know. As long as my mom and fiancé like it, that’s what counts.
Q: I understand it’s geared more toward a concert setting. Is this the most fun you’ve ever had on tour?
A: Yes. I was touring last year. This year I am writing a lot more, doing shows here and there kind of like this one, more like one-off shows. But every time I get to play the songs, especially when I was debuting and doing the tour, it was a lot of fun. It’s easy to get them live. As my band played on, we just changed up stuff, added some jam in and other musical parts. It’s always fun and it’s always evolving. I definitely wanted to represent that live setting, live show and that is what I am working toward on the third one. You always want to keep them different, and when making a song for the album you want to make a song and not just a jam. And when you play it live, that’s when you have fun and get crazy.
Q: Do you play university settings often? What are your impressions of GCU and GCU Arena?
A: It’s very beautiful. It’s definitely one of the cleaner arenas I have ever seen. This campus is great. My first headlining tour, all I did was college dates and it was a lot of fun. You build those fans with people similar to your age.
Q: You get the crazy college kids.A: Yeah, are they crazy here?
Q: Well, we go to Chapel so we are mellow, but we do get crazy.
A: We’ll go to church tonight, then!
Q: So what was your school experience like? Were you more the excited and anxious type or were you dreading it?
A: Ah no, I always hated school since I was kid. When I was going to college, too… What I was studying, it was something I didn’t want to do for the rest of my life, so that made it miserable. If you are going for something you enjoy, I am sure it is a lot more fun. It’s still hard work.
Q: What role does faith play in your life?
A: It plays a big part. I grew up in church. Ever since I was a kid, my mom played the piano and sang. My Poppa, my grandfather, he led worship when I was a kid. He has a deep voice, and now he sings a little quieter. My dad would sing sometimes, and both my sisters sang in church at a young age. I didn’t get into music until I was about 14. I was into my music, but I didn’t pick up the guitar until I was 14. I grew up on the hymns. I was writing this week with my band — a few of those guys play in church sometimes when they are home — and I started signing some hymns, and they were like, “Oh yeah, Phil, we didn’t know you knew that.” And I was like, “Oh yeah, I grew up learning all those.” All my friends went to a more contemporary churches, singing more David Crowder type of stuff. I love David Crowder, it’s an incredible band. I was singing “Old Rugged Cross” or “Victory in Jesus” type stuff. Faith plays a role every day. Anyone who grew up religious, even if you get away from it, it always comes back to you in some way or form. I try to keep living right every day. Sometimes you don’t do it right, but that is what learning and life is all about.
Q: The audience tonight is filled with young people chasing their dreams. What words of advice can you give them?
A: Don’t mess up (laughing).
Q: That’s good advice.
A: Aim to do something you love and enjoy – that’s really the biggest thing that counts. Money doesn’t buy happiness. It can buy you fun things sometimes, but in the end, if you’re not enjoying what you’re doing… I’ve met a lot of miserable people that don’t like doing what they are doing and that is not a fun place to be. Like I said, I was going to college for something I didn’t want to do and I was miserable. Do something you love. If it’s music, if it’s technology, if it’s being a teacher, whatever it is, do it to the best of your capability. That is how I was brought up.
Q: Now, “Lopes Up” is a thing we do here at GCU.
A: Is this like a hand signal thing? I saw a billboard about it. I didn’t know if it was a dog or what.
Q: It’s an antelope. If you do this (showing Lopes Up), you’ll connect with the audience right away. That’s my best piece of advice.
A: OK, I get nervous doing interviews — I am nervous right now — but I will try and remember it. My mind starts racing once I get up on stage. I’ll either do it right when I go out, or sometime during the show, when I’m like – “I need to do that.”
Q: I am sure you will see lots of people who will join in. If there are 7,000 people out there, and you do Lopes Up, you’ll get 14,000 hands up in the air. It’s what they teach you Day 1.
A: Sweet… If they are not into the show, I’ll do this (Lopes Up) after every song.
Source/Thanks: GCU Today
Exclusive Interview with Guitarist Errol Cooney
One of the best things about being a music fan is making discoveries, the way listening to one band leads you to discover another one, and admiring one musician leads you to love another one. So is the case with Phillip Phillips fans, who in the last couple of years have been lucky to be introduced to Errol Cooney, a guitarist and music scene veteran who has quickly become synonymous with Phillips’ wildly diverse sound. From rock, to soul, to jazz and funk, Cooney has done it all, having played small and big stages with artists such as Lalah Hathaway, Christina Aguilera and music giant Stevie Wonder.
As Phillips’ lead guitarist and acoustic guitar duo partner, Cooney brings an incredible range of influences that help him create soulful melodic landscapes around Phillips’ intricate playing and writing. Phillips and Cooney’s collaboration was captured last year in the iTunes Session (a beautiful and raw acoustic album) and more recently on Phillips’ second album, Behind The Light.
Errol Cooney took a few minutes out of his busy touring schedule recently to answer some questions exclusively for PhillPhillcom. Read on to learn about his wide-ranging musical influences, his collaboration with Phillips on Behind The Light, and the one word that may help explain his very cool and chill vibe.
PhillPhillcom: How old were you when you started playing?
Errol Cooney: 12.
PhillPhillcom: Did you always know you wanted to play the guitar? Were your parents supportive of your musical ambitions?
EC: I got interested when I was around 8 or 9 when I saw both of my older brothers, Michael and Brian playing and singing. My parents were very supportive. They are both very creative in their careers; my father is an actor and singer, my mother an actress, singer, pianist and writer.
PhillPhillcom: Who were you major influences or inspiration when you were starting out?
EC: At first classic rock; The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, James Taylor, Stevie Ray Vaughn, The Eagles and Jimi Hendrix. I’ve gotten into all sorts of things since-heavier stuff like Ministry and Sepultura, then Parliament-Funkadelic, Steely Dan, James Brown, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Wes Montgomery, Joe Pass, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk and a million others as I got older. This list could go on forever!
PhillPhillcom: You have performed with some big names in music, including the legendary Stevie Wonder. What was your first big, “I made it” show and was it what you expected it to be?
EC: I don’t think you ever necessarily “make it” but getting to do the Stevie Wonder gig has been pretty special to me. I’ve idolized him since I was very young. The first major tour I did was opening for R. Kelly with a singer named Sunshine Anderson. That was a lot of fun. I don’t believe you can ever stop growing as a musician and become complacent. If you do, it’s time to do something else.
PhillPhillcom: You have also recorded with many other musicians in the studio. Do you consider yourself to be more of a live guitar player or a studio musician? Do you prefer one more than the other?
EC: I’ve been lucky enough to do a lot of both and I love doing both. They are amazingly different, especially as recording technology has changed so much over the years. There’s nothing like the rush and energy of playing live with a group of musicians for people that are there sharing that energy with you. And there’s nothing like creating music in the studio with artists, producers and musicians that you hope will stand the test of time. You get to dig through it with a fine-toothed comb and be spontaneous at the same time.
PhillPhillcom: In the last couple of years you have become well known to Phillip Phillips fans as his guitar duo partner and lead guitar player on his band. How did you come to work with Phillip?
EC: I have worked with American Idol as a hired musician for many years. Particularly in the house band for the tour Phillip was on. We started doing radio shows together as a duo at the time and hit it off. We have a good time playing along with the rest of the group. He’s a special talent.
PhillPhillcom: How is it going from a very large band setting (such as when you perform with Stevie Wonder), to essentially a rock band setting as you have in Phillip’s band?
EC: It’s a lot of fun. I love the rawness of Phillip’s project.
PhillPhillcom: The iTunes Session, which you recorded with Phillip last year, is a fans’ favourite; it captures your collaboration with Phillip really well. How was it recording that?
EC: A lot of fun. Very spontaneous. We went in there for a very short amount of time and came out with something I think we are both proud of.
PhillPhillcom: You also got to play on Phillip’s new album Behind The Light. There are so many beautiful guitar moments on this album. Do you have any particular songs from Behind The Light that you loved working on?
EC: “Face” was really cool. I love the writing he did and it’s very minimal live arrangement. There were lots of others I enjoyed a lot- “Fly,” “Trigger,” “Raging Fire” to name a few.
PhillPhillcom: You are setting up to go on tour with Phillip very soon. What are some of your favourite cities or venues to play in?
EC: Vancouver tonight! Austin, Rio, Quebec City, Red Rocks in Colorado, Bay Area, Paris, Amsterdam, I love everywhere I go!!
PhillPhillcom: You have played hundreds of shows through your career, both with Phillip and many other musicians. Do you have any really memorable or favourite performance from past tours?
EC: River Plate stadium in Buenos Aires, Paris with Stevie Wonder, Glastonbury Festival, Bonnaroo, Red Rocks with Phillip, the White House, A Capitol Fourth.
PhillPhillcom: What band or musicians are you into right now that you can’t stop listening to on your iPod?
EC: Radiohead right now as I write this.
PhillPhillcom: The world is ending, you have to save three albums that, if you survive, you will have to live with for the rest of your life. Which ones do you take with you?
EC: Axis: Bold as Love-Jimi Hendrix, Songs in the Key of Life-Stevie Wonder, Abbey Road-The Beatles.
PhillPhillcom: Finally, Errol Cooney in one word:
EC: Sleepy.
