SOLO PHIL
1978
Phil left the Dwight Twilley Band in 1978 after the release of their second album, 'TWILLEY DONT MIND'. Dwight continued to pursue his solo career and Phil went on to work with many different artists.
1978 found Phil doing background vocals for Tom Petty again on the song "Magnolia" on the second Heartbreakers album, 'YOU'RE GONNA GET IT'. (Phil sang the multi-layered harmony background vocals on Petty's songs 'Breakdown' and 'American Girl' in 1976 and Dwight and Phil sang background vocals on 'Strangered In The Night' from the same album.)
Phil played drums on the 1978 MOON MARTIN album 'SHOTS FROM A COLD NIGHTMARE' and also sang background vocals on the Beatles song "All I've Got To Do". This album had the song "Bad Case Of Lovin' You", written by Moon, which was a huge hit for Robert Palmer years later.
Still under the management of Denny Cordell, Phil went to England to begin sessions with guitarist CHRIS SPEDDING and members of Joe Cockers Grease Band... bassist Alan Spenner and guitarist Neil Hubbard, at London's Olympic Studios, Christmas 1978.
Three songs were recorded... the KINKS "Who'll Be The Next In Line", Tom Petty's "Baby's a Rock And Roller" and Twilley's "Lookin' for The Magic". ('Lookin' For The Magic'.They can be found on the cd, PHIL SEYMOUR Precious To Me on the Right Stuff label.)
Also in 1978, Phil started working with two fellow Tulsa boys, Ron Flynt and Steve Allen, who had a band named 20/20. They were one of the 'up and coming' bands on the L.A. music scene and were signed to Greg Shaw's BOMP label. They're were featured on two BOMP "various artists" collections and released two singles with Phil playing drums... "Giving It All" and "Under The Freeway".
By the time they signed with Epic Records they had found a full time drummer, Ron Gallo, who apparently had little or no studio experience at that time so they had Phil play drums on their debut album, 20/20. He drums on all songs except "Tell Me Why (Can't Understand You)" and he sings background vocals on "She's An Obsession".
and there were potential sessions with Phil Spector being discussed, Phil spent time at Spector's studio, but nothing ever came of it other than the letter...
(click here to read the letter from Spector to Denny Cordell)
1979
In 1979, Phil's harmonies made their way onto one song, "Darlin'", on Dwight Twilley's first solo album, TWILLEY.
Phil was trying to put together a band and get a record deal.
One of his first bands after Twilley had Bingo Sloan (bass) and Robbie Armstrong (drums), both from the original Twilley band, but it did'nt last long. I don't know the name of this band.
next was a band known as THE FEEL.
members were
Jeff Rollings - guitar, Michael Anderson - bass, Lee Kix - drums
Then came a band known as AIRTIGHT which had one of Phil's Tulsa buddies on drums, Scott Musick. They were hired to be Phil's backup band, did some recording and did live shows with him. They went on to be THE CALL.
It was after one of Phil's gigs with Airtight that record producer Richard Podolor saw him and came backstage to discuss working with him. Phil found himself in Podolor's studio recording the demo for his new song "Precious to Me".
I had also been told by Buzz Clic of the Rubber city Rebels that Denny Cordell would hire people to write songs for Phil. Peter Case, Pat Robinson, Buzz and the Rubber City Rebels were hired to do sessions with Phil. Two songs Phil recorded with Buzz were "Stand Back And Take A Good Look" and Phil's "Baby It's You".
Phil and Buzz remained friends and recorded an album in 1991.
