Eddie Phillips is a British guitarist who rose to some prominence during the 1960s.He is best known for his work with The Creation. He was one of the figureheads of the new wave of British guitar heroes, and was even asked by Pete Townshend to join The Who as a second guitarist. Eddie was the first guitarist to use a violin bow with a guitar, which later inspired Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin to do the same.
Apart from being a guitarist, Eddie was also an accomplished songwriter and singer. He helped pen many of The Creation's most well known songs, such as Painter Man and Making Time. Successful covers of his songs include "Painter Man" by Boney M and "Teacher Teacher" by Rockpile. "Making Time" was featured on the Rushmore movie soundtrack.
Eddie is still writing, recording and playing live with the reformed Creation (which for a time included original member Bob Garner).
The Creation are an English psychedelic rock band formed in 1966 by Kenny Pickett (born Kenneth George Pickett September 3rd 1947 in Ware, Hertfordshire - died January 10th 1997) on vocals, Eddie Phillips on lead guitar, Mick Thompson on rhythm guitar, Jack Jones (born November 8th, 1944 in Northampton) on drums and Bob Garner on bass. (The first four mentioned had been in Mark Four, accompanied by John Dalton who had left to join The Kinks. Bob Garner had previously been in the Tony Sheridan Band.)
Their style was originally loud pop-art, similar to The Kinks and The Who, but developed into a more typically mid-60s psychedelic/prog sound.
At the end of 1966, Bob Garner left and was replaced by Kim Gardner, and in March 1968, Pickett left and was replaced by Ron Wood (both of these new members had been in The Birds), but Pickett soon returned, replacing both Phillips and Gardner. Shortly afterwards, however, Creation disbanded; Pickett continued as songwriter for their American producer, Shel Talmy, and also became American road manager for Led Zeppelin; Ron Wood joined The Faces; Gardner co-formed Ashton, Gardner & Dyke and was later a member of Badger; Jones became a cabaret singer. Pickett and Phillips later wrote the hit single "Teacher Teacher" for Rockpile.
Creation re-formed in the mid 1980s with Phillips, Pickett, Dalton, and Mick Avory (drums, ex-Kinks). The reformed band continued to tour, with various lineup changes.
The famous independent record label Creation Records was named after them. The founder of Creation Records, Alan McGee, also had a band named Biff Bang Pow!.
Discography
June 1966- Making Time / Try and Stop Me Now
October 1966- Painter Man / Biff Bang Pow
June 1967- If I Stay Too Long / Nightmares
October 1967- Life is Just Beginning / Through My Eyes
February 1968- How does it Feel to Feel / Tom Tom
May 1968- Midway Down / The Girls are Naked
April 1987- A Spirit called Love / Making Time / Mumbo Jumbo (12" EP)
July 1994- Creation / Shock Horror / Power Surge (CD single)
Compilations, etc
September 1973- Creation 66-67 (12" LP)
October 1973- Making Time / Painter Man (7" single)
September 1982- How does it Feel to Feel (12" LP)
February 1984- Recreation (12" LP)
February 1984- We Are Paintermen (12" LP)
May 1984- Making Time / Uncle Bert (7" single)
1985- Live at the Beat Scene Club (7" EP)
2001 - Psychadelic Rose
The songs have been covered by acts as diverse as Ride, Boney M and the Sex Pistols; they impressed Pete Townshend so much that he asked their guitarist to join the already successful Who; said guitarist pioneered the use of the violin bow on guitar strings - a trick promptly lifted and made famous by Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page; they inspired the name of Creation Records, the most influential record label of the '90s; they have been cited as an influence by Paul Weller, Alan McGee, Ride, Pete Townshend, John Lydon and others.
Yet The Creation never had a bona fide hit single in either Britain or the US. They had a recording career that spanned merely mid-1966 to early 1968 and never - in their original incarnation - released an album on either side of the Atlantic. The Creation are pop's quintessential example of Never Mind The Career Width, Feel The Musical Quality. Their compositions 'Makin' Time' , 'Painter Man', 'Biff Bang Pow', 'Nightmares', 'Can I Join Your Band', 'Life Is Just Beginning', 'Through My Eyes', 'How Does It Feel To Feel' and others helped define psychedelia and pop art and are cherished by several different generations of music fans.
The Creation were undoubtedly one of the most under appreciated bands to emerge from the UK during the 1960's, but their legend has grown with time.
PRESS & MEDIA:
Eddie Phillips Interview
Mark Four
Making Time Website
Book Link
Creation Records Website
Yahoo shopping - The Creation
Ready Steady Go - The Creation
Marmalade Skies Website - The Creation
Now the band are working on new material. The current project is being constructed in studios in Brighton, North London and Eddies suite at home, should be ready towards the end of the year.
Cheers
The Creation