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Phil bought his first guitar way back in 1967 at the grand old age of just fourteen. Playing only the chord of D major for the first six weeks or so, he bought Bert Weedon's "Play In A Day" along with "500 Chord Shapes" before teaming up with school mate Rob Gittins, who was also new to the guitar. Phil and Rob were later joined by Alan and Graham Rowley and "Victoria" , a successful Rock & Pop band touring the clubs and Odeons of the North East UK, was born.
Victoria played consistently until, regreting it to this day, Phil left in the autumn of 1974 to take up employment as a postman. Victoria folded soon after and the band members each went their own ways. Rob was last heard of as Bob Roberts and working for a major UK holiday company, Graham moved to the South East UK and is still playing and in contact with Phil (see friends) and Alan, sadly, is no longer with us.
During the nineteen seventies and into the eighties, Phil appeared in various musical guises; sometimes with his former Victoria band members, until settling down in 1984 to raise a family with his wife and soulmate, Janet. Together they have two sons, Daniel and Padraic, who are both grown and doing well.
So.... where are we now? Well, Phil has taken up the guitar and begun performing again. This time, however, he has moved away from his manic rock and roll roots and now performs contemporary folk influenced by the likes of Christy Moore, Richard Thompson, Neil Young, The Saw Doctors etc. Running alongside Phil's solo act he has also teamed up to form a band - Trà - with guitraist, Gary Grainger and drummer, David Pratt. The band (Irish for 'three') perform contemporary folk, rock and blues. Their tag line is "Music For Whatever The Gig Requires". See www.myspace.com/trimusic.
Phil makes regular Tuesday night visits to Croxdale Folk Club about four miles south of Durham city (www.myspace.com/croxdalefolk). His second album, Strange Kind Of Way, although merely a personal project with some imperfections, has been featured on Radio Newcastle's Breakfast Show as well as Tyne Tees Television and BBC TV's Look North. He is also the resident guest on Terry Ferdinand's Folk Show which is aired at 9pm every Monday on www.bishopfm.com
Aside from his music, Phil manages FILMAR Photography (www.filmar.co.uk).
Graham History: Although Phil's paternal ties hail from Northern Ireland through his father's upbringing in Ballynure and Ballyclare, he is acutely conscious of the Scottish heritage within his family ancestry. Indeed, arising from the Norman conquest in 1066, Graham's who had sailed from Normandy with William The Conqueror followed him northwards to eventually settle in Scotland. The clan Graham have an illustrious, if controversial, history and Phil is a member of the Clan Graham Association of Scotland (www.clan-graham-association.org.uk).
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