Phil Seymour
| Phil Seymour | |
|---|---|
Phil Seymour in 1982
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Philip Warren Seymour |
| Born | May 15, 1952 |
| Origin | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
| Died | August 17, 1993 (aged 41) |
| Genres |
Rock Power pop New wave |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, drummer, guitarist, bassist, producer |
| Instruments | Drums, bass guitar, guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1974–1993 |
| Labels |
Shelter Records Boardwalk Records EMI |
| Associated acts |
Dwight Twilley 20/20 Textones Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers |
Phil Seymour (May 15, 1952 - August 17, 1993) was an American drummer, singer, guitarist and songwriter, best known for the singles "I'm On Fire" (with The Dwight Twilley Band) and "Precious to Me". His solo work is revered among fans of power pop.
In 1967, Seymour met fellow Tulsa musician Dwight Twilley at a theater where they had both gone to see a screening of A Hard Day's Night. They soon began writing and recording together, going by the name Oister. In 1974, Seymour and Twilley signed with Shelter Records and formed The Dwight Twilley Band.
"I'll never forget the cold November night at the Church Studios in Tulsa. Phil and I had just signed our first recording contract. We had been instructed by the record company to get acquainted with working in a 'real' 16-track studio and not to record a 'real' record. In the confusion of a pivotal moment, it was Phil who pulled me into a secluded hallway and said, 'Dwight, let's make a hit record right now.' That night we recorded 'I'm On Fire.'"
"I'm On Fire", with little promotion, reached #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending August 2, 1975. The Dwight Twilley Band recorded two albums together, with Phil and Dwight singing lead and harmony vocals, Phil playing drums and bass, Dwight playing guitar and vocals, and their friend Bill Pitcock IV contributing lead guitar. However, a string of unlucky breaks played a significant role in limiting their success. In 1978, Seymour left the band to pursue a solo career.
In the downtime between recording deals, he worked as a session musician as well as played drums for 20/20 on their self-titled first album as well as drums on Moon Martin's Shots from a Cold Nightmare album). Seymour sang backing vocals on two of Tom Petty's songs, "Breakdown" and "American Girl". During 1978, Seymour also traveled to England to work on a solo recording with Denny Cordell producing - five songs were recorded with Chris Spedding on guitar. Two of the songs were released on the compilation Precious To Me and all five of the 2016 cd "The London And Los Angeles Unreleased Sessions.
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