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PHIL BRODIE BAND Reveiws Page

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ALIVE & KICKING

Fronted vocally by Phil Brodie and his guitar as good as any in the country and ably supported by Gerry Scanlan, excellent on bass guitar and held together by the superb drumming of Neil Wathey, this  really is a live band not to be missed.

The large crowd were really entertained by covers of Jimi Hendrix, Gary Moore, Peter Green, Stevie Ray Vaughn and other greats.

Although usually performing out of Sheffield, you are treated this Christmas & New Year make a diary note of their next four Sheffield live music venues 27 December at the White Lion Heeley and back at the Fluer de Lys Totley on 7 January, followed by a gig at the Bar 8 on Campo Lane on January 10 and then onto the Upperthorpe Sheffield  on Jan 11. These are venues not to be missed by true followers of rock and the blues.

Howard Copley The Mercury Newspaper

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( courtesy of Roy Wickenden ) .. If you are looking for a live band that can produce consistent live performances that are vitually indistinguishable from the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Peter Green or Gary Moore then you need look no further. In today's live music scene it is difficult to find a live band of this quality who still really enjoy performing. I can only make these comments because I saw the likes of Hendrix and Green many times in my youth and have also had a life long struggle trying & trying to attain the same quality of performance these players are capable of.  I have seen the Phil Brodie band many times, if a band is good I will always see them again. Why not treat yourself to the experience, I can assure you, you will not be disappointed. They are a live band not to be missed.

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courtesy of "Blues Matters!" by. .Steve Lally

The Phil Brodie Band @ The Boot and Shoe Ackworth
The Boot and Shoe at Ackworth is rapidly gaining a reputation for promoting bands of a high calibre. Landlord and music fan Les Thompson never fails to amaze me with the quality of the bands he promotes at this oasis between Wakefield and Doncaster. If it weren't for the likes of Les Thompson, live music in the North of England would die a very painful death. Promoters in Leeds and Sheffield could do worse than to take note of Les and his impressive style of promotions.

On this Wednesday night at the Boot and Shoe, The Phil Brodie Band was performing. Phil Brodie is an old campaigner on the music circuit, as are Bassist Gerry Scanlan and Drummer Neil Wathey. These musicians have an enviable reputation, and have had for many, many, years. They were members of the almost legendary Bitter Suite, a rock band of the late sixties, seventies and eighties. I used to rave about the band in my beer-soaked youth and have held them in high esteem for over 20 years! My hair is greying as I type!

As my wife and I entered the 'Blue Room" of the Boot and Shoe, the band had already started and were in the throes of "Little Wing". Their version was excellent and well played on Phil Brodie's white Stratocaster.

At the end of this fine instrumental, we found a seat right in front of the band's Peavey PA cabinets. Excellent! The band proceeded to play the John MayalI number, All Your Love, the blues standard from the Godfather of British Blues. Phil Brodie had elected to use a gold Gibson Les Paul in a distressed finish! The cosmetics of this lovely instrument were of little consequence as the tone through the Marshall head and quad cabs was something else! Beautiful. Then to make my wife's night1 Phil asked the audience if they had heard of Peter Green! (This was a tongue in cheek question!) The song was Need Your Love So Bad and was played with great feeling with well-phrased vocals.

To keep in the Les Paul fellowship, Gary Moore's Since I Met You (Baby) was included in the set. With a hard attack and pinched harmonics, the guitar playing was indistinguishable from Gary Moore himself. Phil played this great song perfectly. . His vocal work was also well phrased and totally unstrained. Then a Jimmy Rodgers via Gary Moore song was attempted with brilliant results. This was Walkin' (By MyseIf). Again Phil phrased the song to his own vocal style, which is always better than straining to sound like somebody else. The years of experience were showing through with smooth bends and perfect tumarounds, which help make this song so special. The rhythm section was fabulous with solid percussion and a very stylish bass technique. The brilliant outro took us to the interval and some respite for the eardrums!

Using the white Stratocaster once again the band opened the second set with Albert King's Born Under a Bad Sign. Depending on which pick-up selection, the Fender sounded both mellow and cutting edge when needed. This song is a favourite of mine both by Albert King and Cream. I have now heard a third version of equal power and enjoyment.

Moving on through the set, the next song was introduced as Green Shed but those in the know weren't fooled especially as the introductory triplets of Red House rang around the Boot and Shoe's Blue Room (named after the smoke haze I think!) This classic Jimi Hendrix Blues was perfectly executed with just the right amount of guitar reverb and more of Phil Brodie's well-metered vocals.

At this point the band were introduced to the crowd and were warmly, if politely, applauded.

Keeping in the Hendrix frame of mind, the band continued with Hey Joe. I've heard this song a thousand times but I still love it. Phil and the band played on as if the song was their own and a nice guitar solo was played during this version of the Billy Roberts penned classic.

A subtle start was unusual with another Jimi Hendrix song. This particular one was Foxy Lady and had a nice walking bass line and pleasingly noisy drums. The band are a very tight outfit as can be expected after many years of playing together. This could be experienced as they played a song made famous by Gary Moore and Albert Collins. This number being, Too Tired, with Phil Brodie back on his Gold Les Paul. The 12-bar rhythm from Gerry Scanlon and Neil Wathey on drums was a pleasure to hear and with the superb tone and pinched harmonics on Phil's highly desirable Gibson, the song was brilliant!

Gerry Scanlan started another Chicago style 12-bar on the song The Blues are Bad (and are here to stay). Gerry is a superb bass player with a very special technique. Working well with Neil on rock-solid drums, Gerry's bass turnarounds were superb. The sight of his left hand fingers dancing around the frets of his Fender bass was truly amazing. This allowed Phil Brodie to do a Walter Trout style extended instrumental break during this song, which also had audience participation singing the chorus of 'Hey Hey, the Blues is alright!" Brilliant stuff!

To end a very enjoyable set, the band played another Jimi Hendrix favourite, Purple Haze. Re-aquainted with his Fender once again, Phil took advantage of the moment to indulge in some Hendrix style theatricals as in playing the Strat behind his head and using wah-wah and tremelo whammy bar as he thought fit. This was the finale of a highly enjoyable evening at the Boot and Shoe. I went to the venue with no intention of writing a report but instead of simply chilling out with a few pints and the company of my dear wife, I felt duty bound to both BluesMatters and to The Phil Brodie Band to write a review of my evenings enjoyment! This band should be seen nationwide at the summer blues festivals -promoters please take note!

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THE WHITE SWAN BELPER and ...THE

PHIL BRODIE BAND
(courtesy of "It's Only Rock 'N' Roll", Derby/Notts Mag. issue 33)

Last time.to catch them before a month long break, holidays and stuff. We missed them at THE DOLPHIN, Beer Festival Derby, so we're over at The White Swan, Market Place, Belper. Now Chris & Linda have put Live Music back on the map in.Belper as far.as we're concerned and it's a friendly place, be warned, get there early as about half an hour before the band are due on.the place gets packed. .Former Bitter Suite, .... yer editor was about in those days.and regularly brushed shoulders with these guys and a few others, but we don't wanna go back that far. The first set was like they say, power blues with an outstanding version of, 'Need your love so bad' 'Little Wing' and a very slow version of 'Dont believe a word' . and telling us that . the faster. Lizzy version comes later. After more tracks it's the end of the first set and . 'The Swan' is packed . The .second .set . gets underway, 'Pretty Woman' you'd have to travel a long way to hear it played better than this, well it's the same old story . . . . just when you think it ain't ganna get better Phil and the boys played two Hendrix numbers that were the best I've heard in years, . 'Hey Joe' . & . 'Foxy Lady' then came the Lizzy medley, 'Rosalie'. 'The Boys are Back in Town' . & . 'Dont believe a Word' . . Purple Haze blow our heads. The one thing that puts the Phil Brodie Band in a different league to most other bands is the sound, no sound engineer, it's raw, crystal clear vocals and instruments which comes with experience of lots of gigs and miles down the road to who knows where. Now if this had been an episode of Juke Box Jury [Juke Bax what....?] then the ed, the accountant and roadie Dave would have voted them a big five all round. A quick word and cheers for bev, who was wanderin' around with her camera throughout the show taking pictures, not of the band but the audience, take a look at the the website www.philbrodieband.com and you'll see all the pics from different venues, an excellent website including the babe of the month page.

MICK MOONSHINE "It's Only Rock 'N' Roll",

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THE PHIL BRODIE BAND (courtesy of "The Mercury")

Wednesday night took me to The Woodseats Hotel where I had been invited by band manager Beverley Turner to review a live recording by the Phil Brodie Band. Comprising of Phil Brodie on lead guitar and vocals, Neil Wathey on drums and Gerry Scanlan on bass guitar, these three ex-members of Bitter Suite are as near to musical perfection as you will see and hear.

The pub was packed solid to witness a fantastic show, which included plenty of Hendrix and Gary Moore.

This superb band recorded on the night "Good Times Roll", Voodoo Chile", Hey Joe", "Purple Haze" being my personal favourite, "The Blues Is Alright" which had the whole pub joining in, plus other numbers too numerous to mention.
Needless to say Dancing Don was at this fabulous night of entertainment.

The Phil Brodie Band obviously take great pleasure and pride in what they do and are a credit to the music industry.
Details of the band, their future engagements, their CD can be seen on their website www.philbrodieband.com

Howard Copley of .The Mercury Newspaper.

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( courtesy of "The Entertainer", Doncaster)

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(Courtesy of "The Entertainer" Doncaster.. FEB 20th. 2003)

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THE PHIL BRODIE BAND ("courtesy of "The Mercury" )
Bassist Gerry Scanlan, Neil Wathey on drums, plus the amazing lead guitarist Philip Brodie. These 3 talented professional musicians have come together again forming this awesome "power trio" to play tribute to Gary Moore, Albert King, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Peter Green, Jimi Hendrix, John Mayall and other rock/swing/blues artists. All 3 are former members of the legendary "Bitter Suite" band, which from the late 60s through 80s was one of Sheffield's most successful & versatile bands, touring all Britain and all of Europe many times. They released an album and a few singles including "Goodbye America", made a publicity film "Goodbye America" for continental T.V. to promote the record. It was a huge hit in Europe from Portugal to Turkey reaching No.2 in some of the countries. They did masses of work for radio, being very regular guests on Radio Luxembourg, Radio 1, and always on someone's show or disco for Radio 1 Live when of course air space for music was very precious. Gerry Scanlan bass/vocals, a very respected musician in the business, was a founder member of Bitter Suite and stayed with them till the end, then joined the successful band TNT touring Europe and Britain after which he joined The Blues Brother's Band and toured all over Europe and many other parts of the world with them till late 2001. Neil Wathey on drums started with the Frank White Band before joining Bitter Suite very early 80s, then he also joined TNT & from the mid 90s has done session work with successful bands from heavy rock to soul, including The Drifters, Edwin Starr and Scorpian at the Berlin Olympic Stadium. Phil Brodie, lead guitar/vocals, Phil was winning talent comps at the age of 15 with his guitar playing and pioneered the heavier music of Cream and Hendrix in Sheffield, he formed the band Love Confusion that toured Britain. He joined Bitter Suite in 1974 and played with the band throughout its brilliant history. He has also toured and played with Def Leppard, Shirley Bassey, Dave Berry, Alan Bown to mention a few. Phil is noted as being one of the top guitarists of his style, "…his guitar playing was indistinguishable from Gary Moore himself" ….quote from BluesMatters Oct/Nov issue.
These 3 have put together one of the finest Power Blues/Rock Bands on the the live music scene today, a band with the rareness of all three musts, tightness, timing and projection. They are real must for all true rock/swing/blues fans.
Phil Booker

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THE PHIL BRODIE BAND (courtesy of "The Mercury")

I bumped into Phil Brodie in a restaurant in Holmesfield, and he very kindly gave me a copy of the band's compact disc, which was recently recorded at the Woodseats Hotel. . On playing this I have to say it is excellent. Not only is it musically and vocally superb, but also managed to capture the fantastic atmosphere at the Woodseats, including the now famous shout of 'Get on with it' from the genial landlord Mel. The disc which includes covers of Hendrix and Gary Moore is a must buy, unless like me you can obtain one for free, details can be obtained from band boss Beverley Turner on 01142 891279
Howard Copley of The Mercury Newspaper