Glen Phillips (singer)

{{for-multi|the British speedway rider|Glen Phillips (speedway rider)|the guitarist and founder member of the Hampton Grease Band|Glenn Phillips (guitarist)}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| image = Glen Phillips.jpg

| name = Glen Phillips

| caption = Phillips at the Lowell Summer Music Series, August 2011

| background = solo_singer

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1970|12|29|mf=y}}

|birth_place = Santa Barbara, California, U.S.

| death_date =

| instrument = Vocals, guitar, mandolin, keyboards

| genre = Alternative rock, rock, folk rock

| years_active = 1985–present

| label = Columbia

| website = {{URL|https://www.glenphillips.com/}}

}}

Glen Phillips (born December 29, 1970) is an American songwriter, lyricist, singer and guitarist. He is the lead singer and songwriter of the alternative rock group Toad the Wet Sprocket and also records and performs as a solo artist.

Biography

=Early life=

Phillips was born to a Reform Jewish family in Santa Barbara, California. His father was a college professor who taught physics. Although his family was Jewish, with Glen having a Bar Mitzvah, his family was secular and his father took him to meditation classes.{{Cite news | url=https://www.stereogum.com/2008163/toad-the-wet-sprocket-interview-glen-phillips/interviews/tracking-down/ | title=Toad The Wet Sprocket Frontman Glen Phillips Is Cool With His Band Not Being Cool | first=MICHAEL | last=TEDDER | work=Stereogum | date=August 7, 2018}}

Phillips attended San Marcos High School, where he was a part of choir and theatre.{{Cite news | url=https://www.theaquarian.com/2023/09/22/interview-with-glen-phillips-of-toad-the-wet-sprocket/ | title=Interview with Glen Phillips of Toad the Wet Sprocket | author=Doktor John | work=The Aquarian Weekly | date=September 22, 2023}} He originally envisioned becoming a teacher. He began to make music at 14 years old. Phillips took the California High School Proficiency Exam so he could graduate early.{{cite web | url=https://abcnews.go.com/amp/Entertainment/story?id=106511&page=1 | title=Now Hear This: Glen Phillips | first=Gary | last=Graff | work=ABC News | date=January 6, 2006}}

=Career=

Phillips formed Toad the Wet Sprocket in 1986, at the age of 15, with friends from his high school.{{cite news | url=https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2023/jul/06/toad-the-wet-sprockets-glen-phillips-is-getting-al/ | title=Toad the Wet Sprocket's Glen Phillips is getting all that he wants | first=Ed | last=Condran | work=The Spokesman-Review | date=July 6, 2023}}{{Cite news | url=https://www.goldminemag.com/articles/music-history-comes-full-circle-glen-phillips-toad-wet-sprocket | title=Music history comes full circle for Glen Phillips and Toad The Wet Sprocket | work=Goldmine | date=November 5, 2014}}

In 1991, at age 20, Phillips wrote the song "All I Want".{{cite news | url=https://syvnews.com/entertainment/music/santa-barbara-to-nashville-to-santa-ynez-glen-phillips-makes-music-happen/article_a6115a6b-9b4a-5d34-8b55-fef9d39b9554.html | title=Santa Barbara to Nashville to Santa Ynez, Glen Phillips makes music happen | first=Mary Ann | last=Norbom | work=Santa Ynez Valley News | date=February 2, 2016}}

The band recorded five albums but broke up in 1998, after escalating tensions, shortly after Phillips' father died of colon cancer.{{Cite news | url=https://www.pottsmerc.com/2008/05/08/glen-phillips-of-toad-the-wet-sprocket-ermeges/ | title=GLEN PHILLIPS OF TOAD THE WET SPROCKET ERMEGES | first=ROB | last=NAGY | work=San Jose Mercury News | date=May 8, 2008}}{{Cite news | url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-oct-14-ca-32210-story.html | title=One-Part Harmony | first=JOHN | last=ROOS | work=Los Angeles Times | date=October 14, 1998 | url-access=limited}}

During his time in Toad the Wet Sprocket, Phillips was involved in a pop rock project called Flapping, Flapping, which released the album Montgomery Street in 1996.{{cite web | url=https://flappingflapping.bandcamp.com/album/montgomery-street | title=Montgomery Street | work=Bandcamp}}

In 2001, three years after the breakup of Toad, Phillips released his first solo album, Abulum.{{cite news | url=https://www.popmatters.com/phillipsglen-winter-2496038243.html | title=GLEN PHILLIPS: WINTER PAYS FOR SUMMER | first=Michael | last=Metivier | work=PopMatters | date=May 25, 2005}} This was followed up by a self-released live album and solo touring, along with a reunion tour with his former Toad bandmates.

In 2004, Phillips released a collaboration with Nickel Creek, under the name Mutual Admiration Society. The self-titled album had been recorded in 2000 and featured songs written by both Phillips alone and as collaborative efforts, and was released on Sugar Hill Records.

In 2005, Phillips returned to a major label via Universal Music Group's imprint Lost Highway Records and released the critically acclaimed Winter Pays For Summer. The album included the radio single "Duck and Cover," but Phillips and the label parted ways due to creative differences. A compilation of six outtakes from the album were published as an EP titled Unlucky 7, the first track ("The Hole") of which was featured in the second episode of the AMC television series Breaking Bad.

Phillips released his third proper solo album, Mr. Lemons in the spring of 2006.{{cite news | url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/glen-phillips-mr-lemons/ | title=Review: Glen Phillips, Mr. Lemons | first=Jonathan | last=Keefe | work=Slant Magazine | date=May 22, 2006}}

In 2007, Phillips reunited with Sara Watkins and Sean Watkins of Nickel Creek as well as Grant-Lee Phillips and Luke Bulla to perform as part of The Various & Sundry Tour.{{Cite news | url=https://www.independent.com/2007/05/31/various-and-sundry-tour/ | title=The Various and Sundry Tour | first=Brett Leigh | last=Dicks | work=Santa Barbara Independent | date=May 31, 2007}}

In January 2008, Phillips released an EP Secrets of the New Explorers, with music influenced by Talk Talk and Peter Gabriel.{{cite magazine | url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/heartbreakers-imposters-nickel-creekers-make-the-scrolls-1046781/ | title=Heartbreakers, Imposters, Nickel Creekers Make The Scrolls | first=Gary | last=Graff | magazine=Billboard | date=January 18, 2008}}

In January 2008, Phillips formed the supergroup Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) featuring Phillips, Sean Watkins (guitar), his sister Sara Watkins (fiddle), Benmont Tench (piano), Luke Bulla (fiddle), Greg Leisz (various), Pete Thomas (drums), and Davey Faragher (bass). The group released an album in 2009.{{Cite news | url=https://laist.com/news/entertainment/glen-phillips-wpa | title=Interview: Glen Phillips of Works Progress Administration (WPA) | first=Michele | last=Reverte | work=KPCC (FM) | date=October 1, 2009}}

In 2008, under the moniker Plover, Phillips recorded an album with Neilson Hubbard and Garrison Starr.{{Cite news | url=https://www.independent.com/2008/05/01/celestial-fantasy-brings-glen-phillips-full-circle/ | title=Celestial Fantasy Brings Glen Phillips Full Circle | first=Brett Leigh | last=Dicks | work=Santa Barbara Independent | date=May 1, 2008}}{{Cite news | url=https://www.vcreporter.com/news/guided-by-the-light/article_71f8ca97-5b4b-5144-b04b-d577e5c90d8b.html | title=Guided by the light | work=Southland Publishing | date=November 11, 2008}}

In 2009, Phillips recorded a cover version of The Beatles' song "I'll Follow the Sun" for the soundtrack of the film Imagine That.{{cite web | url=https://www.discogs.com/release/14768771-Various-Imagine-That-The-Album | title=Various – Imagine That: The Album | work=Discogs| date=2009 }}

In April 2018, Phillips signed with Compass Records Group.{{cite news | url=https://musicrow.com/2018/04/glen-phillips-signs-with-compass-records-group/ | title=Glen Phillips Signs With Compass Records Group | first=Jessica | last=Nicholson | work=MusicRow | date=April 4, 2018}} His 2016 album, Swallowed By the New, was re-released on May 4, 2018, with a new bonus track "Nobody's Gonna Get Hurt".

Personal life

Phillips and his ex-wife, Laurel, whom he was married to from 1989 to 2014, have three daughters, Sophia, Freya, and Zola.{{cite news | url=https://www.independent.com/2018/11/12/s-b-questionnaire-laurel-phillips/ | title=The S.B. Questionnaire: Laurel Phillips | work=Santa Barbara Independent | date=November 12, 2018}}

On October 8, 2008, Phillips injured his arm while at a friend's house, where he was sitting on a glass coffee table that collapsed when he moved back. Phillips had surgery to repair a damaged ulnar nerve and muscle in his left arm. His ability to play guitar was hampered during his recovery, but he toured despite the injury.{{cite news | url=https://www.nbcdfw.com/local/toads-glen-phillips-plays-intimate-evening-in-dallas/2113392/ | title=Toad's Glen Phillips Plays 'Intimate Evening' in Dallas | first=Frank | last=Heinz | work=KXAS-TV | date=November 20, 2008}}

Phillips has suffered from depression.{{Cite news | url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2012/10/24/dealing-with-the-sadness-machine/ | title=Dealing with the sadness machine | work=The Mercury News | date=October 24, 2012}}

Phillips is known for performing barefoot.{{cite news |url=https://www.psaudio.com/blogs/copper/glen-phillips-of-toad-the-wet-sprocket-there-is-so-much-here | title=Glen Phillips of Toad the Wet Sprocket: There Is So Much Here | work=PS Audio | date=November 18, 2022}}

Discography

=Studio albums=

Abulum (Unami Records, 2001)
Winter Pays for Summer (Lost Highway Records, 2004)
Unlucky 7 (2006, independent)
Mr. Lemons (Unami Music, 2005)
Secrets of the New Explorers (2008, independent)
Tornillo (2010, independent) – recorded in 2002 with producer David Garza but scrapped in favor of making "Winter Pays For Summer" with John Fields.
Coyote Sessions (2012, independent) – compilation of previously unreleased songs, recorded live in studio with one central microphone
Options – B-sides & Demos (2014, Umami Music) – primarily outtakes from the 2003–2004 "Winter Pays For Summer"
Swallowed by the New (Compass Records, 2015)
There Is So Much Here (Compass Records, 2022)

=Other releases=

Live at Largo (Unami, 2002)
Connect Sets (2005) – recorded live in studio to support Winter Pays for Summer
Live at the Belly Up (2016, Belly Up Live)