Simon is far from your typical guitarist, with avast range of vocal melodies and using every limb in his body - his footpercussion that brings the beat, a tambourine and the sweet sounds from hisCole Clark. This virtuoso blends a distinctive and skilful sound that’s heavilysteeped in soul, gospel, finger style and blues & roots. Did we mention theharmonica and mouth trumpet? Simon redefinesthe meaning of a one-man-band with the artistry that The Freemantle Heraldcalled “Quite literally amazing…he shouldbe listened to obsessively”.

Hisevocative lyrics express a voice deep within which talksof a raw human emotion that we all implicitly know. “It’s all about the fragility of the human condition, there are so manybeautiful stories that need to be told… We need to document how people make change,and hopefully that will inspire change for the future”, Simon says. Hisfingers alone write their own story on his guitar strings, with a mastery andinventiveness that demands your attention.

“When you write something that you reallyfeel in your heart, something so real from your own personal existence that itbrings you to tears, you’re going to play it no matter what, isn’t that whatit’s all about?” A natural born storyteller, Simon expresses his philosophyand poetry through his music, a modern day tambourine man that chooses not toplay by society’s rules, and for good reason.

“Exhibiting the vocal acrobatics of Jeff Buckley and a song-writingstyle comparable to John Mayer” , SOULSHINE.COM.AU

That’sthe magic that makes all the difference, being able to tap into a place that isdeeply personal, vulnerable and true. It’s this combination of expertmusicianship and contemporary song writing that sets Simon apart in the presentgeneration of Australian Musicians. Many music festivals, thousands of gigs and four albums later, hismusical maturity and stirring songwriting continues to inspire.

“Phillips’ technical ability both as a singer and a guitarist, isperfectly matched by a remarkable breadth of intelligence as a songwriter andlyricist”, DRUM MEDIA Sydney.

Originatingfrom a small coastal town in Western Australia, Simon began playing the guitarat age 12, with the sand between his toes and a yearning for the wind, thiskite boarding singer /songwriter has come to call Melbourne home. In 2002 he moved to Sydney playing with aneo-Latin guitar duo called the Urban Gypsies. They played everywhere from thestreet to the Sydney Opera house, continually releasing recordings. They recorded the album ‘Sauvage’ in 2003, which wasreleased by MGM and promoted through SBS and the ABC. The album also received a3/4 star review in The Sydney Morning Herald. Simon left Sydney in 2003 armed with an album hewrote and produced on his own called 'Songs For Leaders', an album of songs/storiesabout great leaders in history. The first track on this album was 'MartinLuthur King', a song that won awards in the Pacific Songwriting Competition2004.

Shortly after he touredsolo around Australia and travelled to Aceh to help out with Tsunami relief.Returning to Melbourne in 2005, and having written songs inspired by histravels, he, with nothing but a drummer playing brushes, recorded 'TuesdayNight At The Espy', a live album capturing a performance at the iconic'Esplanade Hotel', which was released through MGM Distribution in September2006 to rave reviews.

Simon has supported LarryCarlton (session guitarist for Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson), Robben Ford(played with Miles Davis), Kate Miller-Heidke, Lee Ritnour (session guitaristfor Pink Floyd for a time), and Australia’s own Vince Jones.

Timeand again his musicianship has established him as a force to be reckoned with,earning him the respect from the likes of Tommy Emmanuel and Robben Ford, whosaid he “Plays his ass off…sings his assoff”.

Whetherit’s a concert hall, a corner bar or a Melbourne laneway; with an entire bandat his fingertips, Simon’s sweet sound stitches together in perfect harmony.

'Phenomenal! I can't recommend this enough. But I cantry. Five Stars', TWENTY600MAGAZINE Canberra.

Hecontinues to sculpt his originality, creating poetry that we hope will neverend. Oh, and I almost forgot to tell you what most people have to say about him– ‘Man, he is just such a nice guy’.