"For me, emotional expression is the most important thing in art. Technique is incredibly important too, but for me, the driver is the emotional spark multiplied by technique that is developed through a lifetime of practice."

Philip Sayce: Rock n' Roll Spirit Rising

Reports of rock and roll’s demise have been greatly exaggerated, and Philip Sayce aims to keep it that way. On his album Spirit Rising (2020), Sayce boldly lets his freak flag fly, reaffirming his status as one of the best electric guitarists on the planet right now, but also demonstrating that he’s got a lot to say. Those ideas have been building for a while now, as Spirit Rising marks Sayce’s first studio effort since 2015’s Influence, an album that found he and famed producer Dave Cobb brilliantly refurbishing a wide range of obscure rock nuggets. With Influence bringing Sayce to the attention of many new listeners, Spirit Rising shows the full breadth of his talents, and how much they have evolved. Fans who want to hear Sayce’s blazing fretwork will certainly find a ton of it on Spirit Rising. That aspect of Sayce’s musical identity is, after all, how he built his reputation starting in his adopted hometown of Toronto, where the legendary Jeff Healey took him under his wing in the late 1990s.

(Philip Sayce / Photo by Matt Barnes)

After touring the world as a member of Healey’s band, Sayce relocated to Los Angeles where he landed a four-year gig with Melissa Etheridge before officially launching an independent solo career in 2009 with the album Peace Machine. Sayce’s subsequent albums firmly established a rabid fan base in Europe, where he toured with the likes of ZZ Top and Deep Purple. All of this eventually got the attention of Warner Music Canada in 2015, leading to the release of Influence. It’s often been said that it takes many years to become an overnight sensation, and in many respects that’s the trajectory Philip Sayce has been on. Listening to Spirit Rising, the experience he has accumulated thus far is undeniable. Yet, there is also an unmistakable drive to break new ground. With artists like Philip Sayce, the future of rock and roll is in safe hands.

Interview by Michael Limnios                            Special Thanks: Nebojša Petrović

How has the Blues and Rock Counterculture influenced your views of the world and the journeys you’ve taken?

Blues and rock music is really at the core of most of the journeys I’ve taken in my entire adult life. This music is the soundtrack of my life, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to share the music that is in my heart as a musician during my lifetime. It is taking me on some incredible adventures’ past, present, and hopefully future as well! Every day I’m doing the very best that I can to grow and learn, And I am extremely excited every day to wake up and make new music, and to listen to music by my heroes who electrify and empower my spirit every day.

What characterise your music philosophy and songbook? Where does your creative drive come from?

My creative drive comes from a commitment and constant goal to get deeper and more connected to my higher power, and all that lives inside my soul, and to everything that inspires me in the world and beyond. Whatever I did today, my intention is to be able to do that better tomorrow, and better the next day, and the next day. I am a student of music and I’m committed to growing and doing better, because I love music and I want to grow and learn each and every day.

"I think there is always an audience for music that is created from the soul, for the soul. Regardless of genre. I think, now more so than ever, the coolest and most powerful thing anyone can do is to be totally authentic in their expression." (Philip Sayce / Photo by Matt Barnes)

What moment changed your music life the most? What was the best advice anyone ever gave you?

There are a few moments that impacted me most deeply and changed my life with regards to music. The first was seeing Eric Clapton live. My parents took me to see him performing live in Toronto, Mark Knopfler was playing second guitar, it was a magical evening. Stevie Ray Vaughan has had an incredible impact on me musically and personally. There’s no other artist that has touched me deeply as him, every time I hear his music it feels like the first time again. Truly a beautiful spirit and the most powerful musician I’ve ever heard and without a doubt, one of the greatest musicians to ever live. Performing with Jeff Healey changed my life as well, he was one of my absolute favorite musicians ever and to have had the opportunity to be in his band and learn from him for four years, changed my life and shaped me as a musician and person in ways that I’m eternally grateful for. He was truly remarkable and sent from the heavens, one of the greatest ever.

Are there any memories from gigs, jams, open acts and studio sessions which you’d like to share with us?

I’m grateful to have experienced some really beautiful live shows, studio sessions, and musical moments. I cherish each and every one of them and I’m grateful for them all. One of the most exciting is performing at the Academy Awards with Melissa Etheridge. I had the opportunity to record a song with her and her band, and she ended up winning the Oscar that night! We performed on the live show and they told us it would be viewed by 1 billion people, it was a phenomenal night. I will never forget it. I also really cherish my first tour in Europe with Jeff Healey. The highlight was performing at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, which was later released commercially. It was a massive experience I am grateful for, and one that will live in my soul always.

What do you miss most nowadays from the music of the past? What are your hopes and fears for the future of?

I really think this all depends on how you look at things. For me, it’s about the choices that I make, and not necessarily following the crowd or following what’s popular at the moment. I know in my soul what is meaningful to me, so I try to remember that and stay focused on that. At the same time, I’m open to learning from things that are popular in the moment, as there’s always something new to learn. This being said, I hope technology does not replace true human inspiration, and drive, and hard work in learning an instrument or writing a song. I don’t believe that true heart and soul can be re-created through artificial intelligence. However, this is an incredibly powerful tool, and used in the right way can only enhance the overall creative experience, as long as we don’t forget about our own personal power and creativity. I think we have to be the driver and use this technology as a tool to build amazing creations, not the other way around.                                                  (Philip Sayce / Photo by Matt Barnes)

"To play what is in my heart. This is always the most important approach to my music. There’s always going to be somebody who will tell you to play whatever’s popular in the moment, but what I’ve come to learn, is that those people don’t really care about me or what’s important to me. I have to listen to my heart, and when I do that, it’s pretty much always the right way to go."

What's the balance in music between technique and soul? Why is it important to we preserve and spread the blues?

I think this is a really great question. It’s something that if you ask 10 people, you’ll get 10 different answers. For me, emotional expression is the most important thing in art. Technique is incredibly important too, but for me, the driver is the emotional spark multiplied by technique that is developed through a lifetime of practice. A lot of days, I choose not to go out to a party or go out with friends because I’d rather practice at home. I’m working on getting better all the time, and that doesn’t mean I’m antisocial, but I am working at my craft for all of my days and all of my life. I’m also working on myself as a human being and learning how to get deeper and more connected to source and to what’s happening for me emotionally inside my soul. My goal is to combine these two, and I’m always working on this, I am a work in progress. I think Blues music resonates the most for me when it is connected to something emotionally deep and wide. That’s what always reaches me and turns me on, it has always resonated with me and always will. In my lifetime I am doing the very best that I can to spread this message through this incredibly powerful music, and to remind people of the origins and lineage of this music, where it comes from, and to be respectful and honor it.

What are some of the most important lessons you have learned from your experience in the music paths?

To play what is in my heart. This is always the most important approach to my music. There’s always going to be somebody who will tell you to play whatever’s popular in the moment, but what I’ve come to learn, is that those people don’t really care about me or what’s important to me. I have to listen to my heart, and when I do that, it’s pretty much always the right way to go.

Do you think there is an audience for jazz music in its current state? or at least a potential for young people to become future audiences and fans?

I think there is always an audience for music that is created from the soul, for the soul. Regardless of genre. I think, now more so than ever, the coolest and most powerful thing anyone can do is to be totally authentic in their expression. Anyone can bow down to some corporation just to try to get some money, but that product can get stale really fast and it often designed to be disposable. When I dig deep inside myself and find what’s important, it heals me. It remains timeless. I recognize this in all of my favorite musicians and artists, and that’s what I’m striving for in my life’s journey as well. 

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(Philip Sayce / Photo by Matt Barnes)