Anthony Phillips is an English multi-instrumentalist and composer with a career dating back to the late 1960s. As a solo artist, he’s recorded more than thirty albums.

Phillips entered the scene as a member of Genesis, which he co-founded in 1967 with fellow pupils at Charterhouse boarding school. He serves as their primary guitarist on the 1969–70 albums From Genesis to Revelation and Trespass.

In partnership with Genesis bassist–guitarist Mike Rutherford, Phillips developed the spectrum guitar style — achieved with multi-tracked 12-string acoustic and nylon guitar — heard on the tracks “White Mountain,” “Visions of Angels,” and “Stagnation.”

Phillips left Genesis after the completion of Trespass but his successor in the band, Steve Hackett, further developed the spectrum guitar style alongside Rutherford. Echoes of the departed co-founder’s style appears on the subsequent Genesis songs “Can-utility and the Coastliners” (1972), “Cinema Show” (1973), and “Entangled” (1976).

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Early Life

Phillips was born on December 23, 1951, in Chiswick, West London. He initially aspired to sing and joined his first band in preparatory school, but was let go after flubbing the lines to Lonnie Donegan’s “My Old Man’s a Dustman” during a school function. This inspired him to take up guitar instead. The first song he learned to play was “Foot Tapper” by The Shadows. He named his first composition, “Patricia,” after his first crush. (Its chords and melody would later be retooled as “In Hiding,” included on the first Genesis album.)

After a brief residency in the United States during his early teens, Phillips enrolled at Charterhouse, an independent public boarding school for boys in Godalming, Surrey. There, he formed the R&B/beat group Anon with fellow pupils Mike Rutherford, Rivers Jobe, and Richard Macphail. They cut one demo, the Phillips composition “Pennsylvania Flickhouse.” As members dissolved and academic pressures took their toll, Anon dissolved in December 1966. (Jobe later surfaced in blues-rockers Savoy Brown).

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Genesis

Phillips and Rutherford continued as a songwriting duo. As demo sessions loomed, they invited another pupil, keyboardist Tony Banks of fellow Charterhouse act Garden Wall. Banks invited two bandmates, singer Peter Gabriel and drummer Chris Stewart.  As a five-piece, they demoed their originals and handed the tape to alumnus Jonathan King, who’d become a successful performer and producer.

King decided to manage the young band, which he named Genesis. In 1968, he produced their first two singles, all group-credited, followed by the album From Genesis to Revelation, recorded with drummer John Silver and released in 1969 on Decca. Comprised of 13 songs, it mixes baroque pop and psych, echoing contemporary works by the Bee Gees, The Moody Blues, and the soft-side Rolling Stones (“Ruby Tuesday,” “Lady Jane”).

After a brief pause in band activity, Genesis resumed in late 1969 with drummer John Mayhew. They gigged and rehearsed intensely for several months, during which Phillips developed nausea and stage fright. Regardless, they signed to the newly formed Charisma Records (Audience, Rare Bird, Lindisfarne, Van der Graaf Generator) and recorded their second album.

Completed in July 1970, Trespass features six songs jointly written by Phillips, Rutherford, Gabriel, and Banks. The credits attribute Phillips with acoustic 12-string guitar, lead electric guitar, dulcimer, and (backing) vocals. His 12-string work, in concert with Rutherford’s 12-string and nylon guitar, is most prominent on the side-two epic “Stagnation,” a filigree-laden tapestry that would influence later Genesis works. On the raging album-closer “The Knife,” Phillips plays gruff, distorted riffs unlike anything else in his catalog.

Soon after sessions wrapped, a road-weary Phillips (and Mayhew) departed Genesis. The remaining band briefly considered folding, but soon carried on with a new drummer, Phil Collins. By New Year’s, they hired guitarist Steve Hackett, who mixed the filigree-laden Trespass sounds with his own tapping–bending style. A leftover Phillips–Rutherford idea, rehearsed under the working-title “F#,” formed the basis of “The Musical Box,” the opening epic on Nursery Cryme, the first post-Phillips Genesis album.

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1970–1976

Immediately following his departure, Phillips composed a handful of new pieces (incl. “Which Way the Wind Blows”, “God if I Saw Her Now”, and “Henry: Portraits from Tudor Times”) that he demoed with a tape recorder at his parent’s home in August 1970. After listening to the works of Finnish Romantic composer Jean Sibelius, he decided to seek classical training. In 1974, Phillips earned his license as a music teacher.

Meanwhile, Phillips cut numerous demos, including the jolly folk ballad “Silver Song,” written in 1969 as a parting ode to then-Genesis drummer John Silver. One version, recorded with Phil Collins, was intended for an autumn 1974 release as a single. It would have marked Collin’s debut as a solo artist, plus the first post-Genesis credit for Phillips. However, Charisma and Genesis management vetoed the song’s release for unspecified reasons.^[1]

Phillips first resumed collaborations with Rutherford during the latter’s off-time from Genesis. In October 1974, they commenced sessions for a proposed album that would take 25 months to complete. In the meantime, they co-wrote the hymn tune “Take This Heart,” performed by the Charterhouse Choral Society and produced by Phillips. It appears on the 1975 multi-artist Charisma comp Beyond an Empty Dream (Songs for a Modern Church), which also features tracks by John McLaughlin, Clifford T Ward, and Capability Brown.

During 1976, as the on-off sessions slowly reached completion, Phillips secured a deal for the upcoming album’s US release on Jem-subsidiary Passport Records (Nektar, Camel, Synergy, Fireballet). For release in the UK, Genesis manager Tony Smith established Hit & Run Music.

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1977–1979

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The Geese and the Ghost 

Anthony Phillips released his debut solo album, The Geese and the Ghost, in March 1977 on Hit & Run Music (UK) and Passport Records (US).

The album presents an ornate chamber-folk suite structured around interlaced 12-string guitars, orchestral flourishes, and episodic narrative flow. Phillips and former Genesis bandmate Mike Rutherford alternate acoustic motifs on multi-part pieces that incorporate symphonic movements, woodwinds, and occasional vocals. John Hackett and Jack Lancaster contribute flute and lyricon parts that underscore the pastoral sections, while oboists Rob Phillips and Lazo Momulovich shade the longer themes with melancholic textures. The second side expands with expansive modal development across Phillips and Rutherford’s titular longform composition.

Phillips wrote the album’s contents apart from three pieces co-composed with Rutherford: the Henry: Portraits from Tudor Times suite, the interlude “Chinese Mushroom Cloud,” and the two-part title track “The Geese and the Ghost.”

A1. “Wind-Tales” (1:02)
A2. “Which Way the Wind Blows” (5:51) — vocal feature by Phil Collins; gentle acoustic ballad with layered guitar undercurrents and subtle harmonium swells.
A3. “Henry: Portraits from Tudor Times” (12:11) — seven-part suite with acoustic fanfares, martial percussion, and Renaissance-inspired modal passages; includes “Lute’s Chorus Reprise” (added on post-2007 editions).
A4. “God If I Saw Her Now” (4:09) — vocal duet between Phil Collins and Vivienne McAuliffe; soft baroque-folk arrangement with flute counterpoint by John Hackett.

B1. “Chinese Mushroom Cloud” (0:46) — brief atmospheric bridge with cello and timpani.
B2. “The Geese and the Ghost” (15:40) — multipart acoustic epic structured in two continuous sections; features intertwining guitar patterns, swelling Mellotron, and woodwind/cello ornamentation.
B3. “Collections” (3:07) — piano-led ballad sung by Phillips; modulates from major-key verse to introspective coda.
B4. “Sleepfall: The Geese Fly West” (4:33) — slow-moving finale with layered flutes, lyricon, and celeste under a drifting melodic figure.

Recording began in October 1974 at Send Barns (Woking) and continued over two years between the Argonaut Galleries studio boat in Little Venice and final overdub sessions at Olympic Studios. Phillips produced the album with Mike Rutherford, Simon Heyworth, and David Thomas. Anton Matthews mixed the final tracks; Greg Calbi mastered the LP at Trident Studios.

Peter Cross illustrated the album cover in a whimsical Romantic style that initiated his long-running visual collaboration with Phillips.

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Wise After the Event

Anthony Phillips released his second solo album, Wise After the Event, in May 1978 on Arista (UK) and Passport (US).

The album marks Phillips’ full emergence as a solo recording artist, featuring his vocals across all nine tracks and expanding from the chamber-folk textures of his debut into denser electric arrangements with orchestral flourishes and layered keyboards.

Phillips alternates between 12-string guitars, Rickenbacker riffs, and lush keyboard voicings under Rupert Hine’s nuanced production, backed by drummer Michael Giles and bassist John G. Perry. Mel Collins contributes flute and soprano saxophone passages, while Jeremy Gilbert and Rupert Hine augment the keyboard and percussive textures. “Regrets” includes a full orchestral arrangement conducted by Gilbert Biberian, with harp, strings, and woodwinds.

Phillips wrote all tracks except “Greenhouse,” co-written with Gilbert. The album was initially planned to accompany an EP of extra material, portions of which later appeared on Private Parts & Pieces II: Back to the Pavilion (1980).

A1. “We’re All as We Lie” (4:37) — mid-tempo opener with vocal melody over layered 12-string figures and soprano saxophone motifs.
A2. “Birdsong” (6:45)
A3. “Moonshooter” (5:58)
A4. “Wise After the Event” (10:28) — multi-part composition with layered keyboard shifts and a preview coda (“Hunt Link”) that anticipates the closing track’s melodic content.

B1. “Pulling Faces” (4:37)
B2. “Regrets” (6:02) — slow piano ballad with orchestral arrangement; features tremolo strings and melodic harp accompaniment.
B3. “Greenhouse” (3:03) — recorded separately with Hine, Perry, and Gilbert; Phillips plays all instruments except harp.
B4. “Paperchase” (5:34)
B5. “Now What (Are They Doing to My Little Friends?)” (8:23) — extended closer with stately rhythm shifts and layered guitar figures.

Sessions took place between October and December 1977 at Essex Studios, CBS Studios, and the Farmyard in Buckinghamshire (tracked via Manor Mobile), with mixing at Trident Studios. Phillips co-produced the album with Rupert Hine, who also performed auxiliary parts and vocals. Final mastering was handled by Ray Staff and George Marino.

Wise After the Event features another surrealist cover illustration by Peter Cross. The track sequence depicted in the original art reflects an earlier version of the album plan that included material later issued on the Private Parts & Pieces series.

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Private Parts & Pieces

In November 1978, Anthony Phillips released Private Parts & Pieces, his first in a series of instrumental collections.

The album collects home-recorded material from 1972–76, presenting a sequence of intimate solo instrumentals that span acoustic studies, classical miniatures, and atmospheric sound sketches. Phillips plays 6- and 12-string guitars, piano, harmonium, and early electric textures across compositions that range from concise vignettes to multi-section pieces. Many tracks originated as experiments in texture and speed manipulation, revealing a more spontaneous, exploratory side of Phillips’ writing. On “Tibetan Yak-Music,” he collaborates with Harry Williamson, who processes the guitar timbre and applies vocal-like “graphics.” Melodic lines reappear across tracks, such as fragments from the abandoned “Field of Eternity” suite and themes from early Genesis-era material, notably “Pacidy” and “Silver Song.”

Phillips wrote all selections except “Field of Eternity,” co-written with Mike Rutherford. All tracks were recorded at Send Barns (Woking, Surrey) using a Revox 2-track and later TEAC 4-track setup. The 12-string guitar was custom-built by Rivers Jobe.

Home Side
A1. “Beauty and the Beast” (4:08) — early 1972 piano piece recorded with faux-stereo panning and overlayed guitar/pin piano textures.
A2. “Field of Eternity” (5:10) — classical guitar piece with melodic figures adapted from an unrecorded Genesis-era suite.
A3. “Tibetan Yak-Music” (6:09) — processed 12-string improvisation with shifting EQ and abstract tonal overlays by Williamson.
A4. “Lullaby–Old Father Time” (1:15)
A5. “Harmonium in the Dust (or Harmonious Stradosphore)” (2:29) — sustained-note study using harmonium and Fender Stratocaster.
A6. “Tregenna Afternoons” (7:49) — layered acoustic piece named after Phillips’ time in Cornwall.

Away Side
B1. “Reaper” (7:38) — minor-key guitar lament written post-Genesis in 1970.
B2. “Autumnal” (5:57)
B3. “Flamingo” (11:06) — first movement of an unrealized 12-string concerto.
B4. “Seven Long Years” (2:58)

The original LP was mastered by Ray Staff at Trident Studios. Phillips produced the album with Williamson, who oversaw “Tibetan Yak-Music.” Early copies were packaged as a bonus disc with Sides (1979), but the collection gained enough interest to spawn a long-running archival series.

Private Parts & Pieces features cover art by Peter Cross, depicting a seasonal military homecoming allegory in two panels.

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Sides

Anthony Phillips released his third song-based album, Sides, in April 1979 on Arista (UK) and Passport (US).

The album pivots toward concise, vocal-led compositions with pop-leaning arrangements, while retaining Phillips’ lyrical guitar motifs and multi-textured production. Rupert Hine returns as producer, guiding a studio ensemble that includes Michael Giles (drums), John G. Perry (bass), Mel Collins (sax), and percussionists Ray Cooper and Morris Pert. Vocals are shared between Phillips, Dale Newman, and Dan Owen, the latter recruited on label advice to support Phillips’ self-perceived limitations as a lead singer. Tracks range from rhythmically offbeat rockers (“Um & Aargh”) to melancholic ballads (“Bleak House”) and layered narrative suites (“Nightmare”), underscored by orchestral and chamber elements.

Phillips wrote all the material, collaborating lyrically with Martin Hall on “Holy Deadlock.” Rehearsals occurred at Farmyard Studios; tracking took place between October 1978 and January 1979 at Essex, Matrix, and Trident Studios. “Catch You When You Fall” and “Before the Night” were recorded but omitted from the final lineup.

A1. “Um & Aargh” (4:50) — uptempo single with kinetic phrasing and jump-cut transitions between verse and chorus figures.
A2. “I Want Your Love” (3:54)
A3. “Lucy Will” (3:23)
A4. “Side Door” (3:48) — mid-tempo accented with saxophone lines by Collins; lead vocal by Dan Owen.
A5. “Holy Deadlock” (4:05) — co-written with Martin Hall.

B1. “Sisters of Remindum” (4:29)
B2. “Bleak House” (6:13) — piano-led ballad with alternating lead vocals by Newman and Phillips; atmospheric synth overlay.
B3. “Magdalen” (7:45) — moody, multipart suite with vocal trade-offs and stringlike synth textures.
B4. “Nightmare” (7:25) — dynamic instrumental finale with angular guitar motifs and percussive surges; credited vocally to “Ralph Bernascone” as a joke.

Sessions were engineered by Richard Austin (Essex), Nick Bradford (Matrix), and Steve Short (Trident), with additional mixing by John Brand and Colin Green. Morris Pert added overdubbed percussion in a final session at Pye Studios in January 1979.

Peter Cross illustrated the album cover with a conceptual piece originally tailored to the title Balls, later renamed Sides due to label concerns over market suitability. Early UK pressings included Private Parts & Pieces as a bonus LP.

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1980–1983

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Private Parts & Pieces II: Back to the Pavilion

In April 1980, Anthony Phillips released Private Parts & Pieces II: Back to the Pavilion, his second album in the instrumental series.

The album compiles material recorded between 1976 and 1977 for unused projects and earlier album sessions, showcasing a blend of pastoral acoustic writing, instrumental sketches, and longer thematic pieces. Phillips plays 6- and 12-string guitars, piano, electric textures, and Polymoog across a set that includes orchestral-style miniatures, guitar suites, and mood-driven fragments. The five-part “Scottish Suite” originated from a conceptual Shakespearean project, while several other pieces derive from the Wise After the Event sessions. Guest players include Mike Rutherford (bass on two movements of the suite), Andy McCulloch (drums), and Mel Collins (flute).

Phillips composed all tracks, with the suite and selected fragments arranged from multi-movement pieces or film/theatre scoring projects. Recording took place in various locations, with final mixing and compilation overseen by Phillips and Anton Matthews.

A1. “Scottish Suite” (15:15)
 (i) “Salmon Leap” (2:46)
 (ii) “Parting Thistle” (2:26)
 (iii) “Electric Reaper” (3:03)
 (iv) “Amorphous, Cadaverous and Nebulous” (4:53)
 (v) “Salmon’s Last Sleepwalk” (2:07)
A2. “Lindsay” (3:50)
A3. “K2” (8:53) — spacious acoustic duet built around descending guitar motifs and sustained keyboard tones.
A4. “Postlude: End of the Season” (0:32)

B1. “Heavens” (4:22)
B2. “Spring Meeting” (3:52)
B3. “Romany’s Aria” (0:50)
B4. “Chinaman” (0:41)
B5. “Nocturne” (4:05)
B6. “Magic Garden” (1:56)
B7. “Von Runkel’s Yorker Music” (0:41)
B8. “Will O’ the Wisp” (3:30)
B9. “Tremulous” (1:06) — flute and acoustic guitar miniature.
B10. “I Saw You Today” (4:34) — previously unissued vocal demo from earlier song-based sessions.
B11. “Back to the Pavilion” (2:51)

The album was produced by Phillips, with assistance from Anton Matthews and Rupert Hine. Phillips performs all instruments except where noted: Rutherford plays bass on the suite’s first and fourth sections; McCulloch plays drums on select tracks; Rob Phillips adds oboe to “Von Runkel’s Yorker Music,” and Mel Collins contributes flute to “Tremulous.”

Peter Cross illustrated the cover with a whimsical scene of eccentric leisure in a garden pavilion, continuing his visual association with the Private Parts & Pieces series.

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1984

In June 1981, Anthony Phillips released the electronic album 1984, an instrumental impression of the 1949 dystopian novel by English author George Orwell.

The album marks a transition to electronic instrumentation, structured as a large-scale instrumental suite built from layered synthesizer patterns, sequencer passages, and integrated percussion. Phillips composed and recorded the album at his home studio using Polymoog, ARP 2600, and Roland CR-78 drum machine, supported by live percussion from Morris Pert. The material originated as disconnected synth sketches that he assembled into a through-composed format, eventually tying the title and artwork to George Orwell’s novel, though the connection was applied retroactively. The resulting work presents cyclic rhythmic modules over which Phillips overlays classical voicings, counterpoint passages, and vocoder-treated vocal lines in the second movement.

Phillips wrote and performed all compositions with engineering support from Richard Scott and final assembly by Chris David, who transferred the 8-track recordings onto 24-track tape for overdubbing and sequencing.

A1. “Prelude ’84” (4:19) — compact theme originally recorded as a demo titled “Instrumental Single”; built around syncopated synth pulses and filtered tonal swells.
A2. “1984 Part 1” (19:06) — extended multi-section keyboard piece with shifting time bases, repeated melodic cells, and occasional modulated transitions; builds in intensity with overlapping rhythmic subdivisions.

B1. “1984 Part 2” (15:28) — features vocoded vocals, contrasting pulse patterns, and expanded modal cycles; tapers into a sparse, suspended coda.
B2. “Anthem 1984” (2:27) — derived from a separate demo titled “Strings & Drums,” with short-loop drum machine phrases and stacked synth harmony.

Recording commenced on 14 August 1980 and continued into January 1981 at Send Barns (Woking, Surrey). Phillips tracked sequences in 20–60 second sections, which were edited and assembled by David at Atmosphere Studios. All percussion by Morris Pert was recorded in a single session. Final mixing took place in February–March 1981.

The sleeve, designed by Under the Stairs Productions, features a minimalist image of an open cage—a visual allusion to Room 101 from Nineteen Eighty-Four. It marks the first Phillips album not illustrated by Peter Cross. The liner note jokes that “Peter Cross is on holiday with Ralph Bernascone.”

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Private Parts & Pieces III: Antiques

In March 1982, Anthony Phillips released Private Parts & Pieces III: Antiques, a collection of instrumentals with Argentine guitarist Enrique Berro Garcia.

The album is a collaborative instrumental set with Argentine guitarist Enrique Berro Garcia, blending pastoral duets, baroque guitar sketches, and episodic mini-suites. Phillips and Garcia perform in interlocking patterns across acoustic 6- and 12-string arrangements, with layered motifs and contrapuntal phrasing developed from informal sessions. The material ranges from soft chamber etudes to extended sectional pieces like “Hurlingham Suite” and “Suite in D Minor,” both structured as evolving thematic cycles. Tracks such as “Danse Nude” (a reverse-played segment from “Sand Dunes”) and “Otto’s Face” emerged from spontaneous studio interplay. Garcia also contributes keyboard textures and background vocals.

The album was conceived during summer 1981 at Send Barns (Woking, Surrey), with Phillips and Garcia composing directly to tape from sketches and in-the-moment improvisations. Apart from the two pre-developed pieces, all tracks originated during the sessions.

A1. “Motherforest” (1:55)
A2. “Hurlingham Suite” (11:17)
 (i) “Ivied Castles” (4:44)
 (ii) “Frosted Windows” (2:25)
 (iii) “Bandido” (2:46)
 (iv) “Church Bells at Sunset” (1:20)
A3. “Suite in D Minor” (6:27)
 (i) “Whirlpools”
 (ii) “Cobblestones”
 (iii) “Catacombs”

B1. “Danse Nude” (1:31) — reversed acoustic fragment from “Sand Dunes.”
B2. “Esperansa” (2:02)
B3. “Elegy” (3:28)
B4. “Otto’s Face” (4:23)
B5. “Sand Dunes” (8:24) — extended acoustic composition with gradual harmonic development and circular phrasing.
B6. “Old Wives Tale” (4:46)

Phillips produced the album and mixed the final recordings with Chris David at Atmosphere Studios in August 1981. Garcia’s input shaped the arrangements, though Phillips oversaw track structure and continuity. All pieces were recorded without a dedicated producer.

Peter Cross returned with a new sleeve design, featuring stylized antique imagery in a sparse, muted palette. The album marks Phillips’ final release under RCA before the label dropped his UK distribution.

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Invisible Men

Anthony Phillips collaborated with keyboardist Richard Scott for an eponymous album as Invisible Men, released in October 1983 on Passport Records. In the UK, Invisible Men appeared in April 1984 on Street Tunes.

The album presents a set of structured vocal tracks composed in partnership with keyboardist Richard Scott. Departing from Phillips’ prior acoustic focus, Invisible Men employs drum machines, electronic textures, and compact ensemble arrangements built around sequenced rhythms, guitar overlays, and layered vocals.

Sessions began at Phillips’ Englewood Studios (Clapham) and continued at Atmosphere Studios (London), where guest players—including Joji Hirota, Morris Pert, and brass/woodwind contributors—added instrumentation. Scott shares co-writing and production duties and sings on several tracks, while Phillips, despite initial hesitation, performs most lead vocals following coaching sessions with vocal instructor John Owen Edwards.

A1. “Sally” (3:53) — light rhythmic opener with layered keyboard harmonics and airy vocal lead by Phillips.
A2. “Golden Bodies” (3:16)
A3. “Going for Broke” (3:30) — lead vocal by Scott over an upbeat keyboard pattern and clipped rhythm accents.
A4. “Exocet” (3:19, US version only) — political track referencing the Falklands War, featuring sampled news audio; omitted from UK issue.
  (UK version: “It’s Not Easy” – 4:47)
A5. “Love in a Hot Air Balloon” (3:42)
A6. “Traces” (4:49)

B1. “I Want Your Heart” (3:51) — vocal by Scott.
B2. “Falling for Love” (3:33) — compact duet with layered backing vocals and modular structure.
B3. “Guru” (4:42)
B4. “The Women Were Watching” (4:46) — lyric reference to the Falklands War.
B5. “My Time Has Come” (4:46)

The album was produced by Phillips, Scott, and Trevor Vallis. Phillips plays a wide range of keyboards and guitars, including Polymoog, ARP 2600, Jupiter-8, Mellotron, Colorama, and Rickenbacker 12-string. Scott contributes TR-808 programming, vocals, and vocoder elements. Percussion parts were added by Morris Pert and Joji Hirota; brass and reeds appear courtesy of Martin Drover, Malcolm Griffiths, Bimbo Acock, and Martin Robertson. Paul Robinson and Jeff Dunne played drums on select tracks.

Invisible Men was mastered by Ian Cooper at Townhouse Studios. The UK version features alternate sequencing and a substitute track. Esoteric Recordings issued a remastered 2CD edition in 2017 with extensive bonus material and full liner documentation.

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1984–1987

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Private Parts & Pieces IV: A Catch at the Tables

In April 1984, Anthony Phillips released Private Parts & Pieces IV: A Catch at the Tables, his fourth album in the instrumental series. The album appeared on Passport Records (US/Canada) remained unavailable in the UK until a 1990 release on Virgin Records.

The album compiles acoustic and electronic instrumentals recorded between 1979 and 1982, combining wedding commissions, improvisational sketches, and repurposed pieces from abandoned projects. Phillips recorded most of the material at Send Barns (Woking) and his later Englewood Studios (Clapham), using guitar, synthesizer, Mellotron, and drum machine to construct short-form suites, solo études, and atmospheric soundscapes. Some pieces, like “Bouncer” and “Sistine,” were originally cut for Invisible Men but left off due to stylistic contrast. Others, like “Dawn Over the Lake,” stem from spontaneous studio experiments with altered tunings and tempo-warped drum programming. Titles were selected with input from longtime friend Dennis Quinn.

Phillips composed and performed all pieces, with “Sistine” co-produced with Richard Scott and Trevor Vallis. The album includes guest appearances by Pedro Luigi Crass (charango), Judd Lander (bagpipes, harmonica), and Mark Emmey (bugle).

A1. “Arboretum Suite” – 12:01
 (i) “Set Piece” (2:06)
 (ii) “Over the Gate” (2:06)
 (iii) “Flapjack” (2:25)
 (iv) “Lights on the Hill” (5:26) — written for a 1980 wedding and based on Winkworth Arboretum in Surrey.
A2. “Earth Man” (4:36)
A3. “Dawn Over the Lake” (10:50) — spontaneous studio recording with detuned 12-string guitar and slowed drum machine pattern.

B1. “Bouncer” (3:05) — uptempo keyboard-and-guitar sketch from Invisible Men sessions.
B2. “Eduardo” (9:44) — solo piece on Rudloff 8-string guitar recorded during Phillips’ final months in Woking.
B3. “Heart of Darkness” (3:20)
B4. “The Sea and the Armadillo” (4:58)
B5. “Sistine” (3:55) — ensemble studio outtake with added vocals and brass effects.

The album was produced and assembled by Phillips across several sessions, with additional work by Vallis and Scott on “Sistine.” It was mastered by Ian Cooper at Townhouse Studios. The cover artwork, a Monte Carlo-themed painting by Ed Tanner, replaces the usual Peter Cross illustrations due to scheduling conflicts.

Later CD reissues include bonus tracks “Erotic Strings” (from a 1985 stage production) and “A Catch at the Tables,” a 1990 composition named after the album’s artwork.

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Private Parts & Pieces V: Twelve

In 1985, Anthony Phillips released Private Parts & Pieces V: Twelve, his fifth album in the instrumental series.

The album presents a twelve-part cycle of solo performances, each corresponding to a calendar month. Recorded entirely by Phillips using a single 12-string acoustic guitar, Twelve displays a consistent tonal palette drawn from modal voicings, sustained drones, and interlocking arpeggios. Each piece functions as a self-contained movement while forming a larger suite with structural echoes between “January” and “December,” reinforcing its intended cyclicality. The performances emphasize dynamic restraint and tonal precision, with muted harmonics and delicate phrasing executed at close-miked intimacy.

Phillips composed, performed, and produced the entire album in his home studio. All selections are played on 12-string acoustic guitar, without overdubs or accompaniment.

A1. “January” (5:57)
A2. “February” (4:38)
A3. “March” (5:12)
A4. “April” (4:48)
A5. “May” (4:40)
A6. “June” (5:30)

B1. “July” (6:20)
B2. “August” (5:21)
B3. “September” (4:05)
B4. “October” (6:18) — features a door-opening sound credited to “Crocodile Cooper.”
B5. “November” (5:09)
B6. “December” (6:21)

Private Parts & Pieces V: Twelve features cover artwork by Peter Cross, returning to the series with a nature-themed illustration. Murray Brenman designed the back cover layout, and Carol Willis provided photography.

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Private Parts & Pieces VI: Ivory Moon

In January 1986, Anthony Phillips released Private Parts & Pieces VI: Ivory Moon, his sixth album in the instrumental series and the first album comprised entirely of piano compositions.

The album compiles solo works written between 1971 and 1985 and recorded over a focused session in August 1985 at Phillips’ Englewood Studios in Clapham. The pieces range from early formative studies (“Winter’s Thaw,” “The Old House”) to more recent character pieces and commissioned themes. Tracks like “Tara’s Theme” and “Moonfall” originate from an abandoned musical adaptation of Masquerade, while “Sunrise Over Sienna” reflects Phillips’ admiration for Respighi’s orchestral style. Each piece is performed on solo piano without accompaniment, with phrasing shaped by tone, pedal control, and rubato dynamics rather than tempo grids or external cues.

Phillips composed and performed all selections. “Moonfall” is co-credited to Rupert Hine.

A1. “Suite: Sea-Dogs Motoring – (i) Sunrise Over Sienna” (3:21)
A2. “Suite: Sea-Dogs Motoring – (ii) Basking Shark” (5:09)
A3. “Suite: Sea-Dogs Motoring – (iii) Sea-Dog’s Air” (2:37)
A4. “Suite: Sea-Dogs Motoring – (iv) Safe Havens” (1:15)
A5. “Tara’s Theme (From Masquerade)” (3:22)
A6. “Winter’s Thaw” (9:35) — written in 1971, inspired by cold conditions in Phillips’ childhood home.

B1. “The Old House” (15:17) — extended episodic work assembled from early piano fragments.
B2. “Moonfall (From Masquerade)” (4:00)
B3. “Rapids” (8:25)

The album was produced by Phillips and mastered by Ian Cooper at Townhouse Studios. Paul Graves maintained the recording environment; piano tuning was handled by John Armer. The 1991 CD reissue (Virgin) adds a piano version of “Let Us Now Make Love” (6:31), originally written in 1968 and performed by Genesis for a 1970 BBC radio session.

Cover artwork is a painting by Peter Cross titled Sea-Dogs Motoring, depicting Leith Hill Tower in Dorking. Liner credits continue Phillips’ humorous pseudonyms, including “Vic Stench of Thrombosis” and the recurring “Ralph Bernascone.”

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Private Parts & Pieces VII: Slow Waves, Soft Stars

In August 1987, Anthony Phillips released Private Parts & Pieces VII: Slow Waves, Soft Stars, his seventh album in the instrumental series. The album appeared in the US on Audion but remained unavailable in the UK until a 1991 CD release on Virgin.

The album focuses on ambient textures and free-form structures, featuring extended keyboard improvisations, tone-layered sequences, and loosely arranged atmospheric miniatures. Departing from the previous piano- and guitar-centered volumes in the Private Parts & Pieces series, Slow Waves, Soft Stars centers on synthesizer soundscapes constructed from the Roland Jupiter-8 and Casio CZ-5000, supplemented by guitar and acoustic percussion. He developed the tracks as both composed sketches and adapted improvisations, with tone envelope manipulation prioritized over harmonic progression. The five-part “Ice Flight” suite, recorded with a loaned Jupiter-8, acts as the structural centerpiece, while other pieces like “Sospirando” and “The Golden Pathway” repurpose themes written for TV and film pitches.

Phillips composed and recorded the material between July 1983 and March 1987 at Englewood Studios (Clapham). Enrique Berro Garcia appears on two tracks, recorded during an April 1986 reunion session.

1–5. “Ice Flight” – (15:56 total)
 (i) “Flight of the Snow Petrel: Glacier Bay” (5:18)
 (ii) “Flight of the Whale-Birds: Blizzard Mountain” (3:39)
 (iii) “Flight of the Albatross: Ice Island” (1:26)
 (iv) “White Heaven” (3:28)
 (v) “Cathedral of Ice” (2:16)
6. “Beachrunner” (2:50) — with Enrique Berro Garcia
7. “End of the Affair” (2:45) — with Enrique Berro Garcia
8. “The Golden Pathway” (1:39) — theme from the 1986 telefilm God’s Chosen Car Park
9. “Behind the Waterfall” (3:24)
10. “Carnival” (1:33)
11–12. “Through the Black Hole” (3:15) / “Pluto Garden” (2:06) — merged on CD version
13. “Sospirando” (2:57) — demo from Phillips’ pitch for The Honorary Consul (1983)
14. “Elevenses” (3:10)
15. “Goodbye Serenade” (2:29) — performed on Alvarez 12-string guitar
16. “Bubble and Squeak” (0:59)
17–18. “Vanishing Streets” (4:19) / “Slow Waves, Soft Stars” (6:12) — final ambient suite, improvised on CZ-5000 using layered envelope cycles

Phillips performs all instrumentation aside from the guitar contributions by Garcia. Instruments include Polymoog, ARP 2600, Tibetan bells, zither, rudimentary drum machine, and multiple acoustic guitars. The album was self-produced, with technical assistance from Paul Graves. The front cover image—a misexposed landscape photo taken by Phillips in Portugal—was adopted after positive label reaction. The fisheye back cover image was taken by Tif Hunter on a 1981 boat trip to France.

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1988–1990

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Tarka

In 1988, Anthony Phillips released Tarka, a collaborative album with Australian guitarist–composer Harry Williamson. It marked Phillips’ first large-scale composition since 1984 and his second major orchestral work, based on Tarka the Otter by Henry Williamson (Harry’s father).

Tarka originated in 1976 as a proposed film score for a cinematic adaptation of the novel. Though the film was ultimately completed without their music, Phillips and Williamson completed the score over the following decade, culminating in this release. The project is structured as a continuous symphonic work in four movements, composed and arranged by both musicians and realized with chamber instrumentation and full orchestral passages. Elements of acoustic guitar and synthesizer are interwoven with oboe, flute, harp, bassoon, and strings, with the National Philharmonic Orchestra contributing to the expansive textures.

Phillips and Williamson co-composed Movements I and III, with Williamson solely credited for Movement II and Phillips for Movement IV. Simon Heyworth produced the recording and arranged the Postlude section.

1. Movement One: The First Year (11:24)
 – Owlery Holt
 – Weare Water
 – Golden Pool
 – Moon Play
 – Corncrake Meadow
 – Root Walk

2. Movement Two: River and Estuary (15:43)
 – Moonfield
 – Waymoor
 – The Estuary
 – Salmon Hunting
 – Moonfield (reprise)
 – The Burrows
 – Bag Leap

3. Movement Three: The Hunt (15:23)
 – The Foreboding
 – Dark Hams Wood
 – Pool of the Six Herons
 – Escape to the Estuary
 – Beam Weir
 – Deadlock
 – The Kelp Pool
 – Island Run
 – Ebb Tide

4. Postlude: The Anthem (6:04)

Anthony Phillips and Harry Williamson both play acoustic guitar and keyboards. Phillips handles orchestration on Movements I, III, and IV, while Williamson contributes orchestration on I and II. They’re backed by the National Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Jeremy Gilbert. Tarka also features twelve sessionists, including Henry Cow bassoonist Lindsay Cooper, Gong reedist Didier Malherbe (flute, piccolo, soprano saxophone), and Van der Graaf Generator percussionist Guy Evans

Tarka was released without artist names on the front cover, which features a painting of a woman. Its understated packaging and lack of prominent credits led some shops to misfile it under female vocal music, though the album contains no vocals. The cover and design were created by Mainartery London.

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Missing Links Volume One: Finger Painting

In December 1989, Anthony Phillips released Missing Links Volume One: Finger Painting, an album of new age music on one-press Occasional Records.

The album compiles 22 instrumental pieces written and recorded for television, audio-visual, and library use between 1979 and 1989. Eschewing his signature 12-string guitar work, Phillips creates moody, atmospheric soundscapes using synthesizers, keyboards, and piano. Though stylistically diverse, the material is unified by its ambient character, ranging from brief vignettes to multi-part suites. The God’s Chosen Car Park, Tropic Moon Over Dorking, Three Piece, and Land of Dragons suites combine modular themes that evoke changing visual moods. “Force Majeure,” “Lord of the Smoking Mirror,” and “After the Rain” stand out for their layered harmonic textures and crystalline synth voicings.

Phillips composed, performed, and produced the album in full. Track 18, “Boulevard of Fallen Leaves,” features the Gabrieli String Quartet under the direction of conductor Jeremy Gilbert.

The album is subtitled A Collection of Television and Library Music 1979–89. It runs 67:15 and served as the first installment in Phillips’ Missing Links archival series.

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Slow Dance

Anthony Phillips released the instrumental album Slow Dance on September 24, 1990, on Virgin. It consists of one long piece (50:28) divided into two parts. This was his second large-scale work (after Tarka) since his 1981 release 1984.

The album consists of a single 50-minute instrumental suite divided into two parts. Composed, arranged, and performed by Phillips, Slow Dance marked his return to large-scale orchestral work for the first time since Tarka (1988) and his first full studio project since Invisible Men (1983). The piece unfolds with shifting moods, dynamics, and instrumental colors across a broad structure that Phillips likened to a journey—its thematic unity revealed over time through cyclical motifs and tempo variations.

1. Slow Dance (Part One) (24:01)
2. Slow Dance (Part Two) (26:27)

Phillips recorded Slow Dance between June 1988 and March 1989 at his home studio in Clapham, dubbed Vic’s Place. He arranged the music for keyboards, guitars, sampled textures, and a live ensemble of winds, strings, and percussion. He upgraded his recording equipment to Fostex E16 machines and linked sequencers, allowing for more layered arrangements. Guest musicians include Ian Hardwick (oboe), Julie Allis (harp), Frank Ricotti (percussion), and members of the Speachi Quartet, with orchestral sections conducted by John Owen Edwards. A real string ensemble was added at CBS Studios in early 1989, replacing sampled strings used in early takes.

Virgin issued Slow Dance on LP, CD, and cassette. In 2017, Esoteric Recordings reissued it as a 2CD/1DVD deluxe edition with new stereo and 5.1 mixes and a bonus disc titled Slow Dance Vignettes, containing alternate mixes, demos, and related material.

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Discography (1977–1990):

• The Geese and the Ghost (1977)
• Wise After the Event (1978)
• Private Parts & Pieces (1978)
• Sides (1979)
• Private Parts & Pieces II: Back to the Pavilion (1980)
• 1984 (1981)
• Private Parts & Pieces III: Antiques (1982) with Enrique Berro Garcia
• Invisible Men (1983) with Richard Scott
• Private Parts & Pieces IV: A Catch at the Tables (1984)
• Private Parts & Pieces V: Twelve (1985)
• Private Parts & Pieces VI: Ivory Moon (1986)
• Private Parts & Pieces VII: Slow Waves, Soft Stars (1987)
• Tarka (1988) with Harry Williamson
• Missing Links Volume One: Finger Painting (1989)
• Slow Dance (1990)

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Sources:

• Discogs: Anthony Phillips
• ProgArchives: Anthony Phillips

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References:

1. Music to Eat: “Phil Collins, Anthony Phillips and the Song That Wouldn’t Die” (April 9, 2018)