Phil Daniels & the Cross -

Phil Daniels & the Cross were an English rock band that made a 1979 self-titled album on RCA. The same year, Daniels starred as Jimmy Cooper in the movie adaption of the 1973 Who rock opera Quadrophenia.

Members: Phil Daniels (guitar, vocals), Peter Hugo-Daly (keyboards), Barry Neil (bass), John McWilliams (drums)

Background

Phil Daniels & the Cross formed in 1979 in London around singer-guitarist Phil Daniels, keyboardist Peter Hugo-Daly, bassist Barry Neil, and drummer John McWilliams.

Daniels was born Philip William Daniels on Oct. 25, 1958, in Islington and grew up in King’s Cross. He attended Argyle Primary School in King’s Cross and Rutherford Comprehensive in Marylebone. At Rutherford, a schoolmate named Pedro directed Daniels to a visiting guitar teacher who taught weekly classes. Daniels bought an Eko acoustic through a catalogue account run by mother Edna. At age thirteen, he entered Anna Scher Theatre School in Islington for twice-weekly improvisation classes and secured a BBC role in Falstaff about two months into the program.

Daly was born in Islington in 1956 and belonged to the same Anna Scher circle. Daniels and Daly joined fellow student Gary Kemp and Miles Landesman in an early group that rehearsed at publisher Jay Landesman’s home. Daly subsequently introduced Daniels to two friends interested in another group, which rehearsed at bassist Barry Neil’s home in Stoke Newington. Daly chose the name Renoir and played Fender Rhodes and synthesizer, while Daniels played guitar and wrote songs. Renoir played early shows at Old Red Lion in Islington.

Daniels continued acting alongside Renoir and reached wider film audiences as Jimmy Cooper in Quadrophenia, director Franc Roddam’s 1979 dramatic adaptation of the 1973 two-record rock opera written by Pete Townshend. Jimmy works a post-room job in London and spends nights with fellow mods Dave, Chalky, and Spider. He pursues Steph and joins mod confrontations with rockers in Brighton. Jimmy objects when fellow mods attack his childhood friend Kevin, a rocker, then becomes involved with Steph amid the Brighton disturbances and lands in police custody alongside his idol, Ace Face, played by Police frontman Sting. Back in London, Jimmy loses his place in the family home, leaves his job, and finds Steph involved with Dave. He returns alone to Brighton and discovers Ace Face working as a bellboy at the Grand Hotel.

Songwriters Alan Blaikley and Ken Howard approached Daniels around this period and invited him to their Hampstead home, where they proposed “I’m Your Meantime Man” as a single. Daniels signed a deal with the pair and retained Daly and Neil when Renoir ended. McWilliams took the drum chair in the new quartet.

Blaikley and Howard secured an RCA contract for Phil Daniels & the Cross and selected Zak Lawrence to produce a self-titled album. Phil Daniels & the Cross opened the RCA release schedule in November 1979 with “Kill Another Night” (b/w “Stop Watch”).

Discography: