GLEN PHILLIPS BLASTS OFF ON U.S. TOUR
WITH NEW EP ABOUT SPACE TRAVEL
THE SECRETS FROM THE NEW EXPLORERS
Disc Proves To Be A Hit With NASA Scientists
SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. – Folk/pop singer-songwriter Glen Philips leaves the comforts of home and blasts off into space on new E.P. and U.S. tour to reveal The Secrets of the New Explorers . The E.P. is available online at http://www.glenphillips.com , online retailers (iTunes, etc) and exclusively at shows.
While space travel may seem too far in the future for some, it was on the mind of Glen Phillips and friend John Askew when they spent five days recording in November 2007.
“We spent the first day completely stuck, and then I asked John what he was currently interested in. He said, ‘Private Space travel.' I had been reading articles recently about the X Prize, Robert Bigelow and the birth of the age of space tourism and thought it sounded like a great idea.”
As son of two scientists - father a physics and mother a chemist – the subject matter wasn't uncharted territory for Phillips either. “I grew up reading Heinlen, Herbert, Asimov, and my dad's collection of “Amazing Stories” and “Astounding Science Fiction Magazines”. The cover art for Secrets pays homage to those magazines from the '50s.”
While the album theme was deliberate, the music and recording was spontaneous. “So, off we went writing in the studio as it was recorded. The initial tracks of “Return to Me,” “They'll Find Me,” and “Space Elevator” were put together in a period of four days. We just picked up whatever instrument we felt like playing, and one of us would record the other. After John left, I did the vocals, more overdubs, and mixed the record. The other three songs I recorded and performed myself.”
And “Secrets” has unveiled a few from NASA . Professor of Astronomy at Boston University and Principal Investigator of the “Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation” at NASA Harlan Spence was smitten to have his science investigation and instrument featured in the song “Solar Flare”: “My NASA colleagues shared your song with me and I nearly died and went to heaven from its excellence and brilliance and relevance. "Solar Flare" is awesome! I never thought I'd say it, but radiation poisoning rocks. And to discover that someone far afield cares about the research I do, and that it was THE Glen Phillips. Incredible.”
After his departure from the 90's alt/pop success Toad The Wet Sprocket , Phillips made his solo debut in 2001 with Abulum . His subsequent solo releases Winter Pays For Summer (2005) and Mr. Lemons (2006) were met with critical praise. Frets Magazine called Mr. Lemons “...one of the best pieces of music I have heard in years.”
Friend and fellow geek enthusiast MC Frontalot agrees, "Glen Phillips is a true American hero, and we honor his years of service. No offense to whoever he was in that band with, but thank goodness the 90s are over. He shines far brighter in his current incarnation as singer/songwriter."
And Harp Magazine raves, " Mr. Lemons is by turns languid and life-affirming and may well stand as Phillips' most affecting and powerful solo work to date.”
In 2004, Phillips collaborated with friends / fellow musicians Sean and Sarah Watkins of Nickel Creek for The Mutual Admiration Society and released a self-titled disc.
In 2008, Phillips formed a new supergroup octet tentatively named The Scrolls with his Nickle Creek cohorts Sean Watkins (guitar) and Sara Watkins (fiddle), pianist Benmont Tench (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers), fiddler Luke Bulla, multi-instrumentalist Greg Leisz, drummer Pete Thomas (Elvis Costello & The Attractions), and bassist Davey Faragher (Imposters, Cracker). The group plans to have an album out by fall of this year.
The Secrets of the New Explorers is Phillips fourth solo release.
For more information, contact Think Press