Bandstanding: Phil Toms

’Tis the time of year when festivals abound, the weather is sweet and energy is high. Parks and streets are alive with activity, music, food and fun for all. And so our own Titirangi Festival of Music approaches yet again – kicking off on April 3 and bringing us fabulous top class entertainment across the weekend.

Instrumental jazz trio Mango Beach are among the opening acts – performing on the stage outside the War Memorial Hall. Latin drumming virtuoso Luis Ramero is from Chile and Guy Halpe from Sri Lanka is a fretless bass exponent. Guitarist Phil Toms from New Lynn makes up the trio, and yes, he was in Herbs.

“I joined Herbs as bass player in 1981. We recorded What’s Be Happen?, the first ever Pacific reggae album. I wrote and sang One Brotherhood and co wrote Reggae’s Doin’ Fine, later collaborating on Sensitive to a Smile. We toured the North Island with English reggae band Black Slate, and played support in Auckland for UB40.” According to Wikipedia What’s Be Happen? ‘set a standard for Pacific reggae which has arguably never been surpassed.’

But let’s go back to the beginning … of Phil’s musical forays that is. “I remember as a child of four walking with my Dad past a cathedral from where the most beautiful sound was emanating. We went inside and there was a man playing a cathedral organ to an empty room. I was thrilled to find such beautiful sounds exist in the world.”

Arriving in New Zealand from Surrey, England, when Phil was five, Phil’s Dad played violin and guitar and sang and recorded with the legendary kiwi folk song writer Peter Cape. He was also a founding member of the Wellington Folk Club. Phil was handed a recorder at this tender young age and subsequently subjected the neighbourhood to his rendition of the tune Peas Pudding Hot. At 11 he started playing guitar. “I was encouraged to learn classical tunes and to read music. At about the age of 14 rock and pop music was taking the world by storm – The Beatles, Cream, Traffic, Hendrix, and dozens of colourful original bands and artists. The family moved to Auckland when I was 16, living in the house next to the Titirangi supermarket. My parents joined the Titirangi folk club where I did some of my first performances. By the time I was 17 it was all about Woodstock and Vietnam, and a kind of revolutionary movement with music a major component.”

While working as a solo guitarist in restaurants around Auckland in his early 20s, Phil also formed a band in Waiatarua called Head for the Hills with his wife Leonie, who sang and played flute. The couple then took up pottery and moved to Coroglen, on the Coromandel. “We formed an original jazz rock band Tribrations and played at the Nambassa and Sweetwaters festivals. I played guitar and sometimes bass. Nambassa ‘79 was a highlight, playing electric guitar to thousands in the sun.”

After that came Herbs. And after Herbs came a whole lot more. “When I parted ways with Herbs I joined the Neighbours, touring

New Zealand with Rick Bryant and co playing bass on rock and R&B. I then did a stint with Hattie and the Havana Hot Shots, followed by a

residency on bass at the Fisherman’s Wharf Restaurant.” Phil wrote and produced his first solo album Storm Warning in 1999.

The inaugural performance of his second album, Tall Stories From Beyond the Grassy Knoll, took place to a full house at Lopdell Theatre

in 2008, performed by Phil’s then band The Electric Car. He had a minor hit with the track I Wanna Be GE Free and co-founded the Titirangi

RSA jam night – which is still going strong today, a decade later. “I greatly enjoy playing R&B bass and more recently played in a band

called Sweet As, with Mary and Johnny Bradfield, playing pubs, private functions and festivals.”

In 2012, Phil was inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame as a member of Herbs. What’s Be Happen?” was awarded the Taite

Independent Classic Album Award in 2015, and the band was also given a lifetime achievement award at the Pacific Music Awards. Phil was

involved in the making of the Herbs movie Songs of Freedom, released and screened in theatres last year, and also available on DVD.

“The reunion concert with Herbs at Q Theatre, Queen Street was very special … the packed house gave me very warm applause and

cheers,” Phil says.

Be sure to get along to see Mango Beach on Friday April 3, on the

main stage in the Festival Hub (outside the Titirangi War Memorial Hall) at 4.45pm.

You can also book Mango Beach to play at your private function, wedding, birthday party, that sort of thing. They play mostly

FRINGEADLTD.pdf 1 15/11/16 16:33 instrumental jazz favourites plus some latin and dance grooves – email philiptoms@hotmail.com.

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