Batterie Magazine numéro 189

In 1992 (30 years already), the world of drums lost one of its most brilliant representatives: Jeff Porcaro. The following year, Simon Phillips had the difficult task of succeeding him in Toto. Rock, jazz, fusion... his vocabulary allows him to play with a precision and an intensity that never lacks emotion. In other words, the Englishman turns out to be the ideal candidate. It is therefore not surprising to find him in the credits of albums as varied as those of The Who, Jeff Beck, Joe Satriani, Tears for Fears, Judas Priest, Michael Schenker, Stanley Clarke, Hiromi... Former child prodigy of the drums (he got his first contracts at the age of 12!), Simon conquered a considerable public thanks to a muscular sound, allied to a breathtaking technique, the whole in the service of a sophisticated style. So many components that have earned him the approval of Porcaro fans. In January 2014, the drummer announced his departure from Toto after 21 years of good and loyal service: "I felt that my mandate had expired, I needed a change," he confided to us at the time. A decision motivated by his great thirst for musical adventures and by the resurrection of his solo project Protocol, whose fifth album has just been released. Indeed, at 65 years old, the man who lost everything during the violent Californian fires of 2017, retains an enthusiasm and a perpetual desire to clear new unexplored sonic territories that arouse the admiration of his peers. We invited Simon Phillips to look back on a 50-year career as a drummer-producer.
In a not-so-distant vein, we're pleased to offer the co-headlining slot in this issue to the great Ray Luzier (KoRn). You will also find our interviews with Canadian Karl Jannuska (favorite album of the month!), Antoine Fadavi (King Princess), Mehdi Thepegnier (Hangman's Chair), as well as our report on the set of the TV show "N'oubliez pas les paroles" with Pierre Lucbert, without forgetting our carefully prepared test benches and pedagogical sections...
Enjoy your groove and your reading!