Growing up in a musical household and exposed to his parents’ eclectic record collection that included the likes of Eric Clapton, Ry Cooder and Dire Straits, he was particularly drawn to the guitar – being taken by his parents to an Eric Clapton concert left the young Sayce awestruck and in no doubt about which was the instrument for him.
By the time he was 15 he was playing guitar in his first band; he was up and running. He soon became a regular fixture on the Toronto club scene, where his fluid soloing and mesmerising overall musicality turned heads an earned him many fans. With an insatiable appetite for jam sessions at the likes of Grossman's Tavern in Toronto, Sayce began rapidly distilling his own singular guitar style and tonal palette from a melting pot of influences that included such greats as Clapton, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Jimi Hendrix, Robert Cray, and in particular Stevie Ray Vaughan, to whom he is, understandably, probably most often compared.
While still a teenager, Sayce was held in such high regard that, after jamming on stage with one of his heroes, guitar player and fellow Canadian Jeff Healey, he was invited to join Healey’s band. Sayce was now living the dream. He can still remember the first time he heard Healey – and the effect it had: “It was in a supermarket car park. I was 11 and my parents had gone into the store. This song, See The Light, came on and I was just overwhelmed. I literally punched the radio.”
After three-and-a-half years with Healey’s band, playing with them at the Montreux Jazz Festival and at gigs around the world, Sayce, the apprentice having learned well from the master, felt it was time to move on.
Looking to further expand his musical horizons, in 2001 he moved to Los Angeles. He joined Uncle Kracker, and was with the band when they had their massive US No.1 hit song Drift Away. He starred in and wrote the music for the short film Cockroach Blue, directed by the award-winning Robert Crossman, which received high acclaim when it was shown at the Woodstock Film Festival. Then, in 2003, Grammy and Oscar winner Melissa Etheridge came calling (“very talented – like Stevie Ray Vaughan,” she enthused), and he enjoyed an “awesome” time playing and recording with her band until 2008.
During his stint with Melissa, Sayce released his debut solo album, Peace Machine, using what he describes as Etheridge’s “shit-hot” band and producer Michael Nielsen. Recorded live in the studio in just a couple of days, it’s full of raw, high-energy, low-maintenance retro-blues delivered with startling punch and real style, and showcases Sayce as a soulful, powerfully expressive vocalist as well as a supremely talented guitarist and all-round musician. The album also includes a crunching version of the Neil Young classic Cinnamon Girl, the song often a resonant inclusion in Sayce’s thrilling live shows.
And live is where Sayce, his jam-club years in his pocket, shines brightest, he and his band performing with a potent mixture of power and finesse, the guitarist regularly pulling the trigger and unleashing visceral, mesmerising solos. And while they’re checking out the hot licks, it’s clear that many of the girls in the audience are equally taken by the good-looking guy with the swept-back blond hair and charisma to spare. If you’ve got it…
May 2010 saw the release of, INNEREVOLUTION, recorded with his live band - keyboardist Fred Mandel (Queen, Supertramp, Elton John, Alice Cooper), bassist Joel Gottschalk and drummer Ryan MacMillan (Matchbox 20). This collection of songs, some co-written with Richard Marx, busbee, Mike Bradford, Dave Cobb and Marti Frederiksen among others, further establishes Philip Sayce not only as one of the finest blues guitarists around, but also as a musician, singer and songwriter with tremendous talent and potential.
“Richard came out to a show and we immediately hit it off,” Sayce explains of how he came to write with Richard Marx. “He's a massive talent and to have the opportunity to collaborate and learn from him is something I am grateful for. Anyone I collaborate or co-write with, the goal is to be open and learn, and I've been blessed to work with some of the best of the best.”
More varied than Peace Machine, and overall more sophisticated and more polished in terms of songwriting, sonics and performance, Innerevoltuion is a stylish, engaging and thrilling album that should bring Philip Sayce to the attention of a bigger and wider audience.
With Peace Machine, Innerevolution, Ruby Electric, Silver Wheel Of Stars, and Steamroller, Philip Sayce continues to write his own chapter in the long and continuing history of popular music. And it’s clear that this gifted young musician has many more pages yet to write.
One foot in the grave
Philip Sayce Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Before i shoot you down
You're like a cancer to my soul
Ain't gonna be your stepping stone, no no no
Everything about you driving me insane
All this complication tearing up my brain
You're living one foot in the grave
Now i'm lit up i'm on the run
You're like a stain up on the sun
I see the devil in your eyes
I feel the thorn you left in my side
Everything about you wasting me away
Feel just like i'm living in a hurricane
Living one foot in the grave
You're living one foot in the grave
The lyrics of "One Foot in the Grave" by Philip Sayce convey a message of frustration and disappointment. The song is about a toxic relationship that is bringing the singer down. He wants the person to get out of his life before he does something he regrets. The lines "Won't you get down off my cloud/Before I shoot you down" make it clear how he feels about the situation, even if he doesn't mean them literally.
The singer talks about how the other person has become a "cancer to my soul" and how he won't be their "stepping stone." The relationship is complicated and causing him a lot of stress. He is struggling to deal with it and it is affecting him deeply. He says "All this complication tearing up my brain" and "Everything about you driving me insane."
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "You're living one foot in the grave." This means that the other person is slowly killing themselves with their behavior. They are not taking care of themselves and their choices are catching up with them. The singer sees this and it worries him, but he can't do anything to help them.
Overall, "One Foot in the Grave" is a powerful song about a difficult situation. The lyrics are emotional and impactful, and the music matches the intensity of the feelings being expressed. It is a great example of how music can be used to express complex emotions and experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
Won't you get down off my cloud
Please remove yourself from my life.
Before i shoot you down
Your behavior is unacceptable and I will not tolerate it any longer.
You're like a cancer to my soul
Your presence in my life is causing me great emotional harm.
Ain't gonna be your stepping stone, no no no
I refuse to let you use me as a means to achieve your own goals.
Everything about you driving me insane
Your actions and behavior are causing me to lose my sanity.
All this complication tearing up my brain
The complexity of our relationship is causing me great distress and mental anguish.
You're living one foot in the grave
Your reckless behavior and lifestyle will lead to your downfall.
Now i'm lit up i'm on the run
I have realized the danger of our relationship and am making an effort to distance myself from you.
You're like a stain up on the sun
Your presence is an unwelcome blemish on my life.
I see the devil in your eyes
Your intentions are malicious and malevolent, evident by the dark look in your eyes.
I feel the thorn you left in my side
Your actions have caused me great physical and emotional pain.
Everything about you wasting me away
The toxicity of our relationship is consuming me, leading to my deterioration.
Feel just like i'm living in a hurricane
Our relationship is tumultuous and chaotic, causing constant stress and turmoil in my life.
Living one foot in the grave
Your lifestyle and behavior will lead to your eventual downfall and destruction.
Contributed by Katherine F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Steph
on Give Me Time
Well I had a similar experience but I was in grad school. My parents thought they were doing me a favor by setting me up with a guy my own dads age. Turns out he has tons of issues. Falls for everyone hes with extremely fast, and super creepy!! Wont leave me alone!! Nightmare!