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.
Scars
Philip Sayce Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
dreams that wake me.
I've got to let it all go, not gonna overtake me.
An oasis in the sand, cover for wounded soldier.
Everybody needs an open hand.
Help me, something 'bout ya
Tells me.
You're one a me kind.
I know where you are baby.
Show me your scars maybe I'll show you mine.
I remember being late for school.
Clap of thunder and it all went silet.
Over in the corner like you. At the party for the uninvited.
Stand up when they call your
Name, and the lonely's multiplyin'.
No one can fell your pain. Nobody hears you cryin'!
Help me, something 'bout ya tells me.
You're one a me kind.
I know where you are baby.
Show me your scars maybe I'll show you mine.
Help me, something 'bout ya tells me. You're one a me kind.
I know where you are baby.
Show me your scars maybe I'll show you mine.
I know where you are baby.
Show me your scars maybe I'll show you mine.
The lyrics of Philip Sayce's song "Scars" are about the struggles and pain that people experience in life, and the need for connection and empathy. The opening lines of the song express a determination to resist the negative influences that disrupt the singer's peace of mind. He urges himself not to be overwhelmed by "wicked dreams" and to let go of the things that hold him back.
The chorus introduces the theme of the song, which is the search for understanding and solidarity with others who have suffered. The singer compares himself to a wounded soldier seeking an oasis in the desert, and he longs for someone to reach out to him with an "open hand." He reaches out to the listener, asking them to show him their scars, both literally and figuratively. He wants to share his own pain and vulnerability, and to find common ground with another human being.
The verses of the song provide more details about the singer's own experiences of loneliness and feeling like an outsider. He recalls a moment from his youth when he was late for school and a thunderstorm erupted, causing everything to go silent. This memory evokes a sense of isolation and fear, similar to the feeling of being at a party where you don't belong. He sings about the importance of standing up for oneself and not letting others define or diminish you. Despite the challenges, he holds onto the hope of finding someone who understands and accepts him.
Line by Line Meaning
I will surrender no more. To the wicked
dreams that wake me.
I won't let my nightmares control me anymore.
I've got to let it all go, not gonna overtake me.
I must release my troubles and fears, they won't consume me anymore.
An oasis in the sand, cover for wounded soldier.
A sanctuary in the desert, a hiding place for the hurt.
Everybody needs an open hand.
Everyone needs help sometimes.
Mine is empty, won't cha.
Help me, something 'bout ya
Tells me.
You're one a me kind.
My hand is empty, won't you lend me yours? There's something about you that makes me feel we're in the same boat.
I know where you are baby.
Show me your scars maybe I'll show you mine.
I understand what you're going through. Maybe you can trust me with your pain and I'll share mine with you as well.
I remember being late for school.
Clap of thunder and it all went silet.
Over in the corner like you.
At the party for the uninvited.
I recall being tardy for class. Suddenly, there's a deafening noise and everything goes quiet. Standing in the corner like you, feeling outcasted as if I'm at a bash I wasn't invited to.
Stand up when they call your
Name, and the lonely's multiplyin'.
No one can fell your pain.
Nobody hears you cryin'!
When they summon your name, rise up and be seen. But know that the more visible you become, the more lonely you may feel. Nobody truly comprehends your hurt, no one can perceive your tears.
I know where you are baby.
Show me your scars maybe I'll show you mine.
I know where you stand my dear. Maybe if you reveal your wounds to me, I'll summon the courage to uncover mine as well.
Help me, something 'bout ya tells me.
You're one a me kind.
I know where you are baby.
Show me your scars maybe I'll show you mine.
There's something about you that resonates with me. I can sense we're somewhat alike. I know where you're coming from love. Perhaps we can share our wounds with one another.
Writer(s): RICHARD MARX, PHILIP SAYCE
Contributed by Adeline P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Mark Stoddard
Wow - this tune just kills! Got groove coming from every side....gonna be on IPOD today....
mrszombiemummy
aside from being an amazing player Philip is one of the nicest guys on the planet
rooster196981
BUENISIMA CANCION ESO ES MUSICA
Serge Côté
It sound incredibly like Lenny Kravitz !
nattydreadboy
Booyah! Love the new band name. See you guys later tonight. One love.
Eugenio Tarulli
it sounds like the first period of Red Hot Chili Peppers!!! like it so much!! i'm italian so my english probably is bad.. i'm sorry :-)
Benny Serhalawan
I like this kind of song
Al Hall
Funkier than 3 day old socks...and that's a good thing!
Devin Hanson
0:25 philips shirt says "bj" anyways all kidding aside i really think philip is an amazing player and i really respect and admire him and think he's got boat loads of soul
Tee F
Sounds a lot like The Dead Daisies' "With You and I"... I know where some influence came from (from the Daisies!). Love both songs, though.