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.
Steamroller
Philip Sayce Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like sweet molasses
She′s more woman than a man could ever need
Steamroller got x-ray vision
She knows just what I want
And she knows just how to give it to me
Steam... roller
Steam... roller
Steam
Steamroller
She custom-loaded
She smells like cinnamon
Tastes like gasoline
Steamroller
Got my heart all pumpin'
She crawl all over me and ride on, ride on
Steamroller
She got me in a corner
She throw me on the ground
As she rolls all over me
Steamroller
Got my money in her hand
She knows just what I want
And she knows just how to give it for me
Steam... roller
Steam... steamroller
Steam... roller
Steam
Oh, baby, I′ve got something for you right now
It looks like this
Yeah, baby, take your time
Steam... steamroller
Steam... steamroller
Steam... roller
Steam
The song "Steamroller" by Philip Sayce is a blues-rock anthem about a woman who is more than enough for the singer. He compares her to a "steamroller," meaning she is powerful and unstoppable. He describes her as having "x-ray vision," suggesting that she knows exactly what he wants and knows how to give it to him. She is custom-loaded, meaning she is unique and one-of-a-kind. She smells like cinnamon and tastes like gasoline, suggesting that she is both sweet and dangerous. The singer describes how she gets his heart pumping and crawls all over him. She knows just what he wants and has his money in her hand. She throws him on the ground and rolls all over him like a steamroller.
Overall, the song is about the intoxicating power of a woman who is confident and knows what she wants. The steamroller is a metaphoric representation of this woman's strength and intensity. The lyrics are gritty and raw, emphasizing the blues-rock nature of the song. The repetition of "Steam... Roller" in the chorus adds to the hypnotic and almost trance-like quality of the song, making it easy to get lost in the rhythm and lose yourself to the steamroller's power.
Line by Line Meaning
Steamroller
The woman being referred to as a steamroller, perhaps due to her dominance and powerful presence.
Like sweet molasses
The woman being described to have a slow, but alluring quality to her, much like how molasses flows.
She's more woman than a man could ever need
The woman's femininity is her most striking feature, such that it could surpass any man's expectations of what a woman should be.
Steamroller got x-ray vision
The woman is perceptive, almost supernatural in her understanding of the artist's desires.
She knows just what I want
The woman understands the artist's needs and wants, without him having to explicitly communicate it.
And she knows just how to give it to me
The woman is able to satisfy the singer in a way that he couldn't get from anyone else.
She custom-loaded
The woman has been tailored to the singer's specifications, and she is the perfect match for him.
She smells like cinnamon
The woman has a distinct, pleasant aroma that the artist finds appealing.
Tastes like gasoline
The woman has an edge to her, much like the sharp smell of gasoline.
Got my heart all pumpin'
The artist's heart is racing in anticipation and excitement of being with this woman.
She crawl all over me and ride on, ride on
The woman takes charge and leads the singer on an exhilarating ride that he never wants to end.
She got me in a corner
The woman has complete control over the artist and he is powerless to resist her.
She throw me on the ground
The woman is forceful and dominant, taking charge of the situation and putting the singer in his place.
As she rolls all over me
The woman is physically and emotionally entwined with the singer, making it impossible for him to resist her.
Got my money in her hand
The woman has a hold on the singer, and he willingly gives her anything she wants.
Oh, baby, I've got something for you right now
The artist is eager to please the woman and give her what she desires.
It looks like this
The artist is offering himself to the woman, fully and willingly.
Yeah, baby, take your time
The singer is patient and willing to wait for the woman to take charge and lead him on yet another thrilling journey.
Writer(s): David W. Jr Cobb, Philip Owen Sayce
Contributed by Miles Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Scipted
Great song 🎧 killing those strat tones……
@ringtherong4372
The blues is revived, thanks to Philip!
@tomgrandson
I'm stuck with my playing and didn't know where to go further. I finally found my new inspiration
@MelissadeBlok
One of those rare artists where the live version blows the recorded version out of the water (and on a dinky little Yamaha at that!). <3
@TIMxisxHERE
klopt helemaal melissa.
@thomdushane
He didn't have his strat?
@connorknudsen5602
mission accomplished goose bumps
@tele100
I got the single, now the wait for the complete album! Thanks Philip
@thebuzz68
heellll yeah! that's the stuff Phil!!!
@EvGraymusic
Goin for blood