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.
Sweet Misery
Philip Sayce Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Maybe i'm losin' my mind
Anyone who looks through my soul
They can see that i'm all alone
Someone said she washed away
Thought i saw her yesterday
Something in my mind just wanted to believe
My sweet misery
Feeling blue this place seems dead
Can't find the strength to get out of bed
But i'm afraid to leave my home
Cause everybody's out for their own
Wind is blowin' can you hear my cries
I know you're out there under these skies
Maybe someday i'll find out why
Until that day i'll try, i'll try to get by
Someone said she washed away
Thought i saw her yesterday
Something in my mind just wanted to believe
A new day is coming and i would leave behind
My sweet misery
The lyrics of "Sweet Misery" by Philip Sayce express feelings of loneliness, fear, and uncertainty. The singer acknowledges that they are struggling internally, feeling like they are losing their mind and can't hide their emotions from the world. Despite their inner turmoil, they long for a better future, hoping to leave their "sweet misery" behind. They are afraid to leave their home, though, as the world appears indifferent to their struggles and focused solely on their own well-being.
The mention of seeing someone who "washed away" suggests a loss or breakup that has impacted the singer's emotional state. While they want to believe they saw this person recently, they are aware that it may just be their mind playing tricks on them. The wind blowing and the singer's cries serve as a reminder that they are not alone in their struggles, though, and that someday they may find a source of comfort and understanding.
Overall, "Sweet Misery" offers a poignant depiction of the often-overwhelming nature of depression and loneliness. The song encourages listeners to acknowledge their feelings and hold onto hope that brighter days may be ahead.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't hide what i feel inside
I am unable to conceal my true feelings
Maybe i'm losin' my mind
Perhaps I am going crazy
Anyone who looks through my soul
Those who peer into my innermost being
They can see that i'm all alone
Can discern that I am lonely
Someone said she washed away
I heard that she disappeared
Thought i saw her yesterday
I believed I caught a glimpse of her the other day
Something in my mind just wanted to believe
Some part of me desires to trust
A new day is coming and i would leave behind
A fresh dawn approaches and I intend to abandon
My sweet misery
My bitter despair
Feeling blue this place seems dead
Feeling sad, this area appears lifeless
Can't find the strength to get out of bed
Lacking motivation to rise from my bed
But i'm afraid to leave my home
Yet, I am too fearful to depart from my residence
Cause everybody's out for their own
Because everyone is looking out for themselves
Wind is blowin' can you hear my cries
As the wind blows, do you perceive my lamentations
I know you're out there under these skies
I know you exist somewhere under this sky
Maybe someday i'll find out why
One day, I might learn the reasoning behind
Until that day i'll try, i'll try to get by
In the meantime, I am going to attempt to survive
Contributed by Caroline O. 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!