Phil Carmen
Encyclopedia
Phil Carmen is a Swiss musician and producer of Canadian heritage.
, Switzerland
. In Lucerne, he went to the Conservatory, but later studied bookkeeping
. In 1975, he decided to turn to music. With bassist Mike Thompson, he founded the duo Carmen & Thompson, playing especially country music. The single "Time Moves On" reached #31 on the Italian charts in 1980, and in 1981 they appeared at the San-Remo-Festival performing the song "Follow Me".
, Switzerland in 1982 and recorded two solo albums which attracted little attention until 1985, when he had a hit with the LP Walkin' the Dog, which reached #3 in the Swiss charts. The single "On My Way in LA" was his greatest success and climbed in the summer of 1985 to #18 in Germany and #9 in Switzerland. "On My Way in LA" was also used in the television series Wild West in 1988.
His 1986 album Wise Monkeys hit #1 on the Swiss charts, while the single "Moonshine Still" reached #10. His last successful album as a solo artist was City Walls (1987), which went to #10 in Switzerland. The corresponding promotional tour led to the Live in Montreux album with the same band line up of Brian Auger
on organ, Pick Withers
and Larry E. Van on drums, Dick Morrissey
on sax, Steve Dawson on trumpet, Steve Evens on bass, and Sabine van Baaren, backing vocals.
In 1986 he founded the country band Clover Leaf. His 1993 album Skyline again featured Dick Morrissey and also Richard Tee
. In 1996 he released an album of Bob Dylan
covers, Bob Dylan's Dream, as well as the album Drive and a greatest hits compilation, Cool & Collected: Best of Phil Carmen and Mike Thompson. His subsequent releases include On My Way in L.A. (1999), Back from L.A. Live (1999), No Sweat (2007), and two greatest hits collections, Millennium Collection (2002) and My Way: Hits & Rarities (2007).
Early career
Carmen grew up in Frankfurt am Main, Germany and in LucerneLucerne
Lucerne is a city in north-central Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of that country. Lucerne is the capital of the Canton of Lucerne and the capital of the district of the same name. With a population of about 76,200 people, Lucerne is the most populous city in Central Switzerland, and...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. In Lucerne, he went to the Conservatory, but later studied bookkeeping
Bookkeeping
Bookkeeping is the recording of financial transactions. Transactions include sales, purchases, income, receipts and payments by an individual or organization. Bookkeeping is usually performed by a bookkeeper. Bookkeeping should not be confused with accounting. The accounting process is usually...
. In 1975, he decided to turn to music. With bassist Mike Thompson, he founded the duo Carmen & Thompson, playing especially country music. The single "Time Moves On" reached #31 on the Italian charts in 1980, and in 1981 they appeared at the San-Remo-Festival performing the song "Follow Me".
Solo career
After seven years of stage experience Phil Carmen founded the Picar Studios in Stein am RheinStein am Rhein
Stein am Rhein is a municipality in the canton of Schaffhausen in Switzerland.The town has a well-preserved medieval centre, retaining the ancient street plan. The site of the city wall, and the city gates are preserved, though the former city wall now consists of houses...
, Switzerland in 1982 and recorded two solo albums which attracted little attention until 1985, when he had a hit with the LP Walkin' the Dog, which reached #3 in the Swiss charts. The single "On My Way in LA" was his greatest success and climbed in the summer of 1985 to #18 in Germany and #9 in Switzerland. "On My Way in LA" was also used in the television series Wild West in 1988.
His 1986 album Wise Monkeys hit #1 on the Swiss charts, while the single "Moonshine Still" reached #10. His last successful album as a solo artist was City Walls (1987), which went to #10 in Switzerland. The corresponding promotional tour led to the Live in Montreux album with the same band line up of Brian Auger
Brian Auger
Brian Auger is a jazz and rock keyboardist, who has specialized in playing the Hammond organ.A jazz pianist, bandleader, session musician and Hammond B3 player, Auger has played or toured with artists such as Rod Stewart, Tony Williams, Jimi Hendrix, Sonny Boy Williamson, Led Zeppelin, Eric Burdon...
on organ, Pick Withers
Pick Withers
David "Pick" Withers was the original drummer for the rock band Dire Straits and played on their first four albums, which included hit singles such as "Sultans of Swing," "Romeo and Juliet" and "Private Investigations."...
and Larry E. Van on drums, Dick Morrissey
Dick Morrissey
Richard Edwin "Dick" Morrissey was a British jazz musician and composer. He played the tenor sax, soprano sax and flute.- Background :...
on sax, Steve Dawson on trumpet, Steve Evens on bass, and Sabine van Baaren, backing vocals.
In 1986 he founded the country band Clover Leaf. His 1993 album Skyline again featured Dick Morrissey and also Richard Tee
Richard Tee
Richard Tee was a pianist, studio musician, singer and arranger.Tee graduated from the High School of Music and Art and attended the Manhattan School of Music. Though better known as a studio and session musician, Tee led a jazz ensemble, the Richard Tee Committee, and was a founding member of the...
. In 1996 he released an album of Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
covers, Bob Dylan's Dream, as well as the album Drive and a greatest hits compilation, Cool & Collected: Best of Phil Carmen and Mike Thompson. His subsequent releases include On My Way in L.A. (1999), Back from L.A. Live (1999), No Sweat (2007), and two greatest hits collections, Millennium Collection (2002) and My Way: Hits & Rarities (2007).
Carmen & Thompson
- 1980 "Time Moves On" (Single)
- 1981 "Follow Me" (Single)
- 19?? "Indian Queens" (Single)
- 19?? "The Sun Goes Down" (Single)
- 1994 Greatest Hits
Albums
- 1982 Phrases, Patterns an' Shades
- 1982 Backfire
- 1985 Walkin' the Dog
- 1986 Wise Monkeys
- 1987 City Walls
- 1987 Live in Montreux
- 1988 Changes
- 1991 Drive
- 1992 The Best of 10 Years 1982-1992, Cool & Collected
- 1993 No Strings Attached
- 1993 Skyline
- 1993 Great Hits (Live)
- 1994 Back From L.A. Live
- 1995 No sweat
- 1996 Bob Dylan's DreamBob Dylan's Dream"Bob Dylan's Dream" is a song written by Bob Dylan in 1963. It was recorded by Dylan on April 24, 1963, and was released by Columbia Records a month later on the album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan....
- 1999 Back from L.A. Live
Singles
- 1985 On My Way in LA (Germany #18, Austria #23, Switzerland #9)
- 1986 Borderline Down
- 1986 Moonshine Still (Germany #33, Switzerland #10)
- 1987 Workaholic Slave (Maxi Single)
- 1988 God's Creation
- 1991 Borderline Down (Germany #52)
- 1993 One Foot in Heaven
- 1995 No Sweat