See You Later Forever by Phil Burdett

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'See you later, forever' (Suburban Mythic Records). "One of the great undiscovered talents of the last twenty years. This beautiful collection of songs will break your heart and have you drinking black coffee till late in the evening."

Ralph Dartford - Bloomsbury Theatre

"Burdett resolutely remains one of the music businesses best kept secrets. In recent years I've looked on, perplexed and aghast, as the niche he could occupy with consummate ease gets hi-jacked by the likes of bloody David Gray."

Paulo Buckley

"Why Phil Burdett is currently entrenched playing local wine bars (and not on his latest world tour) remains a mystery of Vanessa Feltzian proportions."

New Music International

"Good music irrespective of style, has the abiliity to transcend its surroundings, transport the listener, and indeed appear to stop time. Phil Burdett's music possesses these qualitites and much more...Phil writes and performs straight from the heart, and when I hear Phil he still touches mine. Listen to this record and take it home to yours.

Mary Costello 1996 - radio presenter GLR

"...the fact that he isn't playing arenas and selling millions of records shows how little the music industry knows about talent."

invisiblehands.co.uk

Hailing from Basildon in Essex, Phil Burdett learned guitar aged 6 from his older brother's teaching & album collection. Early favourites included John Fahey, Van Morrison, Stevie Wonder (especially Talking Book & Music Of My Mind) and sundry other blues & folk recordings.

After leaving school with no major qualifications other than disillusionment & left-wing tendencies PB began writing his own songs & performing in local punk-based clubs around Essex & London.

Early attempts at groups split up or dissolved (one post-school combo, the charmingly named Norman & The Worms included schoolfriend & future Depeche Mode person Martin Gore!) and the prevailing trend for synth pop drove Burdett to the acoustic music circuit where a firm and loyal fan base was established.

Phil's music came to the attention of Mary Costello (host of much missed popular GLR music show & ex-wife of one Elvis!) and BBC film maker Ray Hough who made a documentary about Phil on the BBC series 'Open Space'. This engaging documentary entitiled 'Give Me Memphis, Basildon' secured Phil and his band a record deal with F-Beat (part of Demon Records). A CD 'Diesel Poems' appeared in 1993 that, despite the TV programme & a subsequent solo tour supporting Judie Tzuke, sold only moderately. A few more gigs & the band dissolved.

Phil continued to write prolifically (over 400 are documented by the guru Pavling!) but live & indeed sober appearances were now scarce. PB's publisher at this time was Eaton Music Ltd. whose A&R dept. was run by Essex lad John Boughtwood. With his help a new deal was made with Prestige Records and with the backing of Essex soul musicians Patchouli Electric was produced.

By this time PB had relocated to Southend on the Essex coast & his personal life remained in flux with a renewed fervour for the publife of the seafront.

Then, following a disastrous & emotionally draining episode he wrote "21 songs in 2 weeks" that he demoed at a friend's house on guitar & piano added on 2 track. Though rough (and sloppy as the house contained a wine cellar!)

PB found the simple results much to his liking and decided to record the 9 most relevant songs properly but retaining the laid back feel.

THREE years later(!!!) the CD 'See You Later, Forever' was completed using top local musicians such as Phil Aldridge (it was recorded at Aldridge's studio Nightfly), Terry Lewis, Grev Parker & the late lamented pianist Pete Jacobsen who sadly died before the CD was completed and to whom it is dedicated. orded and released in 1996. The album sold less than Diesel Poemsdespite a concerted attempt at a more commercial sound.

Phil still lives & drinks, in Southend.

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