Tom Phillips - After the Fall/Complicated Man (1984)

This is a single that Fire Engine Red/Man of Constant Sorrow Lee Shedden lent us. We decided to break with tradition, and actually reach out to the person behind this. It's a scary, new way of doing things, and we're not sure how we feel about this.

The record is, of course, by local songwriter and Ironwood fixture Tom Phillips. What's notable about it is that it's from his time in Toronto, before he came to Calgary and was recorded with a notable crew. Phillips tells us it was recorded in 1984, at Inception Sound in Toronto with Gordon Lightfoot's band. The players were Terry Clements on guitar (and also the record's producer), Mike Heffernan on piano, Barry Keene on drums, Pee Wee Charles on pedal steel and bass was played by Peer Engelhard (who wasn't in Lightfoot's band).

These two songs are a pretty good indication of Phillips' dedication to his songwriting craft - the A side is a solid, hurtin' breakup song. Sadly, the B side suffers from some questionable production (that drum sound! It stings!).

Complicated, indeed!