Phil Taylor (musician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Phil Taylor
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Taylor at Afan Lido, Port Talbot in 1982
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Philip John Taylor |
| Also known as | Philthy Animal |
| Born | 21 September 1954 Hasland, Derbyshire, England |
| Died | 12 November 2015 (aged 61) London, England |
| Genres |
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| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Drums |
| Years active | 1975–2015 |
Philip John Taylor (born September 21, 1954 – died November 12, 2015) was an English drummer. Many people knew him as "Philthy Animal". He was famous for being a member of the rock band Motörhead.
Phil played drums for Motörhead for many years. He was with them from 1975 to 1984 and again from 1987 to 1992. During his time, he helped create eleven studio albums and four live albums. The group with Phil, Lemmy, and "Fast" Eddie Clarke is often called the 'classic' Motörhead lineup.
About Phil Taylor's Life
Early Life and Joining Motörhead
Phil Taylor was born on September 21, 1954, in Hasland, England. He grew up in Leeds, a city in Yorkshire. His father suggested he take drum lessons. Phil studied drums at the Leeds College of Music.
In 1975, Phil met Lemmy, the leader of Motörhead. Phil joined the band and replaced their first drummer, Lucas Fox. Lemmy said that Phil had a car, which was helpful for getting to the studio. Phil then introduced Lemmy to guitarist "Fast" Eddie Clarke. Phil and Eddie had worked together before, painting a houseboat.
Playing with Injuries
After recording the famous Ace of Spades album in 1980, Phil had a serious accident. He broke his neck after being dropped on his head by a friend. Even with a neck brace, Phil kept playing drums for Motörhead. You can see him with the brace in the music video for "Ace of Spades".
Because of this injury, Phil had a noticeable lump on the back of his neck. People sometimes called it his "knob." This lump was thought to be a calcium deposit from his neck injury. Phil also once broke his hand. He kept playing by taping his drumstick to his hand until it healed.
Leaving and Returning to Motörhead
Phil left Motörhead in 1984. The next year, he played with a band called Waysted. He also formed a band called Operator with Brian Robertson, who used to play guitar for Motörhead and Thin Lizzy. In 1986, Phil toured with Frankie Miller.
Phil returned to Motörhead in 1987. He said he always regretted leaving and that it felt like a "three-year holiday." He continued to play with the band until 1992. His performance was not as strong, and he eventually left the band after recording the song "I Ain't No Nice Guy."
Other Music Projects
From 2005 to 2008, Phil played drums for a group called The Web of Spider. He worked with Whitey Kirst on guitar and Max Noce on bass. After that, Phil started a project with guitarist Chris Holmes, who was in the band W.A.S.P..
In 2009, Phil joined the American thrash metal band Overkill for a show. They played a Motörhead song that Overkill was named after. Phil also played drums for Mick Farren and The Deviants sometimes. He appeared on their albums Dr. Crow (2002), Sheep in Wolves' Clothing (2008), and Portobello Shuffle (2009).
On November 6, 2014, Phil reunited with Lemmy and Clarke on stage. This happened at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham. He joined Motörhead for their classic song "Ace of Spades" and waved to the crowd.
Phil Taylor's Death
Phil Taylor passed away on November 12, 2015, in London. He was 61 years old and had been ill. The cause of his death was liver failure.
Lemmy told Classic Rock magazine that he was very sad to lose one of his best friends. He also remembered Michael "Würzel" Burston, another former Motörhead guitarist who died in 2011.
Lemmy himself died less than seven weeks later, on December 28, 2015. Then, on January 10, 2018, "Fast Eddie" Clarke also passed away. This meant that none of the members from Motörhead's classic lineup were still alive.
Music Phil Taylor Played On
Motörhead Albums
- On Parole (recorded 1975–76, released in 1979)
- Motörhead (1977)
- Overkill (1979)
- Bomber (1979)
- Ace of Spades (1980)
- No Sleep 'til Hammersmith (1981)
- Iron Fist (1982)
- Another Perfect Day (1983)
- Rock 'n' Roll (1987)
- Nö Sleep at All (1988)
- 1916 (1991)
- March ör Die (1992) – only on the song "I Ain't No Nice Guy"
Other Recordings
- The Muggers Tapes – a live recording from a few gigs. Phil played drums with "Fast" Eddie Clarke and John "Speedy" Keen on guitar, and Billy Wrath on bass. This album was a bonus with a Best of Motörhead release.
- Naughty Old Santa's Christmas Classics (1989)
- GMT One By One 12" single (1989)
- GMT War Games – a CD with the same songs plus one more (1991)
- The Deviants Have Left the Planet – Phil played drums with Mick Farren on vocals and Larry Wallis on guitar (1999)
- Sheep in Wolves' Clothing – a tribute CD for the Motorheadbangers fan club. It features the Deviants with Mick Farren on vocals, Andy Colquhoun on guitar, David Ito on bass, and Phil Taylor on drums. They re-recorded the Motörhead / Farren song "Lost Johnny" for this CD, released on April 7, 2008.
- Philthy Lies – a Little Villains album, released after his death (2019)
- Taylor Made – a Little Villains album, released after his death (2020)
Other Appearances
- Phil appeared in the Girlschool music video for their 1980 song "Yeah, Right." He was dressed in drag and holding a rolling pin.
- Classic Albums – Ace of Spades (DVD). Phil is interviewed and plays drums on several classic songs from the Ace of Spades album.
See also
In Spanish: Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor para niños
