About Phil
My first ever memory is laying next to an electric guitar that was laid on my parents bed so I could hit the strings.
I played in bands through school and did all sorts of shows and concerts back then, most of the time using my first electric guitar - a Squire Bullet.
It was around 1986 that I saw a red Fender Stratocaster hanging in the window of a local music shop. I managed to convince my dad that he should buy it and let me pay him back. It was a Japanese 1986 Standard, and was £288! - I still have it to this day, and I still use it!
My first 'pro' band was 'Box Clever'. We toured all over the UK. Eventually it became a mixture of fun and tension as I began to try and introduce my own songs into the set. It was my first taste of trying to 'make it' - we recorded with UB40's Producer, performed for BBC Pebble Mill and even got Radio 1 airplay.
The next logical step was my own band. 'Rare Breed' was formed as a four piece, and then moved back to a three piece - guitar bass and drums. This was to be my prefered setup for a long time. The band ran for around four years, performing both cover versions and my own songs. Once more my songs had radio airplay, but nothing ever came close to getting my material out there.
I started to realise that the next move had to be to London. If I could only find a band working in the capital, I might get a break!
I moved to London in 1999 and began to setup a home studio in a bedroom. Even in these unsuitable conditions, I began to see that I had a skill in recording and production. After only six months, I moved house once more into Essex. This was the only way of being close to London, but being able to afford a house with the room for a pro studio.
The move to Essex proved to be the correct one. Within months, I had joined the band 'Rock Solid'. Although a covers band, This is where I met bass player Stew Mills, a very talented man, who has played in every project or band with me ever since!
I met Joe Pasquale, and quickly formed a friendship that saw me giving Joe a few guitar lessons, and him using the studio for some voice-over work and song recording.
This was to be the pattern of things to come, with the studio getting more of my time than my own songs. I even formed the fabulous band 'Job Done' to perform my own material, and although we performed and recorded, I was guilty of not putting the time into pushing the music.
I then went back to college, and studied for a NOCN level 3 in sound engineering and music production. I passed with a distinction!
I Decided to learn about hearing support systems for deaf and hard of hearing people. This has led to the on-going consultation and installation of PA and hearing systems throughout the UK. One of my on-going customers is Oxford University.
After a move to a bigger studio, I am now able to record a lot of my songs using my pro band 'Heartbeat'. Although we are a working covers band, we are also the Phil Ball Band. Stew Mills and Dave Engel are without doubt the best rhythm section I have ever had. As a very tight unit, we also make up Boddy Harrison's band 'Journey' with the addition of Maddie Maxwell on keyboards.
In the studio, this makes a ready-made band for singers / songwriters who want material performed with a band.
So here I am...I have a ready-made Pro band for hire, A PA hire company, A Buddy Holly tribute band and a recording studio.
Watch this space....