The band 'Phil Gardner' was formed from a collection of cells and regressive genes which burst forth from my mother's womb in 1973. I didn't pick up a guitar until almost 18 years later, by which time I was already playing drums in a couple of bands, both of which sank without trace, despite having that most important of qualities - a cool name. I turned to singing and songwriting, only to discover I couldn't get a tune out of my drums to accompany myself. Hence the shift towards guitar.
I started seriously writing songs in 1993. Ten years later I find myself in the inexplicable position of not being a worldwide music phenomenon.
By day I'm a writer of plays, films and comedy scripts. By night I'm asleep. But somewhere in the middle I still find time to write the occasional song, which I insist on recording in my living room with a battered old microphone, in an attempt to keep it real.
I play live almost every day in my living room, in front of a specially invited audience made up, primarily, of my two cats. I've also been known to play in public from time to time. Until people tell me to stop.
Martyn Joseph, Neil Finn, The Senators.
I love you all.