15 February 2013 - 0 Comments

As fate had it this musician was given his first guitar at age fifteen after his dad ‘got lucky’ at the horses. By seventeen he was bashing out tunes in a heavy metal rock band and making a name for himself at pubs and festivals throughout the lower North Island of New Zealand.

Phil Stoodley then went on to spend the best part of his youth dedicating himself to working as a musician  ‘A Long Way From Home’, travelling across New Zealand in various cover bands. 

Come the early 2000s and Phil was touring the UK, Europe, US and Asia as a session player for one of New Zealand’s best loved and multi platinum selling band’s The Feelers.

A number of other successful musical ventures followed; Phil brought together and fronted the rock band Stoods, winners of the New Zealand Battle of the Bands, which also found him scooping up the “Best Songwriter” and “Best Singer” awards. Phil’s various musical projects went on to support a number of leading international bands such as Velvet Revolver, Simple Minds and Jimmy Barnes.

In recent times this dynamic artist has been writing, recording and producing from his own home studio both his own original songs along with those of emerging Kiwi artist, Hanna Grace. 2012 saw Phil co-write, produce and feature in a duet with Hanna Grace called InThe Rain. Phil has also written a number of melodies for TV, film and commercials.

Early 2010 brought Phil more recognition with the release of his first solo single Waiting For Thursday. Co-written with acclaimed New Zealand actor Leighton Cardno, the track entered into the New Zealand RadioScope 100 official music charts.

From mid 2012 until now Phil has been touring around South East Asia, performing, writing, and adding weight to his already heavy pack of experience.  

The first fully-fledged debut solo album from Phil, ‘No Surprise’ is a gentle midday mix, easy on the ears, void of pretention yet brimming with meaning. An album for those long, country drives, those relaxing Sunday afternoons. From the French twist Falling Apart to Stormy Weather ‘s coaxing pop, Phil takes us all on a personal journey.

Ironically, the album is surprisingly diverse; a mixed array of tracks from an artist who has successfully made a progression from his rock origins to the contemporary and quintessential sounds that is PHIL STOODLEY, ‘NO SURPRISE.

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