Currently playing guitar for Bon Jovi, Phil X hails from Canada where he started his recording and touring career, before deciding to head south of the 49th parallel. In TRUE HOLLYWOOD STORY style, one day Phil was working for a messenger service, selling frozen meat out of a full-size freezer tied to the back of a pickup truck and painting the garage of a hot shot record producer and the next, trading the paintbrush for a Les Paul to play on Tommy Lee’s new project, Methods of Mayhem (MCA 1999). The new kid was on the block and had the heads a spinnin’. Playing for Tommy Lee led to playing for Rob Zombie, who gave Phil’s phone number to Alice Cooper (Phil played on “Brutal Planet”, Spitfire Records 2000), while becoming the in-house guitar player for producer Scott Humphrey laying down some “X Magic” on Andrew W.K.’s “I Get Wet”, BT’s “Emotional Technology” and more recordings by Tommy Lee and Rob Zombie. Not only did Phil record “Brick House” with Mr. Zombie for the “House of 1,000 Corpses” movie soundtrack, he performed the Commodores’ smash hit live on The Tonight Show (Jay Leno) with Rob and Lionel Ritchie as well. As Phil's name began to crop up in more and more circles, names such as Avril Lavigne, Kelly Clarkson, Daughtry, Chris Cornell, Orianthi and Adam Lambert were added to his credits with the list continuing to grow. Within the last few years, Phil has also created a phenomenal presence on YouTube with one of the channels he hosts, Fretted Americana, boasting 18 million views.
With that kind of exposure, it's not surprising that Phil would get the call to fill in for Richie Sambora in Bon Jovi while Richie took care of some personal issues. Phil played the last 13 US shows of the Circle Tour triggering rave reviews and the growth of his already expanding fan base.
Phil X & The Drills just released "WE BRING THE ROCK'N'ROLL" on iTunes with the cd to follow. It's everything Phil and the band love about the classics and modern rock and is a prime example of his powerful guitar, vocal and songwriting abilities.