Philip Sayce is a living, breathing, godmonster beast on the Stratocaster. But his chops, tone, feel, and great songs don’t come out of thin air. The man works hard. His latest record, The Wolves Are Coming, is a meditation on self-love, personal growth, and wicked women, dressed in blues, rock, funk, psychedelia, and superb vocals.
What was going on in your life that set The Wolves Are Coming in motion?
The last album I put out was Spirit Rising, during the pandemic. So there was no opportunity to promote it, which was a frustrating experience. I found myself for more than a year with no gigs, thinking, “What am I gonna do? I can either put my head in the sand, or I can use this as an extended off-season for training like an athlete.”
I put together a schedule, and every morning I’d put in three hours of practice on guitar, then for an hour I’d work on vocal exercises. And for three hours after that, I’d be writing. From that came the songs for The Wolves Are Coming. I didn’t know where it was going, but it was what I was feeling in the moment.
What was your guitar regimen during the pandemic?
I’d tell myself, “Anything I’m playing right now, I can play better.” I tried to get deeper, and kept refining, revising, and learning. I’m a student of music and I want to play better, so I kept pushing myself. I worked on patterns, runs, vibrato, string bending, and technique. I threw myself into it similar to when I first picked up the instrument – with a sense of awe and wonder. I wanted to explore and expand, knocking the dust off some things or developing new techniques from the ground up.
Did any new songs come out of your practice regimen?
I’m always open to exploring uncharted territories and new possibilities. A lot of these songs were conceived during that period and started coming into focus. “Backstabber” and “Oh! That Bitches Brew” were brand new during that time and reflected the texture of how I was feeling. There were some dark days and some good days, but I was really trying to channel the uncertainty of the times in those new songs.
“Blackbirds Fly Alone” is such a great tune.
I wrote that with Marti Frederiksen, who is an amazing, super-successful songwriter. We’ve written a bunch of songs together, and that one kept coming back to me, so it was important to include it on this album. It’s about honoring certain experiences in a relationship that are not in alignment; if something doesn’t feel quite right, you have to trust your intuition and believe in yourself even if the world is upside-down. It’s one of my favorite songs I’ve ever written.
You’ve mastered the fine art of mixing wah and Leslie sounds, as on “Your Love.” What’s going on there?
There are two guitar parts. For one, I used one of the first Clyde McCoy picture wahs, which is unlike any other wah I’ve ever owned. It’s got a perfect squawk and a very liquid sound. On one side you’ll hear that wah, and on the other side is a Leslie guitar sound definitely inspired by Jimmie Vaughan. I was trying to get a funky Vibratone sound and that really chunky vintage wah. We blended them, and it sounds like the whole thing is going through a Leslie, but it’s not… though it might as well have been (laughs).
What was your setup for “Oh! That Bitches Brew?”
I used a ’68 Super Reverb and a Cesar Diaz amp in stereo along with assorted fuzz pedals like the Diaz Texas Ranger, a few old Fuzzfaces, and my all-original ’63 Stratocaster. I also used a mid-’60s SG Junior. There’s a bit of Octavia to make it sound really scary (laughs).
Is your main guitar still the ’63?
I’m grateful to own two ’63 Strats. One is named Mother, the other is Big Daddy. They’re both my number one guitars. They have different sounds, but they’re both wonderful.
I started playing Paul Reed Smith guitars last year, and we’re about to announce some things we’re doing together. I’m astounded by the quality of the instruments Paul is making, in particular the Silver Sky. I had no idea they were so good; they complement the old Strats nicely. The Strats are like vintage muscle cars – they have this vibe and magic. The Silver Sky reminds me of a Tesla with power windows and air conditioning that stays in tune (laughs).
What next on your schedule?
I’m going back to Europe for dates starting in May. I just keep working and putting one foot in front of the other.
This article originally appeared in VG’s April 2024 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.
