Damn. That guy shreds! I hope the bOINGbOING effect works in his favor.

Wow, so glad to see this guy getting some attention. I saw him playing in at the Union Square L train station here in NYC about a year ago, and let me say, watching the guy play live is pretty wild. Wild enough that I went home and bought his album off iTunes. Helluva good time he is! Fans of him also might like brooklyn boys O'death.

http://www.myspace.com/odeath

Another great live act with a bourbon soaked bluegrass feel.

i saw him play in the subway in NYC. he had a little green suitcase with a kickdrum pedal taped to it and he was rocking hard. i bought a CD but it's all relaxed, slow, beautiful stuff. thanks for remind me of this, now i'm going to search out some of the raucous stuff.

Am I old because I couldn't get through the epileptic video editing despite liking the music?

I saw him open for Clem Snide in Brooklyn some years ago, and he inspired me to take up the banjo. He's amazing to see live.. I have to say I don't think this particular video is doing him any huge favors, but it's always a pleasure to hear him.

He's good, but here in Alabama I've heard plenty of old timers play just as fast and intensely. That's nothing new.

Awesome performance! The editing is distracting, but there were some great shots buried in there.

I'll be damned, I knew this cat from in high school in Virginia - back when he played the synthesizer! Haven't thought of him in 20 years but he's a top guy in every respect so I hope he's able to finally get his big break.

If you're old, I'm old. And, well... I'm old. Great music, but the video gave me a micro-stroke.

Years ago he used to front a band called the Brooklyn Browngrass which had a weekly gig at The Stinger bar in Williamsburg. I saw these guys just about every Monday night while I was just starting to learn the banjo myself. Their show on Sept. 10, 2001 made me too hungover to get to work on time the next morning and safely far away from downtown Manhattan. Glad to see that he's getting some boing boing recognition.

Gotta go with EH about the video doing him no favors. There are better tunes on his website, particularly "Be My Little Widow", "Carrick Bend", and "Ball Turrett Blues". These relax into the pocket better.

Also, he plays neither Scruggs, which is a far more syncopated three-finger style with a distinct vocabulary, nor clawhammer, which is a two finger approach that uses downstrokes by the back or the middle or index fingernails. You can see plenty of real clawhammer on youtube just by using that as your keyword.

A talented player, but his style is more reminiscent of the two-finger players that predated Scruggs in the 30s.

By the way. Let me just put it in print.

I LOVE BOING BOING

I get tipped to so much cool stuff here.

Actually he's described his picking style as Travis picking which is a popular country guitar style. It's characterized by an alternating thumb - finger pattern where the thumb hits the majority of the melody notes. There is a picking pattern in Scruggs style that's similar as well as some clawhammer styles that are similar as well. It's almost like clawhammer with fingerpicks, like slideguy said reminiscent of folks like Wade Mainer or Snuffy Jenkins from the '30s.

That was Great.

Banjo playing isn't glamourous i guess.
Billy connolley made some joke about "you never hear anyone say, thats the banjo players porche out the front"

hope he gets any fame hes after thought, Really good track.

No, or I am old too... I felt the same way. I watched until it started flashing white and doing the kaleidoscope effect and then I was done. The guy is impressive but I'd rather just watch him perform with one straight camera shot.

This guy kind of reminds me of a skinny Henry Rollins.

First caught him in 2002 in NYC at the Va Va Voom Room burlesque/cabaret show (which is also highly recommended). He was fantastic and easily the highlight of a very entertaining night. Bought his CD from him at the end of the evening, but it unfortunately doesn't capture the live energy. With some sort of rope, cord, belt, or buckle attached to every appendage, he works up quite a sweat that only be appreciated live. The videos -- especially the seizure inducing editing -- do him no justice.

Am I the only one who was bothered, not so much by the seizure inducing editing (although that was bad enough) but by the fact that they kept flipping the video so it looked like he was playing left handed? I'd rather have the camera take one or maybe two angles and occasionally focus in on his hands so I can see how he does it.

Wonderful music on an instrument that I've heard is pretty tough to play. Thanks Phil - lose the vid editor.

I was also wondering whether the flipping around of the video was two separate takes of him PLAYING THE DAMN SONG LEFT AND RIGHT HANDED and then cut together, or whether they've just mirrored the image. Like Omir said, I'd much rather have a steadier shot so I can see what his fingers are doing from time to time.

Can anyone even play the guitar/banjo/ukelele/whatever either-handed?

Not the only one Omir - the flipped video bugged me like crazy. I bought the 'One Man Band' album tonight, pretty awesome. Going to have to try and find him in the subway soon.

I agree with caldrix and EH on this one.

Spastic editing utterly ruins what would otherwise be a pretty enjoyable clip.

I think I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I have heard a musician play and then went out and bought the album. This guy is amazing!

I used to see Phil playing around NYC back in '00 or '01 and I always stopped to listen to a song and maybe drop him a dollar. One day I bought a CD from him while he was playing in Union Square and it remains one of my favorite albums. It's great to hear that he's still around doing his thing!

Word to your Mother! You Rule!
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That song rocked but the editing gave me the lazy eye. And a headache. It was like the opening credits of Metalocalypse.

Sounds similar to what Hat Fitz does with a guitar. Mad, raucous, country-tinged "blooze".

Why is this guy called a ninja? I thought he was going to start kicking or flipping. He has a woodsy old timey sound...cool.

Way awesome! Loved it.

Also check out Matt Rach Run Or Die on youtube

v=hsFys7VIMto

I knew Phillip in high school. Nicest guy ever! Glad to see his talent getting some recognition.

Two things: 1)Just got my Phillip Roebuck CD in the mail. Awesome! 2) I thought the video was great! Eat it, naysayers! I just wish the album with that track on it was available as a CD and not just a download.