Born in Cork, Ireland and brought up on the edge of Dublin, Phil Harrington’s youth emerged through a swirl of music; his father singing ‘rebel songs’ of the day, often focusing on Irish folklore. His mother, by contrast, classically trained, operatic and dramatic.
Somewhere between the two came Phil’s constant muse. By the age of eight he was sitting earnestly behind the house piano, copying the songs of the day….copying the vocals from the radio. Too young to use this musicality to connect with his own feelings, he drifted from his talent.
By the time of adulthood, Phil was schooled in medicine although his rising artistic leanings guided him towards other ventures – where he befriended Bob Geldof, before discovering ‘alternative medicine’ and in particular sound healing and music therapy, which seemed to make more sense.
However, during a Dublin based workshop on personal transformation that Phil rediscovered his true calling. He now admits to being ‘in a mess’, with pain, stress, loss of love and a huge swirl of emotion welling up from within.
He knew, from that day, he had to let that pain out.
He knew he had to sing. Play music. Write. Perform
The simplicity of that answer astonished him and he began writing his debut (solo) album, VOCE, a disparate blend of contemporary style….an unlikely meeting place where ambient dance, folk, acid jazz and celtic influences would settle. The ambiance gently soothed by a production team, including Pete Briquette. It was a beginning.
By the time of adulthood, Phil was schooled in medicine although his rising artistic leanings guided him towards other ventures – before discovering holistic medicine and in particular sound healing and music therapy, which seemed to make more sense. The simplicity of that answer astonished him and out of vocal improvisation and the creation of a spontaneous singing workshop named VOCE he began writing his debut (solo) album by the same name (1996), a disparate blend of contemporary style….an unlikely meeting place where ambient dance, folk, acid jazz and celtic influences would settle, the ambiance gently soothed by a production team, including Pete Briquette, Peter Davis and Paul McKenna.
His second album, The Laundry Room followed in 2008, whose songs are drawn from a three year period of undiagnosed illness from which he was able to recover. The album was produced by Pete Briquette of The Boomtown Rats.
In 2014, Phil started playing the guitar on a daily basis out of which emerged the writing of a third album of songs titled, Revolution Of Your Heart, which he is looking forward to releasing in 2026. Work has already begun on his next album..