Phil McMullen
Encyclopedia
Phil McMullen lives in the West of England and spends his time between rearing chickens and vegetables writing about psychedelic
, improvised and experimental rock
& folk music
. He was the founding editor of the enormously influential Ptolemaic Terrascope
magazine from 1989 to 2005 (when management was handed over to Pat Thomas in North America
), and now runs a widely respected website
named Terrascope Online. Phil also founded the semi-annual Terrastock
indie rock
festivals
which take place in Britain and North America
.
In an interview published in 2005, Nick Saloman of The Bevis Frond
wrote of Phil, "Phil McMullen is one of that rare breed, a music fan who doesn't want to be a musician. Phil is, has been and always will be the kind of guy who is just happy to let the music take him to various faraway places. He has a deep knowledge, immaculate taste, and a startling ability to hear something in an unknown band which convinces him they'll become universally adored. And he's usually right. Why no major labels have ever offered him a job as head of A & R is a total mystery. Alternatively, if the BBC
are looking for someone to take over where John Peel
left off, Phil should be high up the list. He's been totally dedicated to The Ptolemaic Terrascope for 15 years, a dedication which has severely threatened his family relationships, his life savings, not to mention his sanity. He's been instrumental in organising the wonderful Terrastock Festivals. He's been a good friend to many people who've needed support when their careers have been going nowhere. Basically, what I'm trying to say is that Phil is a great writer with a brilliant ear for that magical whatever that makes bands big."
Psychedelic
The term psychedelic is derived from the Greek words ψυχή and δηλοῦν , translating to "soul-manifesting". A psychedelic experience is characterized by the striking perception of aspects of one's mind previously unknown, or by the creative exuberance of the mind liberated from its ostensibly...
, improvised and experimental rock
Experimental rock
Experimental rock or avant-garde rock is a type of music based on rock which experiments with the basic elements of the genre, or which pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique....
& folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
. He was the founding editor of the enormously influential Ptolemaic Terrascope
Ptolemaic Terrascope
Ptolemaic Terrascope is a magazine covering old and new music, usually of a psychedelic nature. It has been published irregularly since 1989...
magazine from 1989 to 2005 (when management was handed over to Pat Thomas in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
), and now runs a widely respected website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
named Terrascope Online. Phil also founded the semi-annual Terrastock
Terrastock
Terrastock is a music festival organised periodically by Phil McMullen, formerly editor of the Ptolemaic Terrascope and since 2005 the publisher of the Terrascope Online website. The event typically features independent bands playing psychedelic rock....
indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
festivals
Music festival
A music festival is a festival oriented towards music that is sometimes presented with a theme such as musical genre, nationality or locality of musicians, or holiday. They are commonly held outdoors, and are often inclusive of other attractions such as food and merchandise vending machines,...
which take place in Britain and North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.
In an interview published in 2005, Nick Saloman of The Bevis Frond
The Bevis Frond
The Bevis Frond is a British musical group whose range covers hard edge to melancholy vintage indie rock to poetic, "classic-rock" songcraft with a thick Walthamstow accent. Nick Saloman is the band's frontman and songwriter...
wrote of Phil, "Phil McMullen is one of that rare breed, a music fan who doesn't want to be a musician. Phil is, has been and always will be the kind of guy who is just happy to let the music take him to various faraway places. He has a deep knowledge, immaculate taste, and a startling ability to hear something in an unknown band which convinces him they'll become universally adored. And he's usually right. Why no major labels have ever offered him a job as head of A & R is a total mystery. Alternatively, if the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
are looking for someone to take over where John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
left off, Phil should be high up the list. He's been totally dedicated to The Ptolemaic Terrascope for 15 years, a dedication which has severely threatened his family relationships, his life savings, not to mention his sanity. He's been instrumental in organising the wonderful Terrastock Festivals. He's been a good friend to many people who've needed support when their careers have been going nowhere. Basically, what I'm trying to say is that Phil is a great writer with a brilliant ear for that magical whatever that makes bands big."