Phil Aldridge

Phil Aldridge was educated at Trinity College of Music in London, then at Berklee College of Music, a jazz conservatoire in Boston, Massachusetts. He had already soaked up a host of musical styles from both sides of the Atlantic by his early twenties.
On his return to England, as a pianist, drummer, percussionist and with a considerable knowledge of musical direction, and arranging for an orchestra, Phil embarked on a new phase of his career as a musical director. Demand was immediate and Phil soon found himself
undertaking extensive concert tours playing keyboards, percussion and drums with the likes of Shalimar, George McCrae, The Real Thing, Junior Walker & The All-Stars, The Crystals,Jimmy Ruffin, Jean Carbe, Ben E King, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, Rose Royce, Edwin Starr, Boney M, Precious Wilson, Sister Sledge, and as tour manager with Tony Bennett.
Then, during the summer of ‘96, Phil found himself feverishly pacing the floor of his lounge unable to believe that the concert he had seen the night before was part of the last tour The Eagles would ever do!
Slowly but surely light began to filter through the darkness and the idea of forming a tribute band began to take shape, selfish maybe, but at least his idea would be the ideal way by which he could hear his favourite songs played over and over again. From some of the best rock musicians on the scene Phil assembled a band he knew would do justice to The Eagles, musicians who could recreate the sound and style of the legends who had attracted a quarter of a million dedicated fans to their concert at Wembley Stadium on that night in 1996.
After several months of ideas, discussions, rehearsals, hard work, long hours and more rehearsals Phil's brainchild came to fruition.......The Illegal Eagles were born!
In the Illegal Eagles Phil switches from drums to percussion to keyboards and, of course, vocals. The secret to achieving the Eagles sound has been finding the surprise ingredient that is present somewhere in all their harmonies. "Sometimes we would rehearse one song for days without finding that secret, but when we did, the effect was astonishing and the answer always surprisingly simple!"
Phil must have something of the gipsy about him as, apart from rehearsing and touring with The Illegal Eagles, he has found time to move house three times in as many years. He, together with manager Hal Carter, have founded Southend's first Rock School and rehearsal complex (Nightfly - after his favourite album), which boast Phil and an entourage of instrumental teachers, offering the comprehensive training and encouragement that he, himself, had to travel abroad to find.