It’s with great sadness that I just found out that Dave Phillips has passed away.
I’ve been thinking a lot about him lately, and we have had some communication with each other over the years. I noticed that he hasn’t uploaded anything on YouTube for a year and started searching for him on the 'Net. Surprisingly, it seems to me that the passing has gone unnoticed in the Linux audio community, including me, which reminds me that one must always keep in touch and keep an eye on the loved and near ones, and also people who have had an impact on one’s life.
Dave Phillips was such a person who had a great impact on my life. With his articles in the Linux Journal, he was instrumental in getting me into music again after a hiatus for nearly ten years, and the game changer was an article about getting started with Ardour. And as an excellent musician and composer, he inspired me to work as a musician and go on to sound engineer again, and not bother about my age. I’m 63 years old as I write this, and I make a living from music even up to this day. Thanks, David, and also a big thanks to Paul Davis and the Ardour gang, who have made it possible to work professionally in the Linux environment.
I think that it’s sad that the passing of Dave happened so quietly, so it seems to me anyway. He was a very prominent figure in the Linux audio community and should not go unnoticed. I provide some links below so you can see how incredibly versatile and boundary-free he was; he did everything from doing singer-songwriter stuff to computer music and experimenting with anything from VCV to Csound
I had just discovered this in the past 6 months as well and was deeply saddened as Dave collaborated with me on a Blues album just a few years ago. He had reached out early in his illness but obviously as things progressed he drew closer to his inner circle and family and correspondence lessened and I was quite shocked when I found his obituary how long it had been since he passed away. As noted he was an incredibly talented composer, songwriter and performer and had an inexhaustible curiosity as his interest in modular synthesis demonstrated in his later years. So much in Linux Audio would be different without Dave’s influence and journalism in it’s early development, what an amazing man indeed.
With a hearty laugh and a bluesy voice he inspired not just me, but the Linux Audio Community at large. He was always at the lookout for interesting technology new and old from AV Synthesis, to modular software synths, he mastered CSound while playing Blues guitar. Most importantly he shared his discoveries, music and adventures (and countless bug reports).
We would no be here without him.
On a personal note:
Low on budget, Dave and me shared a Super 8 Motel room during the Linux Audio Conference at Stanford 2012. We had never met in person before and already talked Linux all day at the conference. So after a bit of silence, riding to the motel at night we turned on the radio. “Hotel California” blasted out the speakers and we both stared singing the guitar solo. I won’t forget the rides to/from the Motel. Best Carpool Karaoke in my memory.
A few years later he shared stems of a song for everyone to remix or reinterpret, which spawned a lot of covers in the community. It’s still in my ear as if it was yesterday.
Dave’s been a huge inspiration, mentor and friend for me as well (on IRC, as we never met in person). I had read his articles in the early 2000s and was so excited when he appeared on the JAD IRC channel.
We had great times talking about Linux Audio or all kinds of music we liked or made ourselves, and he never ended to surprise me with what his next project was about…
I also started to wonder recently what he’s up to these days, but didn’t get around to find out.
We recently talked about Dave on #ardour and how nobody has heard from him for a while, and the consensus was that he is likely still there somewhere making music. He probably is, just not in this realm.
“Tell Me Again” is my favorite and is thankfully preserved for now on his YT channel, a poignant song about his Father’s deterioration from Parkinson’s disease. I don’t know anyone else who could write such a good a song about something so personal and difficult and not have it be maudlin or too depressing. Most modern Americana out there doesn’t even come close.
I’m also sad to hear this. I always admired Dave as an extremely talented guitarist and songwriter as well as having a great voice and lots of feeling. His explorations into computer-based music were inspiring too.
I have a few of his songs saved in my collection, just saved “Tell Me Again” which is wonderful.
RIP Dave.