Phil Ryan - Biography


Phil Ryan has achieved many things in his life as a writer and musician. In late September 1991 he helped create and successfully launch The Big Issue magazine. As one half of the original two man team which included his friend the current Editor in Chief and International Chairman - John Bird M.B.E. (Guaranteeing Phil's place in heaven if nothing else)

Eighteen months later he returned to his musical roots as lead singer of The Animals in a record breaking 100,000 audience open air concert tour staged in Red Square, Moscow in May 1992 that was shown live by satellite across Europe and the West coast of America. 

Back to writing in late 1993 and 1994 as he staged three of his plays -`I knew Jimi` (Music based) a drama `Last Train to Arnos Grove` and his award winning production of `The Blessed`. Returning to music during the late part of 1994 he helped conceive, launch and run The Twelve Bar Club, London's premier acoustic music venue and went on to win the Time Out - Best Music Venue of the Year award. 

1995 found him still running The Twelve Bar, producing various acoustic based artists, regularly appearing on LBC Radio, and writing comedy sketch material for the Theatre Royal Stratford East and The Canal Cafe Theatre. 

1996/98 saw him leave The Twelve Bar to undertake some American music concert appearances and complete his first solo album. He also completed his first book of short stories and workshop trials for his stage musical Storm City at the Theatre Royal Stratford East.

1999 - 2007 saw him continue to tour Europe, play some gigs in New York and complete four brand new TV pilot sitcoms and stage the second Storm Productions stage musical `Silas Marner` based on the novel by George Eliot (The live theatrical showcase now available on DVD and CD) and finish his second festival album. 

In his spare time he's completed a set of pilot scripts for a children's TV series based on his children's book 'The House of Eternal Summer' and for another of his enchanting children's books 'Mr Noakes' He's also just had his first literary thriller 'The Divine Engineer' published (available on Amazon) and is three quarters through his second novel 'The Strange tale of DA Copperthwaite'. 

He's launched The Phil Ryan Show at The London Arts Theatre and produced a TV Pilot of the show. Currently he's writing new material for a new unplugged acoustic album and is soon to complete initial production demos on the new Storm Productions Stage musical 'Svengali'. 

And by the by he's also just written two self help books ('Life in Balance' - 'The Compass Club' currently available for publication)

Why isn't he dead? 

Luck and regular meals! 

In 2009 Phil is launching a new website for live musicians called MusicLandTV, he's looking into taking on a theatre in Cambridge and has finished his fourth novel. Now he's started work on a Film project and will be starting recording his new album later in the year in between gigs and special concert appearances.