Keyboard player Tony Hymas had one of the weirder music careers of the 1980s. He began the decade helping to make ‘There And Back’ one of Jeff Beck’s best albums, then popped up in a supergroup called Ph.D.
with singer Jim Diamond and drummer Simon Phillips, getting a classic UK one-hit wonder ‘I Won’t Let You Down’ (#2 in 1982!), then played on/wrote arguably the best track from Beck’s 1985 album Flash.
And we said ‘weird’ because Hymas has a strong Rock, even Progressive background but “Ph.D.” is pure 80s synth-pop, call it new-wave lite AOR is you wish. And it’s even more weird to see – and hear – top session skinsman Simon Phillips (TOTO) playing on most tracks (late Jethro Tull part-timer Mark Craney on the others).
As requested, here’s this cult self-titled album “Ph.D.” in its first remastered release (it did on CD once in Japan). Originally released 1981 by Atlantic Records, this debut release features the talents of Scottish crooner Jim Diamond, while Hymas does everything with his synths. It’s pure early ’80s, however the arrangements – and Phillips skilled drumming, makes you think into progressive.
Anyway, there’s very good songs. ‘I Won’t Let You Down’ is infectious, then the melodic ‘Little Suzi’ was covered by Tesla on their Mechanical Resonance debut album.
“I Won’t Let You Down” hit the charts in the UK, South Africa, Brazil, and Western Europe in 1982. Further chart hits were only on the continent. “War Years” and “Poor City” could have been written today The LP was later reissued with a different cover art – much better than the original, or at least, more 80s commercial – when “I Won’t Let You Down” became a hit in several countries in early 1982.
This Voiceprint Records remaster is pretty quiet, so you need to crank the volume and just dance.
The album sold very well, and Ph.D. released another album in 1983, however Hymas’ wish was return to Rock and continuing working with Jeff Beck (RIP).
An unknown and fun album with an early 80s pop cheese but more substantial than your typical product from the era.
01 – Little Suzi’s On The Up
02 – War Years
03 – Oh Maria
04 – Oo Sha Sha
05 – I Won’t Let You Down
06 – There’s No Answer To It
07 – Poor City
08 – Up Down
09 – Hollywood Signs
10 – Radio To On
Vocals – Jim Diamond
Electric Piano, Prophet V, Minimoog, Fairlight – Tony Hymas
Simon Phillips – drums
with
Additional Vocals – Jane Manning
Acoustic Guitar – Phil Palmer
Saxophone – Stan Sulzmann
Drums – Mark Craney (4, 7)