Tony Phillips came into the music business as a guitarist and writer in 1976, after being invited to play on a session by producer Adrian Sherwood. The session, mixed by Dennis Bovell, evolved into an album called “Dub from Creation”. The album embraced throughout the UK and Europe, became so successful that a band was formed to promote it. That band was Creation Rebel. As well as promoting the album, they spent these early formative years touring all over Europe with greats like Prince Fari and Bim Sherman. The Creation Rebel line up was Clifton “Bigga” Morrison, Keith “Lizard” Logan, Charly Fox, Veral “Maggoo” Rose and Bonjo- I, with Phillips himself on guitar. ‘Montana' or ‘Crucial' as he was called back then, quickly rose to great heights as band leader for Creation Rebel with a pre Roots Radics Style Scott on drums. Well-honed performances, crafted from their time on the road, naturally led the group back into the recording studio, following up with three further albums Rebel Vibrations, Star Ship Africa and Lows and Highs. ‘Crucial' was also one of the original directors of On U Sound with Adrian Sherwood, together they produced projects like African Head Charge, Singers and Players, New Age Steppers and Dub Syndicate to a very receptive and fast growing audience. Other bands the intrepid guitarist played with during this period were Spartans, Freedom Fighters and Sons of Arca. In 1980, to meet the needs of the large population of singers, musicians and producers in the area, he, along with other local musicians started up their own operation - The Ruff Cutt rehearsal room and studio. Its humble beginnings were in an unused storeroom on the Stonebridge council estate. Despite this, Ruff Cutt soon became the place in the Harlesden and Willesden areas for young artistes and musicians to rehearse and record. It was out of the musicians who used the facility that a nucleus was formed; it was from that core that The Undivided Roots Band was to emerge some four years later in 1984. The luxury of having their own rehearsal space and studio enabled them to work on their musicianship without some of the usual hindrances faced by most young bands. The Undivided Roots Band developed into a superb outfit, capable of reproducing the same music whether ‘live' or in the studio; this didn't go by unnoticed. Their work soon came to the attention of CSA Records who released their first single; the self produced True Love, penned by Phillips and recorded at Ruff Cutt. Their next offering was Party Night, another Phillips composition, which entered the UK Top 40 in the summer of 1986. Their debut album Ultimate Experience, came close behind, its release by Island Record's Mango division heralded a new phase for the band. Rave reviews abounded with the album being hailed as one of the “greatest reggae recordings ever to come out of the UK . . .” By this time, Phillips' skill as a writer of hits was widely recognized; it was another of his songs, The Nature of Love, which became the next hit from the album. After the departure for a solo career by their lead singer Don Campbell, the Undivided Roots Band metamorphosed into the Ruff Cutt Band. The equilibrium was finally balanced; everything now came under the Ruff Cutt banner. As Ruff Cutt, they concentrated more on backing others, whether it was touring celebrities like Shabba Ranks, Freddie McGregor or The Mighty Diamonds or newcomers like the artists they were cultivating at their studio. The scene was set, the band now consisted of a quintet of musicians whose only aim was to play top quality music; Carlton ‘Bubblers' Ogilvie, Kenton ‘Fish' Brown, Trevor Fagan, Antony ‘Bongo Dashie' Thomas and Tony ‘Ruff Cutt', Phillips proved time and time again that they could - the name Ruff Cutt fast became synonymous with first class reggae. Their reputation grew, making them the UK's top backing band as they continued to accompany many Jamaican legends whose own contribution to the genre spanned three generations or more. Alton Ellis, Big Youth, U Roy, John Holt and many other contemporary artistes, in fact, over 80% of the reggae acts that toured the UK, used Ruff Cutt as their backing band. Ruff Cutt started to produce and record several of the artistes they were working with on the road, in their newly upgraded and re-located studio, releasing seventy-nine singles and five albums with some of the biggest names in the industry including Beres Hammond, Mykal Roze, Jack Radics, Glen Washington and Jazzwad, one of their original protégés, who himself is now a successful producer in his own right. They also continued to make huge in-roads into the UK's own reggae scene by nurturing and providing early platforms for home-grown talents like Richie Dan, Vivian Jones, Barbara Naps, Nereus Joseph and Starkey Banton, to name a few. Through constant touring and record releases Ruff Cutt's international status soured even further, gaining them a worldwide fan base which was particularly strong in Europe. In 2002, they decided to re-locate. After much deliberation they all agreed it would be best to take time out, re-evaluate the situation and choose the next studio premises carefully. During this time Phillips started working on specific projects for Jet Star's Charm division at their own Cave Studios in NW London, a steady stream of reggae charts hit under the guidance of the re-named Tony “Ruff Cutt” Phillips soon emerged. Early success came via Jet Star's Riddim Riders compilation series; one of the most popular tracks was Lloyd Brown's Main Squeeze from the ‘Columbus' Riddim Rider. The Columbus rhythm itself was drawn from the popular classic Christopher Columbus, a Burning Spear original, re-laid new millennium style by Phillips. Main Squeeze went into underground hit mode in the UK and US. The Riddim Riders series itself, a big success, went on to attract top reggae acts from Jamaica, US and the UK who were eager to record on the rhythms, helping to re-establish Jet Star's position as the UK's dancehall reggae leader. Impressed by Phillips achievement, Jet Star CEO Carl Palmer commissioned Tony “Ruff Cutt” . . . to produce solo albums for reggae legends Gregory Isaac - Here By Appointment and Freddie McGregor - The Heart Is Willing. Both albums were very well received - Isaac's Here By Appoint was hailed as his ‘. . . best in ten years . . .' with McGregor's Heart Is Willing regarded as ‘. . . a classic for all time'. Phillips expertise was again called for to produce “Introducing” . . . , the debut album of Jet Star's latest signing Don Ricardo. The response to the newly released “Introducing … “ has been tremendous. Meanwhile . . . across the Atlantic, unbeknown to Phillips, the Columbus rhythm had long struck a chord with DJ Min One in New York who decided to use it as the backing track for a reggae version of the Alicia Keys' smash, “You Don't Know My Name”. It was a match made in heaven, Alicia's sweet vocals on the infectious Columbus rhythm. It soon made its way from mixtape to 7” vinyl import . . . to the ears of BMG International. Wheels were quickly set in motion. The second single from Alicia Keys' platinum selling sophomore album, The Diary of Alicia Keys, “If I Ain't Got You” is a two track affair, featuring the very same special edition reggae version - not available on the album. This mix is currently one of the most widely requested songs in urban clubs and radio throughout the UK and US and is rapidly gathering mainstream momentum across Europe and the rest of the world. Tony “Ruff Cutt” Phillips is currently one of the most in-demand producers in the UK. Ruff Cutt remain at the forefront of the production and live concert scene and are still the most requested reggae band in the UK, backing everyone from Beenie Man to Barrington Levy to Bob & Marcia. Look out for Ruff Cutt “On the Road” coming to a town near you Summer/Autumn 2004/