Phil Thornalley

Philip Thornalley (born 5 January 1960) is an English songwriter-producer who has worked in the music industry since 1978. He is perhaps best known for co-writing (with Scott Cutler and Anne Preven) the song "Torn" (made famous by Natalie Imbruglia's cover version, which he also produced) and the number one hits "Mama Do" and "Boys and Girls" for Pixie Lott. He also produced The Cure's 1982 album Pornography and was later their bass player for eighteen months, producing and performing the distinctive double bass line on their 1983 single "The Love Cats". In 1988, Thornalley released his only solo album Swamp and joined the band Johnny Hates Jazz as their lead singer, replacing co-founder Clark Datchler, remaining in the lineup until their disbandment in 1992.

Phil Thornalley
Background information
Birth namePhilip Thornalley
Born (1960-01-05) 5 January 1960
OriginWorlington, Mildenhall, Suffolk, England
GenresPunk rock, post-punk, new wave, gothic rock, alternative rock, pop rock
Occupation(s)Songwriter, producer
InstrumentsBass guitar, guitar, vocals, drums, piano
Years active1978–present
Associated actsThe Cure
Johnny Hates Jazz
Bryan Adams
Astral Drive

Biography

Thornalley was born in Worlington, near Mildenhall, Suffolk, England.

He began working as a recording engineer in 1978, at RAK Studios in St. John's Wood, London for producers Mickie Most, Steve Lillywhite and Alex Sadkin.[1]

Thornalley became the producer for The Cure on their fourth album, Pornography.[2] After Simon Gallup parted ways with the band in 1982, he was The Cure's bassist for eighteen months. He produced their 1983 single The Love Cats and their first live album, Concert. However, he quit to resume working as a songwriter and producer.[3]

He was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical in 1984 for Into the Gap by the Thompson Twins and released his only solo album (Swamp).[1] in 1988.

Thornalley has worked primarily as songwriter and record producer for other artists. In 1991, he co-wrote "Torn" (with Scott Cutler and Anne Preven), which later appeared on Ednaswap's 1995 debut album.[1] Subsequently, he was asked to produce some songs for Natalie Imbruglia, and "Torn" was re-recorded alongside four other songs Thornalley wrote on Imbruglia's 1997 seven million selling debut album Left of the Middle, and became a worldwide hit single.[1] In 2012, the single was covered by One Direction on their live concert DVD Up All Night: The Live Tour.

Other artists Thornalley has worked with as a songwriter include Bryan Adams, BBMak,[4] Eliza Doolittle, Melanie C, Stephanie Kirkham and Pixie Lott.[1][5]

In 2010, he wrote two UK number ones: "Mama Do" and "Boys and Girls" for Pixie Lott,[6] and in 2012 the top ten hit "Kiss the Stars".

In 2016 and 2017, Thornalley toured as bass player with Bryan Adams on his "Get Up" and "Ultimate" tours. He played 53 shows in the US, Canada, UK, Europe, Israel and Republic of South Africa. He contributed the song "That's Rock and Roll" to the Get Up album and "The Last Night on Earth" and "Talk to Me" to the 2019 Shine a Light album.

In May 2018, Thornalley announced a new solo project called 'Astral Drive' with the release of the single "Summer of '76", followed by the Love Is Real EP in January 2019 (including a cover of the Todd Rundgren song, "A Dream Goes On Forever").[7] The self-titled album was released in July 2018 on the Lojinx label.[8] In summer 2019, Astral Drive released a companion album titled 'Green' with remixes and out-takes from the original sessions.

Influences

Thornalley's influences are Todd Rundgren, The Beatles and Pink Floyd. Soul and R&B singer Reggie Sears has named Thornalley as his favourite singer and credits Thornalley's 1988 release Swamp as the main driving force for wanting to be a singer and musician.[9][10]

Selected work

As writer/producer
Singles
  • Natalie Imbruglia - "Torn" (#2 UK)
  • Natalie Imbruglia - "Wishing I Was There" (#15 US)
  • BBMak - "Back Here" (#11 USA / No. 5 UK) (writer only)
  • Bryan Adams - "On a Day Like Today" (#12 UK)
  • Ronan Keating - "The Way You Make Me Feel" (#5 UK)
  • Pixie Lott - "Boys and Girls" (#1 UK)
  • Pixie Lott - "Mama Do" (#1 UK)
  • Pixie Lott - "Cry Me Out" (#5 UK)
  • Pixie Lott - "Kiss the Stars" (#9 UK)
  • Hepburn - "I Quit" (#5 UK)
  • Shannon Noll - "Drive" (#1 Australia)
  • Daisy Wood-Davies -"Dream Baby Dream" - from the West End musical Dreamboats and Petticoats
  • Elkie Brooks - "Forgive and Forget"
  • Astral Drive - "Summer Of '76"
Albums
  • Natalie Imbruglia - Left of the Middle (#5 UK)
  • Bryan Adams - "Shine A Light" (co-writer "The Last Night On Earth" & "Talk To Me")
  • Bryan Adams - On a Day Like Today (co-writer "On a Day Like Today" & "How Do You Feel Tonight")
  • Bryan Adams - Room Service (co-writer "Not Romeo Not Juliet")
  • Bryan Adams - Bare Bones (co-writer "The Way You Make Me Feel")
  • Bryan Adams - Get Up (co-writer "That's Rock and Roll")
  • Melanie C - Reason (writer "Do I","Positively Somewhere' and "Let's Love")
  • Melanie C - Northern Star (writer "Gaga" and "Be the One")
  • Astral Drive - Astral Drive (writer on all songs)
  • Astral Drive - 'Green' (writer on all songs)


As producer only
Singles
Albums
  • The Cure - Pornography (#2 UK)

As mixer
  • Ash - "Girl from Mars"
  • Psychedelic Furs - "Pretty in Pink" (original version)
  • Sting - "Spread a Little Happiness"
  • Duran Duran - "Is There Something I Should Know?" (#4 US/#1 UK)
  • Thompson Twins - "Hold Me Now"
  • Thompson Twins - "Doctor, Doctor"
  • Thompson Twins - "In the Name of Love"
  • Thompson Twins - "Lies"
  • Cyndi Lauper - "What's Going On"
  • The Waterboys - "Fisherman's Blues"

Albums As Recording Engineer and Mixer only

Awards and nominations

Awards
  • ASCAP 'Song of the Year' 1998 for "Torn" (Natalie Imbruglia)
  • ASCAP 'Song of the Year' 2000 for "Back Here" (BBMak)

Nominations
  • Grammy Award 'Best Engineered Pop Album 1984' for Thompson Twins' Into the Gap
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References
  1. Tingen, Paul (June 2010). "Phil Thornalley: Torn". Sound on Sound. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
  2. Rees, Dafydd & Crampton, Luke (ed.) Rock movers & shakers, Volume 1991, Part 2 (1991)(ISBN 978-0874366617)("...the band going into RAK studios to record with new producer Phil Thornalley")
  3. "The Cure – Interview". Rockerilla (original in Italian). September 1983. Retrieved 6 July 2010.(noting that Thornalley is a current member of the Cure)
  4. "Production notes". Music Week. 17 July 1999. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
  5. Savage, Mark (5 June 2009). "Pop Pixie has a whole Lotta love". BBC News. Retrieved 6 July 2010.("For the last three years, she has been collaborating with some of the biggest hitmakers in the industry, including Red One (Lady GaGa's Just Dance), Phil Thornalley (Natalie Imbruglia's Torn) and Toby Gad (Beyonce's If I Were A Boy).")
  6. "QUICKFIRE: Twelve years in waiting: Lott hitmaker reaches top". Music Week. 27 June 2009. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
  7. "Announcing Astral Drive – Summer of '76". Lojinx.com. 4 May 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  8. "Hitmakers: Phil Thornalley on Torn | Interviews | Music Week". Musicweek.com. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  9. "Reggie Sears". Something for the Soul Radio Interview. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
  10. "Reggie Sears Biography". Artistdirect.com. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
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