Phil Harvey (band manager)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by GustavoCza (talk | contribs) at 01:17, 28 August 2023. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Phil Harvey
A dark-haired man wearing a black shirt rest his arms in a fence
Harvey at Today Show's backstage in 2021
Born
Philip Christopher Harvey

(1976-08-29) 29 August 1976 (age 47)
Bristol, England
Alma materUniversity of Melbourne
Occupations
  • Manager
  • creative director
Years active
  • 1998–2002
  • 2006–present
SpouseYasmin Harvey
Children3
Musical career
OriginLondon, England
Labels
Member ofColdplay
Websitecoldplay.com
Signature

Philip Christopher Harvey (born 29 August 1976) is an English manager and creative director best known for his work with the rock band Coldplay. He used to work at local nightclubs setting up student nights during his time at Trinity College, Oxford and financed the recording sessions for Safety (1998), later managing the group single-handedly as well. They signed with Parlophone in 1999, finding global fame with the release of Parachutes (2000) and following records.

Harvey left Coldplay's line-up for four years due to the stress of handling alone an occupation that usually requires a team of people. He attained a psychology degree at University of Melbourne during this period, returned as a creative director and started to make cameo appearances in certain music videos. He won a Grammy Award for Record of the Year as part of Coldplay.[1] Having sold more than 100 million albums worldwide as of 2021,[a] they are the most successful group of the 21st century.[4]

Early life

Philip Christopher Harvey was born on 29 August 1976 in Bristol, England.[5] Raised in Devon,[6] he later attended Sherborne School from 1990 to 1995 along with Chris Martin.[7] They have been friends since 13 years old and were on a band of soul and R&B covers called "The Rockin' Honkies", where Harvey was "a guitarist with no talent, so I was substituted out to become the sound engineer".[8] He enrolled in a Classical Studies degree at Trinity College, Oxford, dropping out to become Coldplay's manager.[8]

Career

Managing

Main article: Coldplay

While in college, Harvey used to work at local nightclubs setting up and promoting student nights, describing it as "pretty basic stuff, but it at least gave me a vague idea of what it is to hire a venue, book a band or DJ and try and make a little money".[9] After Martin complained about the "vice-like grip" one of the Camden promoters had on Coldplay, he said the group should book their own concert at Dingwalls, where they managed to sell 50 copies of Safety (1998).[10] The extended play was funded with help from his father and an Oxford roommate,[10] while the event is considered when Harvey began to manage the band, eventually dropping out of university to dedicate himself to the role entirely.[8] Coldplay then wrote the song "Brothers & Sisters",[11] and released it as their debut single through a short term contract with Fierce Panda Records.[12]

In April 1999, Coldplay signed a record deal with Parlophone at Trafalgar Square,[13] while publishing was handled by BMG Publishing.[14] Harvey carried out his role as a manager single-handedly until early 2001, when the stress of an occupation that usually requires a team forced him into a break: "The album went straight in at No.1 and all of a sudden I was working 16 hours a day with three phone lines ringing constantly. Only later that I discovered most international bands have huge teams supporting them".[10] He also said the 21st Brit Awards was his lowest point, as Coldplay had won British Group and British Album of the Year, but he was "feeling like death" and only thought about "how much I wanted to be in bed".[15] Once the recording sessions for A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002) were finished, he decided to leave the band and dedicate himself to personal endeavours.[16]

Creative direction

Three men dressed as Elvis Presley impersonators play the violin
Harvey (left) appearing in the music video for "Christmas Lights" along with Tim Crompton and Simon Pegg

Harvey's assistant (Estelle Wilkinson) and the group's American manager (Dave Holmes) were responsible for jointly taking over his role,[17] the latter became Coldplay's sole manager as of 2006.[18] After the promotion campaign for X&Y (2005) was over, he returned as the band's friend and "learned to be useful" as the years passed, which included discovering how to design a live show, make videos, do A&R and "just sort of fill in the gaps".[8] Harvey's participation in Coldplay's line-up was stressed by other members in a direct appeal to Wikipedia where they asked fans and "Wikipedia Enthusiasts" to rectify errors on their page.[19]

Furthermore, his name has been included in the liner notes for every album since Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008).[20] He has also made cameo appearances in several music videos, including "Life in Technicolor II",[21] "Christmas Lights",[22] "Paradise",[23] and "A Sky Full of Stars".[24] On social media, Harvey often answers to questions and requests from Coldplay fans.[25] Martin described him "the wise, handsome, frightening one who tells us what to do".[26] In 2023, Variety reported Harvey returned to his role as manager during the previous year with assistance from Mandi Frost and Arlene Moon, as Holmes sued the band over a contractual dispute.[27]

Personal life

Although Harvey's estimated wealth remains unknown, it was reported in 2019 that he purchased a house in Brentwood, Los Angeles for $15 million, where he currently resides with his wife Yasmin.[28] The couple have three children.[29] In his years apart from Coldplay, he travelled around South America,[8] studied psychotherapy and counselling at Regent's College, and attained a psychology degree at University of Melbourne.[30] Harvey also volunteered at Upbeat,[30] a community project in Camden launched to support musicians who had mental health issues by providing workshops, equipment, rehearsal space and assistance with promotion and recording.[31] He was later named the organization's vice chair and Coldplay their patrons.[30] When he was "on the verge of starting [his] training with the NHS as a clinical psychologist",[8] Harvey was asked to rejoin the band in 2006.[32]

Discography

Main articles: Coldplay discography and songs

See also

Notes

  1. ^ The term "records" is for album and single sales combined.[2] Coldplay, however, sold 100 million copies in albums alone, while Parlophone have not disclosed the amount of records.[3]

References

  1. ^ "Phil Harvey". Grammy. 28 November 2017. Archived from the original on 9 March 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  2. ^ "What's The Difference Between A Record And An Album? 5 Things To Know". The Sound of Vinyl. 30 March 2021. Archived from the original on 15 December 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  3. ^ "Coldplay Re-Ups with Warner Music Group for Long-Term Deal Via Parlophone". Variety. 6 October 2021. Archived from the original on 8 January 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  4. ^ "Coldplay, Wembley Stadium, Review: Chris Martin's Infectious Joy Is Impossible To Resist". The Telegraph. 13 August 2022. Archived from the original on 13 August 2022. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  5. ^ "Conoce a Phil Harvey, el Quinto Integrante de Coldplay" [Meet Phil Harvey, Coldplay's Fifth Member]. Telehit (in Spanish). 13 April 2022. Archived from the original on 27 February 2023. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  6. ^ "Coldplaying Entrevista Phil Harvey!" [Coldplaying Interviews Phil Harvey!]. Viva Coldplay (in Portuguese). 29 March 2015. Archived from the original on 11 April 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  7. ^ "Sherborne School Alumni". Sherborne School. 31 January 2021. Archived from the original on 31 December 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  8. ^ a b c d e f "They Played a Tiny Café... There Were Four People in the Audience". Music Business Worldwide. 26 February 2018. Archived from the original on 22 November 2021. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
  9. ^ (Wild & Croft 2018, p. 17)
  10. ^ a b c "We Interview Coldplay's Manager" (PDF). Coldplay E-Zine. April 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 November 2007. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  11. ^ "Interview: Debs Wild on Discovering Coldplay". Coldplay Timeline. 12 December 2018. Archived from the original on 17 January 2023. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  12. ^ "The Brothers & The Sisters Ltd. Colour 7". Fierce Panda Records. 26 April 2019. Archived from the original on 7 February 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  13. ^ (Wild & Croft 2018, p. 35)
  14. ^ "Publishing Deal Signed". Coldplay Timeline. 23 April 1999. Archived from the original on 18 February 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  15. ^ (Wild & Croft 2018, p. 62)
  16. ^ "One-Time Coldplay Manager Estelle Wilkinson On Her Time With The Band". Wales Online. 8 October 2016. Archived from the original on 10 April 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  17. ^ (Wild & Croft 2018, p. 76)
  18. ^ (Wild & Croft 2018, p. 116)
  19. ^ "Newsreel: An Appeal to Wikipedia Enthusiasts". Coldplay Official Website. 25 July 2008. Archived from the original on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
  20. ^ "Everyday Life Booklet" (PDF). Warner Music Group UK. 22 November 2019. p. 22. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  21. ^ "Jonny: My Hobby Is Being in the Studio". Coldplay Official Website. 27 January 2009. Archived from the original on 31 January 2009. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  22. ^ "Dear Oracle, who in the world is the third Elvis in the Christmas Lights video?!". Coldplay Official Website. 29 November 2010. Archived from the original on 4 October 2011. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  23. ^ "Interview: Director Mat Whitecross on the Paradise Video". Coldplay Official Website. 10 November 2011. Archived from the original on 28 December 2016. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  24. ^ Coldplay – A Sky Full of Stars (Official Video). 19 June 2014. Archived from the original on 10 April 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022 – via YouTube.
  25. ^ "Phil Harvey, 5º Membro do Coldplay, Dá Detalhes Sobre Feat com BTS" [Coldplay's 5th Member Phil Harvey Gives Details About BTS Collab]. Observatório de Música (in Portuguese). 20 October 2021. Archived from the original on 10 April 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  26. ^ "Coldplay x ClientEarth". ClientEarth. 2023. Archived from the original on 28 August 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  27. ^ "Coldplay Sued by Former Manager Dave Holmes Over Contractual Dispute (Exclusive)". Variety. 16 August 2023. Archived from the original on 16 August 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  28. ^ "Coldplay's Phil Harvey Dumps $15 Million In Brentwood Park". Dirt. 28 January 2019. Archived from the original on 26 November 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  29. ^ Coldplay [@coldplay] (19 October 2021). "All 7 of their voices blend so well together, and with Chris'. This is me and my three boys' favourite song. Phil" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 11 April 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2022 – via Twitter.
  30. ^ a b c "Charity's Rock of Support". Psychminded. 11 May 2009. Archived from the original on 15 May 2009. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  31. ^ "Environmental Lawyers | Phil Harvey". ClientEarth. 26 July 2012. Archived from the original on 26 July 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  32. ^ "Dear Oracle, 'the manager Phil Harvey is a childhood friend of Chris Martin', is it true?". Coldplay Official Website. 12 September 2008. Archived from the original on 15 September 2008. Retrieved 26 February 2023.

Further reading

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Phil Harvey.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Phil_Harvey_(band_manager)&oldid=1172586008"