Some musicians chase trends. Phil Vincent creates them—then leaves them in the dust
With Backstabber, his 27th solo album, the Rhode Island rock machine proves that real music isn’t about algorithms—it’s about alchemy.
Turning betrayal into blistering riffs. Transforming decades of experience into melodies that stick like glue. Phil Vincent doesn’t just carry the torch for classic rock; he’s the wildfire keeping it burning.
From his basement studio in Cranston to collaborations with legends like Paul Sabu, Vincent’s career reads like a love letter to rock’s rebellious spirit.
Backstabber is its boldest chapter yet—13 tracks of razor-sharp hooks and unflinching honesty, born from betrayal but forged in pure adrenaline. Tracks like Betrayer and Thanks to You aren’t just landing punches; they’re leaving scars.
Yet for all the album’s fury, Vincent remains rock’s eternal optimist. Whether crafting his latest record (due June 2025) or joking about his cat, his passion is contagious.
Because after 58 albums across projects like TRAGIK and LEGION, one truth remains: Phil Vincent doesn’t make music to survive. He makes it because he can’t stop.
So crank the stereo. Here’s an unfiltered talk with a man who’s lived a hundred rock ‘n’ roll lives—and isn’t done yet.
HAPPY: What are you up to today?
PHIL VINCENT: Just finishing up song #10 for my next album. No title yet but it should be released by June of this year.
HAPPY: Tell us a little bit about where you live, what do you love about it?
PHIL VINCENT: I live in Cranston, RI and have lived here all my life. I love the people, the weather, the neighborhoods… everything is perfect for me here. I will never live anywhere else.
HAPPY: You’ve dropped Backstabber—13 tracks of pure, melodic rock. What’s the story behind the album?
PHIL VINCENT: I recently went through a situation where someone I trusted betrayed me. I never felt so hurt but I had to move on and writing songs about it was very helpful.
HAPPY: You’ve got 27 solo albums under your belt. After all these years, what still excites you about making rock records?
PHIL VINCENT: And I have 10 albums with my band TRAGIK, 9 with my band D’Ercole, 2 with my band CRANSTON with Paul Sabu and 10 with my band LEGION. Music makes me feel alive so I have to keep creating it to exist :-)
HAPPY: You’ve worked with some serious rock heavyweights over the years. How has that shaped your approach to songwriting and production?
PHIL VINCENT: I learn something from everyone I work with. Paul Sabu taught me things about songwriting, Vince O’Regan taught me things about musicianship and Jacob Hanson taught me things about production. I try to surround myself with talented people.
HAPPY: In an era where rock is constantly being declared “dead,” you’re proving otherwise. What do you think the genre needs to stay vital?
PHIL VINCENT: It’s not dead. It will never die. Now, I see more young bands creating classic rock music and that will keep the genre vital. The torch must be passed on.
HAPPY: You started as a one-man band in ‘97 and never slowed down. What’s been the biggest lesson from nearly three decades in the game?
PHIL VINCENT: The biggest lesson is to never be satisfied. Always push yourself to write a better song, sing a better vocal, play a better guitar solo. It’s in my nature to never give up and that’s something I am very proud of.
HAPPY: Backstabber feels like a deeply personal record. Is there a lyric or moment on the album that hits home the hardest for you?
PHIL VINCENT: “Betrayer, Deceiver, Backstabber, nobody needs ya” from Betrayer… I think that says it all.
Thanks to You also has some nice descriptive lyrics. “How do you do this to a trusted friend? I would have fought for you until the bitter end. Now things have changed and everything’s so strange. I feel like my whole life has rearranged… thanks to you”
That was the first song I wrote after the incident. I’m still pissed off about it and if I ever see that person again… Well, let’s hope I don’t see them again. :-)
HAPPY: What’s next? More music, a tour, or straight back into the studio for album number 28?
PHIL VINCENT: If I play live it will be with LEGION and will be in England somewhere but that’s not set in stone. Vince and I will start work on a new album this summer. And like I said above, my next album is completed and will be out in June on Rock Company Records. It might be under the TRAGIK moniker. I haven’t decided yet.
HAPPY: Lastly, what makes you happy?
PHIL VINCENT: Music makes me happy. Family & friends make me happy, my cat makes me happy :-), working out, driving with the stereo cranked makes me happy, I guess you could sum it all up and say life makes me happy.
