Editing Anthony Phillips (section)

== Early life ==
Phillips was born on 23 December 1951 in [[Chiswick]], then a part of [[Middlesex]], and grew up in the nearby [[Putney]] and [[Roehampton]] areas.{{sfn|Genesis|2007|pp=16–17}} He attended [[St Edmund's School, Hindhead|St Edmund's]] [[Preparatory school (United Kingdom)|preparatory school]] in [[Hindhead]], Surrey, during which he formed a group and took part in a performance of "[[My Old Man's a Dustman]]" in the school hut as the singer, but forgot the words and was kicked out. This led to his decision to learn the guitar.{{sfn|Genesis|2007|pp=16–17}}{{sfn|Cherry Red Interview|2014|loc=03:36–04:16}} [[The Shadows]] were a major early influence on Phillips, who learned enough to perform a rendition of "[[Foot Tapper]]" in the school lounge.{{sfn|Cherry Red Interview|2014|loc=04:23–04:50}}<ref name=WOG2008>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldofgenesis.com/AnthonyPhillips-Interview2008.htm|title=Taking tn the Wildlife: An Interview with Anthony Phillips|first=Dave|last=Negrin|date=22 May 2008|publisher=World of Genesis|access-date=20 October 2018 |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20181020182100/http://www.worldofgenesis.com/AnthonyPhillips-Interview2008.htm |archivedate=October 20, 2018}}</ref> At thirteen Phillips acquired a [[Fender Stratocaster]] and wrote his first song, "Patricia", an instrumental about the first girl he had a crush on.{{sfn|Giammetti|2020|p=29}} It gradually evolved into the [[Genesis (band)|Genesis]] song "In Hiding", which appears on ''[[From Genesis to Revelation]]''.<ref name=WOG2008/> He was not entirely a self-taught guitar player; he received some tuition in rudimentary chords from classical guitarist David Channon, who became a big source of inspiration for Phillips, and used sheet music to songs by [[the Beatles]] that his mother would send him. Phillips then picked up more chord knowledge, and learned to copy music "reasonably well".{{sfn|Cherry Red Interview|2014|loc=05:22–06:54}} As a teenager, Phillips briefly lived in the United States.<ref name=gheesepress/>

In April 1965, Phillips attended [[Charterhouse School|Charterhouse]], an independent school in [[Godalming]], Surrey.{{sfn|Frame|1983|p=23}} In the following month, he formed a band with fellow pupils [[Rivers Jobe]], [[Richard Macphail]], [[Mike Rutherford]], and Rob Tyrell, naming themselves [[Anon (band)|Anon]]. They based their sets on songs by the Beatles and [[the Rolling Stones]], and recorded one demo, Phillips's song "Pennsylvania Flickhouse".{{sfn|Frame|1983|p=23}} The group disbanded in December 1966.{{sfn|Frame|1983|p=23}} Phillips was also a member of another band during 1966, Spoken Word, which included David Thomas (vocals), Ronnie Gunn (piano), Jeremy Ensor (bass, later of the [[Principal Edwards Magic Theatre]]), David Chadwick (guitar), and [[Peter Gabriel]] (drums). They recorded an [[Acetate disc|acetate]], a cover of "Evening".{{sfn|Giammetti|2020|p=16}}