Phil
“Swill”
Odgers

From Oban
To TMTCH

Phil “Swill” Odgers is the lead singer, guitarist and one of the defining voices of The Men They Couldn't Hang.

Born in Oban, Scotland, to an Irish mother and a Yorkshire father, Phil spent his early childhood in Scotland before his family moved to the south coast of England.

It was there that he first joined forces with Paul Simmonds, forming the punk band Catch 22, who went on to support The Clash on two occasions. A few years later, Phil and Paul moved to London and became part of the line-up that formed The Men They Couldn't Hang.

Since then, Phil's voice and acoustic guitar have been at the heart of the band's distinctive mix of folk, punk and rock. His musical influences stretch from his Scottish and Irish roots through 1950s and 60s rock 'n' roll to punk, folk and country.

With TMTCH, Phil has appeared on bills with artists including Van Morrison, Elvis Costello, Billy Bragg, David Bowie and Stiff Little Fingers. The band were also championed early on by John Peel and recorded three sessions for his BBC Radio 1 programme.

From the release of Night of a Thousand Candles in 1985 onwards, TMTCH built a loyal following around songs that combine memorable melodies with stories rooted in history, politics, working lives and the people behind them.

Alongside his work with TMTCH, Phil has released music with Liberty Cage, The Swaggerband and under his own name. He continues to tour regularly as a solo artist and also performs duo shows with fellow TMTCH member Bobby Valentino.