Phillip Wilcher

Phillip Wilcher (born 16 March 1958) is an Australian pianist and composer, also known as the Fifth Wiggle, since he was one of the founding members of the Wiggles, Australia's richest entertainers, who left the group after the group's debut album in 1991. While the accounts surrounding his departure differ, he left the group shortly before the group became famous. His departure prior to the group's success has earned him comparisons to The Beatles' Pete Best---the famous "fifth Beatle" who left the group before the Beatles breakout.

Early life

Phillip Wilcher was born in Camperdown, New South Wales. He started playing the piano at age 8, and at 14 became the youngest published composer in Australia. [http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/02/23/1045935274915.html A life less wiggly] . 24 February 2003. Accessed 7/25/07] At age 14 he wrote a song, "Summer Dance", which was performed on the Wiggles debut album as "Archie's Theme". According to his webpage, while the rest of the Wiggles were still students, Wilcher financed and wrote the majority of the Wiggles' debut album. [http://www.phillipwilcher.com/biography/biography.php Phillip Welcher Bio] ] Wilcher received two Australian Record Industry Awards from his contributions to the album. A Gold Award presented in April 1994 and a Platinum Award in October 1995.

The Wiggles

In 1991, Wilcher worked with the early childhood music program at Macquarie University. Anthony Field, a childhood development student, approached him about a music group Field was contemplating. Wilcher joined Greg Page, Jeff Fatt, Murray Cook, and Field from its earliest days through the production of the CD "The Wiggles". Wilcher claims to have "contributed the most musically to the debut album."

"Get Ready to Wiggle" and "Dorothy the Dinosaur" were the only music videos that featured him and were only seen on "ABC For Kids Video Hits" and "ABC For Kids Video Hits 2".

In 1992, Wilcher travelled to the United States. When he returned he was informed that the group did not need him, and that a second album had been taped while he was overseas. Wilcher says he has no idea as to why he was kicked out of the group. The Wiggles, however, dispute this account. Dianna O'Neill, the group's spokeswoman, states that Wilcher wrote a letter of resignation. "There is no story. There was no fight, no fallout. [Wilcher] was just not so much into children's music, he was more into classical music."

Over the years, Wilcher's involvement with the group has been essentially deleted. The debut CD has been re-recorded, renamed, and re-released with all of Wilcher's contributions deleted. Wilcher indicates that he was too "reclusive" to be a Wiggle.

Post-Wiggles

Since leaving The Wiggles, Wilcher has led a moderately successful career as a classical musician in Sydney, Australia. Wilcher has released several CDs. Pianist Jeanell Carrigan has recorded three CDs of Wilcher's music. He declares that he is "utterly satisfied by [his] creativity and that [he] could never be a Wiggle, not for any amount of money." He says that, because of his training, he is a more "serious" musician than the other members of The Wiggles.

In 2005, Wilcher announced that he was selling off the last of Wiggles' memorabilia--which included handwritten lyrics by Greg Page and Anthony Field.Sim, Christine. [http://www.smh.com.au/news/music/the-fifth-wiggle-speaks-out/2005/07/31/1122748516558.html The Fifth Wiggle speaks out] . 1 August 2005. The Sun-Herald. Accessed 7/26/07]

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