Phil Sumner

Phil Sumner is a cornet and keyboard player for the Kendal/Brighton based rock band British Sea Power. He first emerged with the band on their September 2006 tour in which they first performed songs which would appear on their critically acclaimed 3rd album "Do you like Rock Music?". He has since become a permanent replacement for previous keyboard player Eamon Hamilton who left to front Brighton based rock band The Brakes. His cornet playing however marks a new sound for the band.

On the release tour for "Do You Like Rock Music?" in January 2008, Phil made musical headlines for an attempted stage dive at the Leeds Irish Centre which resulted in him being knocked unconscious and hospitalised [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7209121.stm BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Stage dive knocks out musician ] ] [ [http://www.drownedinsound.com/articles/2845509 Drowned in Sound - News - It almost ended on an oily stage: British Sea Power man hospitalised after 12ft 'swan-dive' ] ] . The band carried on performing during the spectacle, while many in the audience were visibly shocked and concerned for Phil. Despite his injury Phil performed with the band the very next day in their home town, Kendal. Phil carried on a running tradition of eccentrically caused injury in the band, with previous incidents on tour including bass player and singer Hamilton breaking his arm after cutting off the branch he was sitting on, while looking for stage decoration [ [http://www.thetripwire.com/features/2007/11/12/the-inevitable-rise-of-british-sea-power The Tripwire - The Inevitable Rise Of British Sea Power ] ] .

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