They haven't been on the scene long, but the York-based Phipps Brothers are striving to fill some mighty big shoes. Although only a quartet, the group is heavily influenced by Chicago blues and bands such as the Allman Brothers and the Grateful Dead, whose members far exceed just four guys. Packaging such "big" sounds into a small parcel has proven to be a musical challenge for the group, but, judging by an increasing fan base, something seems to be working.

The Phipps Brothers feature Ashley Phipps on bass and lead vocals, his brother Aaron on lead guitar and vocals, Bob Turk on drums and backing vocals, and Willie Gibbons on harmonica. Ashley Phipps explains that his band seeks out the most important musical parts of a particular song to recreate it in their own way. "You have to find the 'soul' of the song-the sounds that are most important to the true feel of it. Sometimes it may be a signature guitar part or keyboard, but the original band may have had three guitarists and we don't. So, you have to pull the most important parts from each of their lines and forge that into something unique that's gonna bring the main mood of the song across."

Although you may hear a Band song or an Allmans tune during a Phipps Brothers' show, Phipps insists his group is not a cover band. "We do some covers of a lot of bands like the Allman Brothers or the Dead, but we have our own sound that's distinctly different in tone and approach," he says. "You have to realize, we're not a 'jukebox band'. You're not gonna hear note-for-note versions of a Dead song. For instance, we might play 'Dreams I'll Never See' by the Allman Brothers and it may really surprise you that just four guys can recreate what seven guys did in our own way, and you won't miss the organ or you won't miss

the slide guitar. And the main reason why that comes across is energy and a basic musical understanding of what the original musicians envisioned." The Phipps Brothers play a number of original songs each night, and are trying to increase this amount, but, Phipps says, "I don't think at any point we'll become a 100 percent original band. The main reason for that is that, as a band, you're constantly exposing yourself to new fans, and I feel the covers we do are a bridge between what people know and where we're coming from. We want people to know who our influences are so they can relate to our originals better."

Although Phipps is a bassist, he is also his group's primary songwriter which is a unique situation. Because of his knowledge of rhythmic structures, he creates his songs in a much different way than a guitarist might. He explains that each song is based on a general chord progression. "I get a basic idea of what I want to do and have to bear in mind what the guitar and harmonica might be doing. I then take the idea to the band, and sometimes the groove that ends up coming out is totally different than what I imagined," he says.

Phipps is a voracious reader who says he jots down lyrical bits and pieces all the time, and sometimes composes complete lyrics at one sitting. His writing is most influenced by what he reads, which consists mainly of the Beat poets, existential literature and biographies of musicians. "Throw the TV away," he jokes. "I love to read. The more I read, the more lyrical ideas come to mind." An improvisational element is important in both the Phipps Brothers' originals and covers, but Phipps says his group doesn't take experimentation to the extreme. "We do like to jam on stage, but we're not necessarily a 'jam band' in that we don't go on and on," he explains. "True, a normal three minute song may get stretched to six minutes, but we don't do a lot of excessive 'noodling'."

Like most bands, Phipps finds that the type of club in which he is playing, as well as the audience's reaction often drives their sound on any given night. "First off," says Phipps, "The same set at Granfalloons [in York] may sound totally different at a club like the Blue Star [in Lancaster]. Different crowds, different rooms, even a different region all determine this."

Phipps says his band enjoys playing for all types of crowds of every age, and he can't really describe a "typical" Phipps Brothers fan. "I just like to play for anybody who is having a good time," he says. "It doesn't matter whether they drove there in a Cadillac or a Harley or a Saab...we get all kinds."

The Phipps Brothers play mostly throughout Pennsylvania, but are trying to become accepted in larger cities, such as Baltimore. Phipps explains that it's difficult, though, to attract a lot of attention from distant club owners who may not be familiar with his band. Partly because of this, Phipps also performs in an acoustic duo with his brother Aaron. He finds this often helps gain recognition for his band in different towns. "If you don't have friends who are guaranteed to come out to see you in a new area, it helps to have a side project," he states. "Club owners are scared. They may see our package and know we're serious, but if they think we don't have a big following in their area they're scared to take a chance. They don't know us and they don't know the band can draw a crowd."

Unlike most unsigned bands, the Phipps Brothers support themselves entirely by music alone, and their professional drive is unmistakable. The group is hoping to eventually attract the attention of a small record label or booking agent that could provide some stability and financial backing, and Phipps states he is "willing to do all that's necessary to continue playing. I would go anywhere, anytime, any place that I had to, and it's the same way with the rest of the band."

Now in his late 20s, Phipps acknowledges that his commitment to music is very strong. While some musicians complain about sacrifices they have made, he prefers to dwell on more positive aspects of his career. "I've already made what they call 'sacrifices' for my music time and again...You know, at times, I've lived on macaroni and cheese in the box, and at other times, I've been able to eat out every night. It all depends on how business is going. Things have been really good for the last year, and they seem to be going in the right direction. But as far as sacrifices... there's no choice for me; I don't have any gut-wrenching ordeals or decisions I've had to make for music. I've been in other bands where the band wasn't a number one priority, but that's not the case with what we're doing. That's why we're all together; we've made the commitment to the band."