 Hey guys, this is Matt Beck from freesaloneducation.com here with Philip Wilson, and so I actually worked with you a Long time ago in Atlantic City. Do you remember that big huge show that Andre put on? Oh Yeah, so I I was I was in the Yes, yes, yeah, awesome show. So so I got to meet you there, but I want to talk about you have had a career Let's just say that right. Yeah, so yeah Yeah, so you've done it all and so I want to talk about where did you start your career? Wow 19 Let me think oh my god 1970 London South London London. Okay. Yeah, long long long time ago. Yeah, so very cool because I was at the cool That was at the coolest. I've got to tell you it I walk around I see all this incredible talent of today, and I think I just hit that early 70s You know so going from like the early 70s the end of the 70s that decade was so Monumentally loaded. Yeah with fashion and edge. Yeah, how far can you go? I've no idea Go for it right then when you go up there you went did I really get Crazy decade man so beneficial. So and then and now where do you live now? Well, I have a house in Palm Springs, and I also live on the beach in Dana Point Okay. Yeah, so just places. Yeah, just hanging in Let it flow if you could if you could say one like big turning point in your career from when you started in the 70s What do you think that was? Well, I wore his t-shirt to the event last night. Okay, like most people would say Vidal. Yeah But but not let me explain that because I do so many like interviews with people about Vidal I did his memorial here four years ago with three very cool friends and He was extremely Instrumental in my career in the early early stages, but there was another guy called Paul Garrett Who was a of course South Paul lefty who was probably one of the most architectural cutters in The world at the time. Yeah, and him and I worked together for years I was like his prodigy bring up to do it. That was the changing point that I realized what I could do with a blade Okay, that was it when I realized that if I can see it feel it Even prior to that dream it I could execute it Yeah If you knew how to put a frame and a canvas together you could paint the mural of your dreams Okay, so that was a big turn so and that was so you did you study with Sassoon I was one of the Different ones be reason being there was there was the the hardcore Sassoonies And then there was us that were sort of like on that perimeter, which is like Russell Williams Yeah, Greg or shoo me all the Knightsbridge London boys. Okay, we all had Sassoon in us but then we sort of stepped out and Put your own twist to it right there. That's that's the way I'm gonna express it. Okay, and then you met Paul Garrett yeah, Paul Garrett was World champion Italian champ. I mean fantastic designer. I met him and then him and about We were like an underground group. Okay, you know when people say about a certain level of rock or a certain level of music Yeah, we were there, but we sort of went underground a little bit and tried a few more. Okay Experimental things in the world. So and when you say he was a champion, so we're we're at Naha this weekend, right? It's a competition correct. It's you know, it is pretty much there's not too many competitions left. No, no, no No, no competition like then Well, it's like the British Awards now they're held at the water that the our daughter's a hotel in London at the end of each Year and it's groups called three six five, which means 365 days of business Okay, and they put a creative spin to it, which was Steven Way of Bond Street Leslie Spears Paul Garrett. Okay, Hine shoo me Greg or shoo me Russell Williams. They were the cats. Okay, everybody wanted to be with them and they challenge each other Okay, there are certain parts of London and all the corners of London They had salons and it was battle all the time. So when you became the British champion That was the one you went for swiftly followed by the Laurel Go trophy at the Royal Albert Hall If you got into the top three of that man, you could fly and I did it twice. That's awesome And it was like the most it was incredible feeling to get it there, right? He was the one that was that sort of like trainer He was the one who said if you move a little more to the left, you're gonna get a far better response in your work So you move to the left and people would go to that was so cool. What do you think of that? You go? Oh It just came to me and he'd be at the back going Isn't it funny though that that like I think when you really start thinking about haircutting that deep Like that's a whole it's a whole different level of like a slight shift Like the other day I went about a new driver for golf, right, right and love golf Yeah, so I I walk in there and I'm like I'm slicing my shot. Yeah every single time and a guy goes I'm gonna change your life. Yeah, just come over here. Yeah, I know we wanted to sell me a new driver Yeah, it's fine. I got it, but I walk into the practice thing I shoot my shot shows my my hook right my slice right and he goes I just want you to twist your wrist there it is it and I want you to Cock your shoulder back a little bit that you hit the nail right on my head nailed it You know this one because that's exactly there were five of us that they took under their wing Yeah, four of them are no longer in the business for merit various reasons and I just kept Going I thought I'm not gonna let an edge on the edge won't get blunt There is no everything to me is the epitome of infinity Yeah, I'll find something and when I do that's time for me to stop. Yeah, I'm nowhere near that Yeah, because I thought I do drugs me crazy. Oh, you know what people say, right? I think I've reached the end of my creative abilities as an artist and I think it's conversational on away from so fast as bullshit Yeah, you know come on if you if you have that chromosome and it's almost like it's genetic things in you Yeah, there's no limit. Yeah, you can providing the wings will flap. Yeah, fly forever, man Yeah, no, there's no roof to our world. There's no well. You better get ready for time. Yeah to do what and you never had a job 44 years ago. I found a hobby and I've made a very Fabulous lifestyle. I have a really hard time like my so my wife and child are at the hotel Right and I have a really hard time saying I'm going to work right now. Like yeah, like leaving them. I almost feel like I'm lying to them Yeah, exactly. Yeah, exactly. It's like respect me for going to work and then you get outside the door and go What work? Yeah, I'm not really going to work. This is a really work. Yeah, but like you your age like how old are you now? 33 33 you're doing stuff. That's amazing. 33. You're the social media the digital world one that my generation You either move into or you left behind Well, that's what I always talk about if you talk about soon and Paul Garrett and you like if you if social media was then Right, I mean think about that think about like how you could have put out what you were doing I don't know how I could think about it then. Yeah, it was so Today I see the young like I'm doing beacon tomorrow Right and I stand in front of them with Larry Curtis and all our guys from Taylor Andrews and I think I look at them. I think the they're so Beautiful. They're so pure. They're almost like that that fall this like gallop through the meadows and it becomes a stallion And you watch it progress and but you've got to have those places You can't just go a to z. Exactly. It doesn't I express this to everybody Find your variables within life and I've done it like if there's someone who's brilliant one thing I'll focus on them add it to my portfolio move yet another one The most instrumental person in my life other than my wife Mary and my son Ross Who does street thug barbers, which is now called mega social media. Oh, that's cool. That's my son. My oldest son who's Freaking amazing artist. That's really cool. He is like the purest. He's like Rembrandt With a pair of scissors incredible designer That's so cool. And he does it on people that can't afford anything. They're on the streets The children that will never see a home These are men that have made a mistake and they live on the streets progress their lives He goes there with four or five barbers and sits them all down. That's my new focus Even at my age. Yeah, my oldest son who I absolutely worship. Yeah I see him and I think Where did that come from? It's him. Yeah, he's ross wilson. He's not philip wilson's son, which is hard for him to wear He is ross wilson Frigging amazing artist and so much about giving back not focused on the revenue aspect. Yeah That is rare my youngest son I mean my sons and my wife when you say about you've left your wife and your son Here's one thing. I'll give you advice on guy of my age Always put Family first. Yeah, never ever put something in front of your wife and child Yeah, because that's nothing you have nothing to substantiate But you will find these curves in life My one of my most impressed one other of my family is jim marcom. Okay. I mean iconic He's created seabring marcom abba Pure ology now color proof, which is off the Richter scale advanced technology See, I thought color proof was yours. No, no, no, no, okay. It's it. He is the the head of it Okay, I am his partner. Okay, which is Fantastic fabulous He has this uncanny ability And neither one of us are young by any means, but he knows what he has that remember I told you there are those levels you'll go through. He has that ability he can see it He's a technological genius, of course. He's also iconic hairdresser, right? Sinatra I mean come on. Yeah The most powerful men in the world of satanist chair, right superstars I don't mean today like reality talk show This is like peter lawford dean martin sammy davis jr. Frank sinatra steve mcqueen the cat's done Monumentally well, but now with color proof. It's his like cap Okay So what i'm saying is there are stages, but you'll find a cap and it's a very cool one. Yeah, because it's almost this is what You might leave to the industry that you've loved all your life with color proof This guy's taking technology Advanced ingredients to a whole new level. What a way to leave a legacy. Yeah, it's amazing. I really love I mean, I love color proof. I've used a lot of the products. Yeah, um A distributor that I was working with for a little bit carried it and I really enjoy the products What's going on with the with the company right now? It's about to go into hyperdrive. Yeah, I'm glad to say that Yeah, um, we're fully saturated north america now the rest of the world want on okay, and so there are a lot of people that weren't Around four years ago You know saying let's go for it. It's jim mark and we know it's a shoe and it's amazing everything now all of a sudden everybody wants it Right, it's become it's like the super luxury category of all lines What's going on with it? As fanatical as I am with what I do You'll meet someone and I I would like for you to meet jim But he looks for ingredients that no one else sees He was in africa on a safari with his wife Cheryl and he gets out of the enclosed cage And walks over to this big tree and all the guys there are bodyguards, you know Checking out. No, they're going. What the hell is he doing? He saw this tree called the baobab tree Okay, and it is like what they call the tree of life It is it's an incredible story um And he studied it and he said but what was the tree of life? They go what has the ability of immense moisturizing The elephants rubbed their trunks around at certain parts of that africa to then get the liquid the moisture from it To give to the small really then there are these tribe women that harvest this bean It is very unattractive bean, but yet the components are supersonic charge. So he actually Now has great deal of the rights for it. I know he just He sees stuff others don't see Then he says what would that be like in a shampoo conditioner a reconstruction of moisturizer Replenisher A rebuilder all these things goes into his mind Then he has people when I say people fragrance specialists from all over the world go to his house in Newport Beach Literally around this massive on hundreds of fragrances from all over the world. He would then select from them They all want his business because he's iconic. It was done as you know And he'll come up with things that are just ridiculous baobab, which is like most expensive there is It's like 24 karat gold in your hair and you say How did you do that and he'll say well How did you think of doing that Erica and I go just do it? Yeah He goes, but you don't touch it you cut with combs and brushes and People think you're strange. You're weird and I go that's what I want them to think that gives me that Individuality that little niche. That's a little different. He's the same guy. That's cool. He's my best friend He's my partner He's regarded by a lot of people as extremely eccentric But then Come on even your generation Even the social digital world know that eccentricity means there's a uniqueness in that human being That's not run of the mill 99.99% will walk south He'll turn around put his jacket on walk north. Everybody goes. He's going the wrong way But then the other 99% going that way going I'm not sure he is But by the time they turn around to hit it His project's done and that's what separates people and that's when it if like a lot of you guys out there that are watching this Um, when you look at you you the energy the passion Like it's so much more than if you want if you want to be successful in the industry and in a In a whole another level not behind the chair is one level Very lovely world very beautiful lifestyle. A lot of people have a lot of Absolutely, then there's a whole another level of where People want to educate and all that and then there's tonight the other artistic side of everything And I think that you know, you have you've kind of you've traveled through all of them. What is your favorite part? Wow Or if you had to give a favorite part of let's say, that's a great question, right I've been behind the chair many many many many years love it and have done royalty and blue buds and stars and Lived on an island for two years doing Some of the wealthiest people on the planet that the only way to commute the islands were luxurious yachts I used to get on with a hooded dryer and my rollers and my scissors and brushes and stay on their island Private island for two or three days doing all their guests that have come in from all over the world Oh, yeah, it's been an incredible life when I say it's been it is it's not been right. There's a lot more yet now my objective Everyone is in that room And viewing what you're viewing tonight. We're sitting in front of the beacon right pba beacon, which is all students all students They're they're on that level of graduating. They're becoming they're the the future stars But they see people on stages here it's It must be understood by everybody There is no rule or regulation to how far you want to take your career. Yeah, it's unlimited Here is the limitation what sits between your ears. Yep. This is your limitation. Yeah, I never ever had that I came from Very poor humble beginnings in london and now live a lifestyle that's very I don't know nice. Yeah, I can I mean you have a couple houses I have a couple of nice things and I love the cars That's what it's all about and the clothes and that's what's all about But no one must ever think they can't do something right if the person says they can't do it Is they've listened to the advice of others that never did it, right? I learned that as a young much younger than you. Yeah And poor told me the minute you believe what someone's telling you is correct And just keep in the corner quiet and just get by It's a minute. It's defeated. You've defeated. You mustn't allow someone to say you can't do something Can't doesn't I have never had that in my entire now human dictionary Can't And I think a lot of people get stuck in that comfort zone Daily. Yeah All over the world They just get content with what they have and then they want Like I think when you get to the point where you're now at your you want everyone else to give you what you should have And you're not going to get it for yourself. I think that's when people will get lost Yeah, they get totally lost and when people say to me well, how long you've been doing I go Well, let's see 44 years and they go good grief. I go meaning what? I mean if it was Dolly or Airtay or Whoever someone said this is the age doesn't affect my ability to sculpt design paint cut right These work this very much works. Right. And this is as big as it's ever been, right Don't don't allow someone to walk away from them. Well, you become who you were meant to be here You weren't brought here To follow someone else you were brought here to make your mark and leave your dynasty Not someone else's that's been my philosophy my entire life And it hasn't served me too bad Well with that being said is there anything else you want to put out there for everybody? um Anything you got coming up for well, I've got lots of show obviously shows coming up. Um Yeah, almost all the shows. Yeah, the color proof shows are just phenomenal. It's um, it's start It's now gearing up. It'll be going global um I don't know every day is different. I really don't know and what's your what's your son's instagram ross and it's uh Is street thug barbers street thug barbers and it's uh in canada right now. Okay, and it is probably One of the most meaningful things I've ever experienced in my entire life. Cool. And I've seen and met Very prominent people. Yeah My sons are past them all just by being a human being that actually loves The fact is that he's helping people that Live in the streets. Yeah, and every every age and if you look on street thug barbers dot com And you go on facebook or instagram It's all I go all over the world and I'll be talking to some barbers Fabulous barbers old traditional barbers right and I'll tell you my son does that in the street Dude, are you serious? I follow him. Yeah, what do you mean? That's your son. I go. Yeah, that's him And that's that's what's cool about the times now because I think um when you look at um other Iconic hairdressers and their sons and family coming up through it It was you just people kind of knew because that's how you would grow in your within the legacy nowadays You have social media you can you can become your own Whatever you want without Having that brilliant point great point like and he's done that. Yeah, because I don't think you know A lot of people are following him necessarily because of your career even though it would push it I would tell you and I'm the first to say it has nothing to do right with me. Yeah I'm here. He's over there. That's philip. That's ross. We have the same surname He happens to be my son and you get to share and I oh my my I am you know when you hear people say how proud they are of someone Yeah, you have no idea of the pride. I have I can I can see it It I eat sleep and drink the earth he walks on well because I'd never Have seen something so real Yeah in my entire life when you stand and you put a box up and you try to look for an electrical outlet And he plugs his clippers in yeah, and he gets his scissors comes out and he's got five or six fabulous barbers We're with you It is the most amazing thing Anyone could ever experience. Yeah, and the fact you see as my surname helps me great He's helping me. That's right. Very good. That's great. Well, philip. It's so great to talk to you Thank you to American salon. Thank you for setting up this interview I love talking to people especially like you That have done so much for the industry. So thank you a lot more to go More to come right. Thank you guys so much for watching Definitely check out american sawn and freeslawneducation.com and color proof and philip wilson All right. Thank you guys