PHIL PICKETT EPISODE ONE

PHIL PICKETT - EPISODE ONE
RECORDED 28th August 2026
Location Lewes East Sussex England

Phil Pickett (born Philip Stuart Pickett on 19 November 1946 in Münster, Germany) is an English songwriter, musician, arranger, producer and artist manager whose career has encompassed some of the most distinctive British pop music of the 1970s and 1980s.

After developing an interest in American R&B and songwriting, Pickett moved into the professional music business in the late 1960s. He worked as an arranger for music publisher E. H. Morris and collaborated with a number of writers, including Scott English and B.A. Robertson. His partnership with Norwegian musician Georg Kajanus led to the formation of Kajanus Pickett and, in 1973, the creation of the flamboyant pop group Sailor.

Sailor became one of Britain’s most successful pop groups of the mid-1970s, distinguished by its distinctive keyboard-driven sound and theatrical presentation. Their hits included A Glass of Champagne and Girls, Girls, Girls, establishing Pickett as both a performer and songwriter.

Pickett’s greatest songwriting success came in the 1980s when he joined Culture Club as keyboard player, backing vocalist and vocal arranger. Working closely with Boy George and the other members, he co-wrote It’s a Miracle and the worldwide smash Karma Chameleon. The latter earned Pickett two Ivor Novello Awards in 1983, including Best Pop Song and Highest-Selling A-side. He also co-wrote Move Away and contributed extensively to Culture Club’s recordings and live performances.

Beyond Culture Club, Pickett has worked with artists including Joe Cocker, Georgie Fame, Sheena Easton and Malcolm McLaren, while his compositions have appeared in films including Electric Dreams, Top Secret! and The Lost Boys. He has also written for West End musical theatre.

A respected figure within the British songwriting community, Pickett was invited to join the Society of Distinguished Songwriters in 2015. His autobiography, Calmer Chameleon, provides an insider’s account of his remarkable career.