Phil Cleave was Born in 1958 and started playing at the age of 8 along with both parents and 3 brothers who were also playing and made up a large section of the Newton Abbot Town band.

In 1971, with the help of a small group of other players the Cleave family formed the Totnes Band. The Totnes band quickly worked its way up to the 2 section in the late 80’s and 90’s.

In 1974 Phil moved to London to work in a piano factory making John Broadwood pianos, and also joined Championship section band “The Hanwell Band” on tenor horn.

Phil played on the backing track of Peter Skeltern’s You’re a lady, recorded the music for the TV program That’s life with Esther Rantzen, and played on the backing track of Terry Wogan’s Floral Dance. In 1977 the Hanwell band played at the silver jubilee concert in the Royal Albert hall with Black Dyke, Fairy Engineering, Fodens and Morris Motors. Phil also played at the National finals in the Albert Hall on 2 other occasions, and won many other contests around London and southern counties. The band also made regular appearances on the BBC’s Friday night is Music night.

In 1978 Phil returned to Totnes after getting married to Alison and working on the family farm, and moved from horn onto Solo Euphonium and has played with many local bands as a dep.

He plays regularly with the Roche band, a well known successful contesting band in Cornwall.