Moving to New York in 1980, he founded the rock band Certain General with singer Parker Dulany. Playing lead guitar with that band until 1985, he performed on the records HOLIDAY OF LOVE, FARAWAY IN AMERICA, and the critically acclaimed album NOVEMBER'S HEAT (1985's French "Rock Album of the Year"). He also toured internationally with the group. Early in 1995 a reunited Certain General recorded SIGNALS FROM THE SOURCE (CBGB Records). This was followed up by the French release of CLOSER TO THE SUN in late '00, and LIVE AT THE PUBLIC THEATRE in '01.

The year 1990 saw the release of the first Phil Gammage solo record NIGHT TRAIN in Europe. Later solo CDs include 1991's KNEEL TO RISING SUN and 1993's CRY OF THE CITY, a collection of songs influenced by the works of American writers in the roman noir style. LOWLIFE STREET, Gammage's fourth solo CD, was released in January 2000 on France's Last Call Records. The CD features ten new Gammage original songs. In 2002 MOTEL SONGS, a compilation of songs from his first four solo recordings, was released in the United States on SourMash USA.

Always searching for new forms of musical expression, Gammage founded the lounge/latin group Voodoo Martini in 1995. In 1997 they released their 10-song record EXOTIC AND MYSTERIOUS, THE SOUNDS OF VOODOO MARTINI. Gammage's swing music project, The Scarlet Dukes, have released 2000's ROGUE'S ESCAPADE and LIVE AT WINDOWS ON THE WORLD, a document of a 2000 concert.