Concentrating on their studio output Ian Oakley gives a personal introduction the album music of Phish.
Welcome to Phish n' Chips, What we hope to achieve with this site is to introduce this outstanding band to an audience who only knows Phish as a weird name of a rather delicious ice cream -
- purchased at the local cinema and supermarket.
Well Phish are a lot -lot more than that…. Possibly the best band of the 90s and certainly the best kept American secret of the decade; Phish will appeal to anyone whose appreciation of music goes beyond the three-minute single threshold. Each masters of their chosen instrument these people can just about play anything in any style. And it is the expert fusion's of these styles that makes this band so unique.
Formed 1984 in Vermont U.S.A, Phish started life as a progressive rock concept album entitled 'The Man That Stepped Into Yesterday' (a.k.a. Gamehendge). This project did not actually start work as an album to be released (and "officially" to this day it still hasn't) but rather as a end of college thesis presented by guitarist Trey Anastasio .
| Drawing on many diverse influences such as Focus / Genesis / The Grateful Dead / Allman Brothers and Frank Zappa, Phish soon found themselves a cult following around the American college circuit. Initially released as a tape sold by the band at concerts, their first official album the double 'Junta' (1988) is a progressive rock lover's delight. From the humorous story telling of 'Fee' to the epic 'Cinema Show' treatment of 'Esther' to the Focus meets Allman Brothers rendition of 'Divided Sky'. But, it is the Rock/ Reggae crossover track 'David Bowie' and the sublime jazz-fusion of 'You Enjoy Myself' ('YEM') that showcases the jamming live sound that marked the road to stardom. |  |
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The second album 'Lawn Boy' (1990) was self-funded on the proceeds of a talent contest win. This album captured the live sound of Phish at that present moment. Tight, experimental, with influences from Zappa, Horn sectioned Blues Funk and even Barber shop quartet slipping into the sound spectrum. It is this Album that also contains the quintessential Phish track 'Reba'. Starting in a very humorous Zappa like way, Reba builds to a middle section containing a jazz guitar ridden orchestral fugue which finally leads to the most "drop dead gorgeous" guitar solo of all time. All this played out against the backdrop of Page McConnell's jazz piano, the funky bass work of Mike Gordon and the percussion perfection of Jon Fishman. (For you "Prog" lovers out there Lets say that 'Reba' starts with Zappa leading to Focus leading to Gong leading to Floyd (Yes, all this in one track) … tasty eh!) |
AOR sensibilities also emerge on this album with the tracks 'The Squirming Coil' and 'Bouncing Around The Room'. For the "Phans", it is the track 'Run Like an Antelope' that really shows off the improvisational live performance standards that this band is best known for.
The band's cult following the self titled "Phish Heads" eventually forced the attention of A and R men to the Phish Phenomenon. But in fact they almost sold out an open-air stadium before they obtained a deal and major press attention.
| 1992 saw Phish sign to Elektra and the release of 'A Picture of Nectar'. Named after Nectars Bar in Burlington Vermont, this album brought in more jazz influences i.e. a cover of the Dizzy Gillespie 'Manteca', American country rock 'Poor Heart' (complete with Banjo) and also a harder rock sensibility. The highlights of the album, to me, are the strange compelling lyrical puzzles written by Tom Marshall. (The non performing fifth member of Phish)- (You will see a lot of examples of his word play on the 'Bathtub of Adventures' site). The live favourites 'Tweezer' and 'Stash' also originate from this album. |  |
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Phish's "Great American concept album" 'Rift' followed in 1993. Again a complementary mixture of American musical influences and Tom Marshall's lyrics. With the band becoming increasingly song oriented, two ballads 'Fast Enough For You' and 'Silent in The Morning' with the Jazz-Rock of 'Maze' are the stand out tracks of this collection. |
| Next, in 1994, followed the disappointing 'Hoist'. Phish seemed to have problems with this album not knowing which way to turn - Commercial AOR to please their record company or keep the fans happy by sticking to their experimental roots. A classic funky live piece 'Wolfmans Brother' did originate from this set but is almost unrecognisable from the lifeless version presented here. But don't worry, there is one stand out track - 'Demand'. Culled from a live improvisation version of 'Split Open and Melt' from 'Lawn Boy', 'Demand' includes samples of a car crash followed by unaccompanied harmony singing, in Hebrew, of a Jewish psalm. This closing track is again Phish at their experimental best. |  |
Editors Note: Personally I believe that the development of song based Phish albums is as much, if not entirely of the band's choosing. To a certain extent the band would love to write some classic songs in the Dead, Band tradition (Trey for one has expressed this desire). Sometimes they succeed, sometimes they don't, always they are Phish and we love 'em. Of course we have all the live stuff anyway so why can't the guys attempt to create something different in the studio? David
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Indecision seemingly over with, to critical acclaim, although not so well received by the hardcore jam loving Phish Head community, in 1996 'Billy Breaths' was released. Production excellently handled by Englishman Steve Lillywhite, keeping Phish's jamming excesses under very tight constraint. The songs are kept restrained and succinct, each one a representative of the many differing musical assets of Phish. From the rocky 'Free', the jazzy 'Cars Trucks Buses', the acoustic fragile beauty of 'Waste' to the progressive rock of 'Theme From The Bottom' and 'Billy Breathes' this undoubtedly is the album to play any one as a first introduction to "studio" Phish. (…They can get into the real hardcore live jamming stuff as a later delight) |
There is a story surrounding this album that the record company wanted it to end with the ballad 'Strange Design'. However, the band deliberately left it off the album and have never officially released the track. The reason? The record company were sure the single release would be a certain "top 10 hit" - Something the band have decided that they are not looking for, as they do not want to be controlled by a record company that will, in future, always be looking for the next commercially formulated money spinner. I don't know if it is still there but 'Strange Design' is/was available from the official Phish site as an MP3. Download it and judge for yourself whether it would have been a hit. Nice song - Ed
| Among the many live treats of Phish are the annual Halloween "musical costume" concerts. In 1994 they performed the whole of The Beatles 'White Album' in 1995 the whole of The Who's 'Quadrophenia' and in 1996 The Talking Heads 'Remain In Light'. I don't know if this was the catalyst but in 1998 with their next studio outing 'The Story Of The Ghost' we were presented with a more dance orientated, distinctly funky,almost "trip hop" version of Phish (especially prevalent on the accompanying tour). I must admit that this album took a great while to grow on me but tracks like the funky title track, the quirky 'Limb by Limb' and the distinctly anthemic and majestic 'Wading In The Velvet Sea' have become firm favourites on my Phish playlist. The highlight prize belongs to 'Guyute'- Phish returning to Zappa / prog rock territory with the nonsense rhymed opening vocals (could any other band get away with "I'm bouncing like a new born Elf, I can't remain inside myself") leading to delicate piano and guitar plucking counterpoints and finally climaxing in what can be described as a jam "Techno" feast of Phish meets Hawkwind / Ozrics Tentacles. |  |
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Phish's last studio outing, to date, is the mail order only release 'The Siket Disc' (named after the recording engineer John Siket). A collection of instrumental jams left over from the recording sessions of the last official release 'The Story of the Ghost'. Phish took a six-month break from live performing and their keyboardist, Page McConnell, used some of this time to take the best of these live jams and edit them to this CD. Really a mixture of sound experiments a real "ambient / late night play". 'What's the Use' - the highlight of this release- a track best described as Fleetwood Macs 'Albatross' meets Jimi Hendrix 'Third Stone from the Sun'. Click on the link for the BOA review. |
In the above I've tried to give a very small idea of Phish's studio output and sound. If you want to find out more take a plunge and buy some albums and also check out the two leading Phish website's.
Official band site http://www.phish.com/
And major Phan site http://www.phish.net/
A very good place to start your exploration (after our plaice of course!) is http://www.phish.net/newbie/ A site ran by Phish.net purposely for new people ("newbies") interested in finding out a bit more about this band.
If you want to plunge straight
into album purchase then I recommend the following starting
points-
For progressive Rock lovers - Junta
Mainstream rock - Billy Breathes
Psychedelic / Improvised - A Live One
For a bit of everything (my favourite) - Lawn Boy (And it does
have 'Reba'!)
Ian Oakley 1999