Phish NY Times Article: Phish Breakup?

Interesting read. In the NY Times nonetheless! Bits about a new album and other goodies.

Phish’s Breakup? That Was Then. But Tough Times Call for a Reunion.

Here's a bit...
Late last year the four band members came together, by themselves, to make music in Mr. Anastasio’s Burlington barn and studio. They liked what they heard. And they resolved to be the version of Phish they prized most: the intently practiced, well-prepared Phish from the mid-90s. They started their Vermont rehearsals not with their countryish three-chord songs but with their intricate, suitelike songs that verge on progressive rock, like “Split Open and Melt” and “Foam.” Although Phish has recorded demo versions of 20 songs for its next album, only one is likely to be heard this weekend: “Backwards Down the Number Line,” a fond birthday song that asks, “Do you know why we’re still friends?”

Comments

Anonymous said…
the key point of this whole article is that they are back to writing setlists....at least for this weekend.

Its going to be a tight jam. It seemed like the whole idea of playing on the spot kind of got lazier and lazier. In 1997 it was a good thing cause it was what they needed at the time. They needed that restriction of going from one song to the next gone so that they could just jam. In 2004 all it did was waste time between songs as they figured out what to play.

I think they should go back to setlists with the rule that if they really start going somewhere they can dump the setlist. That would bring the attention and focus back with also the carefree abandonment. The best of both worlds.
Pauly said…
Great point Johnny Utah.

I'm down for a loose setlist... more of a guideline and they stick to 80-90% of the list and then deviate/elaborate from there.
Henry Holland said…
Nice article, I love the New York Times style of referring to everyone as Mr.--Mr. Anastasio, Mr. Fishman, etc.

Agree about the setlists, great point JU. I don't think that 4 song 2nd sets are really on the cards this time around, so it makes sense to have a plan than can be changed if, say, a MikeS takes off.

80 songs to choose from, nice. Please please please let two of them be The Curtain (With) and Fluffhead. Prog-rock Phish, baby.

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