Fishman Interview: Modern Drummer

photo by Dave Vann

Modern Drummer did an August cover story on Jon Fishman. Highlights include an explanation of the band's trouble leading up to Coventry and why they don't play Mound.

A significant part of the interview is about Fish's time away from the band:

I got married and moved to mid-coast Maine and bought a farm. I learned how to milk a cow, and I shoveled a lot of animal manure and made a giant compost pile, which produced some really good compost for the garden. It got to a point where I was sort of feeling like, well, maybe I'll just go forward as a farmer.

The interview gets technical. There is a spread of Fish's kit, complete with vacuum and mic selections. He talks about his drum lessons with legend Joe Morello and dissects his practice regimen. I particularly enjoy the flam exercise Fish invented, dubbed "the ladder", which would later become the drum part for Party Time.

Special thanks to artfitz for the full interview