Tuesday, June 10, 2003

Obsession Alert

This actually started with Max. Then it snowballed.

I've been listening to a lot of Phish lately. The S.O. purchased one of the now-20 volume "Live Phish" set. I listened, I downloaded some of their shows, and I've been buying up assorted other merchandise. It's fun.

But what -- or who -- is Phish? I'll let the erstwhile folk at All Music Guide explain.

"During the early '90s, Phish emerged as the heirs to the Grateful Dead's throne. Although their music is somewhat similar to the Dead's — it's an eclectic, free-form rock & roll encompassing folk, jazz, country, bluegrass, and pop — the group adheres more to jazz-derived improvisation than folk tradition, and they have a looser, goofier attitude."

In other words, a jam band. With four guys -- Trey Anastasio (guitar), Jon Fishman (drums and vacuum cleaner), Mike Gordon (bass) and Page McConnell (drums) -- Phish goes a lot of different places. I've been engaged and excited by their music.

Let's see where it goes.