Gershuny Jason - 100 Things Phish Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die

Jenna, my love, this book is for you. Thank you for encouraging me and believing in me when I said I wanted to be a professional Phish fan. Baby, we did it! Without your support, it wouldnt have happened. I love you so much!

Thanks for backing me when I started PhanSite.com, nurturing me during the initial book proposal process, and coaching me through the draft and completion of this book. More so, thanks for supporting all my travels and adventures to see this band across the country, and joining me for so many shows throughout the years. We both know its a little crazy, and perhaps a bit too much, but youve always been there for me and my passion for going to countless shows by the noodle factory that is these four middle-aged white men. Thank you!

And, if I may, Id like to share this dedication with my parents, especially my mother, who took me and three friends to my first Phish show as a teenager. I cant imagine you fully understood what you were getting me into, but thats the best part: you just knew I wanted to go, and were kind enough to take the trip with me. I love you. Thank you so much!

Andy P. Smith

I dedicate this book to the three most important and inspirational women in my worldthe light of my life, my daughter, Izabella; my incredibly kind and understanding wife, Mindy; and my mom, Sylvia, who supported, encouraged, and loved me since my first breath.

I love you all so much, and owe much of my lifes abundant joy to you.

Jason Gershuny

Contents

Foreword by Mike Greenhaus

When Phish returned from their nearly five-year pause in early 2009, they arrived with a declaration tucked within their new original song, Backwards Down the Number Line:

The only rule is it begins.

The bouncy, soon-to-be Phish staple started its life as a birthday poem gifted to Trey Anastasio from his longtime creative partner Tom Marshall during the bands seemingly definitive breakup, and first surfaced on the idyllic afternoon of July 6, 2008, when Anastasio, backed by Mike Gordon, debuted Backwards at the Rothbury Festival. By then, rumors of a potential Phish revival had already started to swirl and the new tune seemed to capture the wistful spirit of Phishs forthcoming reunion. Later that day, Anastasio and Jon Fishman jammed with Gordon and his solo group and, soon after, The Vermont Quartet played together for the first time since 2004 at the wedding of longtime road manager Brad Sands.

Phish officially kicked-off three celebratory shows at Virginias Hampton Coliseum with Fluffhead, a fan-favorite left on the shelf for years. It was clear to everyone that Phish was ready to embrace their rich history while looking forward into the bands 3.0 era. Needless to say, the fans were ready, tooready to embrace the band they shared and studied solely in the past-tense for so many years. Backwards was one of only a handful of debuts during the Hampton run and its inclusion felt purposeful. But it also begged an important question: Where to begin?

When Phish reunited, it quickly became apparent that they had not only influenced an entire generation of creative thinkersfrom hipster-approved indie-rock musicians to chart-topping pop stars, comedic television celebrities to political punditsbut also that there was another generation of fans waiting in the wings, studying up to understand the nuance at the geeky heart of every Bakers Dozen debut or bust-out. The cover line for our first post-reunion Relix interview with the band read Older, Wiser, Geekier.

And Phish were not a nostalgia act when they returned. During the current chapter of Phishs forward-thinking modern period, theyve continued to wink at preconceived notions of what it means for a band to honor its legacy, embrace their traditions, theatrics and their treasure-trove of songs while continuing to push themselves to record new music and explore new heights on stage.

All of which begs the question yet again, Where to begin?

My introduction to Phishs music was likely similar to many Northeastern fans who discovered the band during the proto-Internet wonder years of the mid-90s. I first heard Fee playing on a stereo at overnight camp in the Poconos, which led me to track down a recording of the quirky little tale about a weasel when I returned homeand then, ultimately, headfirst into the world of blanks-and-postage live show tape trading, rec.music.Phish research, and carefully annotated reads of The Phishing Manual and The Pharmers Almanac . I later wore out copies of The Phish Book , too.

Every rabbit hole I discovered opened up secret corners of the Phish catalog and an endless list of songs to chase, only further propelled when I started seeing Phish live. At various points in my own journey, Ive placed different weight on the bands technical prowess, freeform jams, and jukebox of covers while also trying to simply appreciate their shows as a great place to commune with friends, family, and other like-minded folk.

Now, thats not to say that one couldnt walk into a show or cue up a live recording or album and simply enjoy some classic American rock music, mind-melting improvisation, and instrumental virtuosity.

But theres just so much more to appreciate for those whove done their homework. The more one invests in Phish, the more one is rewarded. Its not lost on me that it took 40-something shows in more than a dozen states to finally hear the song that sparked my intrigue performed liveand all the more spectacular for it, though not without effort and investment.

Over the years, Ive had several interview subjects, professional musicians, tell me that Phish taught them how to be a fan. Feeling deeply invested in a bands story, Phishs story, helped them learn how to cultivate a devoted audience of their own.

The Phish audience and fan base is devoted to say the least. And for new fans and returning vets, it seems theres so many ways to approach and (re)discover this great band. As such, the question of where to begin may be moot, as answered in the lyrics of Backwards Down The Number Line:

You decide what it contains

How long it goes but this remains

The only rule is it begins

Heres to new articles, new posts, and new books like this one for helping to lay out a bit of the number line that continues to unfold. The only rule is it begins.

Mike Greenhaus

Editor-in-Chief, Relix

January 2018

Acknowledgments

Heartfelt thanks to Triumph Books, particularly Josh Williams, our acquisitions editor, who really believed in this project. And to our editor, Michelle Bruton, who guided us through the manuscript.

Furthermore, this book would not have happened without Scott Bernstein, editorial director at JamBase.com, who introduced us and launched this collaborative endeavor. Thanks, Scotty!

Additionally, wed like to acknowledge a few people individually:

I want to take this opportunity to give Phish a literary standing ovation. You have been the soundtrack of my life, from my first show as a socially awkward high schooler trying to find myself, to one of my most recent shows, where I cried my eyes out with tears of joy when you played Izabella thinking of my beloved daughter of the same name. I have grown up with Phish, and I could never thank you all enough, but I can at least try. Thank you!

Much thanks to Ken Meyerson, Mark Feldman, and Noah Cole for hearing our ideas, reading our words, giving sage advice, and being honest with me throughout.

Also thanks go out to HeadCounts executive director, Andy Bernstein, for taking the time for a phone interview more than a decade ago and giving me an opportunity to combine my political passion with my love of music all those years ago.