Welcome back to Shecky's Jam Band, the podcast
where we dive deep into the legends of rising
stars of the jam scene. Today we're talking about
the band that sits on the throne of the jam band
kingdom. The group that took what Grateful Dead
pioneered and brought it into a new generation.
That's right, we're talking about Phish. Phish
formed in Burlington, Vermont back in 1983. when
Trey Anastasio, Mike Gordon, John Fishman, and
Jeff Holdsworth started jamming together at the
University of Vermont. Soon after, Page McConnell
joined on keyboards, and the core four that we
know today, Mike, Trey, Page, and Fish, were
solidified. The name Fish actually comes from
the drummer, John Fishman's nickname, Fish. and
they stylized it with a pH to make it stand out.
Pretty simple, but iconic. And over time, they've
become the defining jam band of the modern era,
selling out arenas, headlining festivals, and
even hosting their own massive festivals like
Big Cypress in 1999, which went all night into
the new millennium. Here are some cool fish facts
you may or may not know. They never play the
same set list twice. Pretty unique. Every show
is different, and fans trade tapes like gold.
Their fan base is so dedicated, there's a traveling
economy around them. Think Shakedown Street -style
marketplaces. They've covered full albums live,
from the Beatles' White Album to Talking Heads,
Remain in Light. They have their own Ben & Jerry's
ice cream flavor, Fish Food. Enough said. And
let's not forget the Halloween musical costumes,
where they surprise fans by playing a full album
by another artist from start to finish. Now,
if you're new to Fish, where do you begin? Here
are a few must -listen's. The song, You Enjoy
Myself, arguably their signature piece, It's
complex, improvisational, and usually features
vocal jams. Another one, Bathtub Gin, playful,
funky, and it often stretches into long, joyous
jams. Another one you should check out is Down
with Disease, one of their most accessible and
radio -friendly tracks, but also a launch pad
for Monster Jams. Another one is Harry Hood,
a fan favorite with soaring emotional peaks.
and last but not least is Tweezer, maybe the
ultimate jam vehicle, different every single
time they play it. Alright, let's get to the
real meat. The jams that define fish. You gotta
check out the Tahoe Tweezer in 2013, a 30 -minute
journey that fans call one of the greatest jams
of modern era. It moves from funky grooves to
blissful peaks to deep psychedelic soundscapes.
Pure fish magic. Another jam you should check
out is the Island Tour roses are free in 1998.
Fish took a wean cover and turned it into a transcendent
jam, proving they can elevate any song into a
masterpiece. Another jam you should check out
is called the Big Cypress Midnight. transitioning
to sunrise set in 1999 and 2000. When the clock
struck midnight on Y2K, Fish played for seven
and a half hours straight. No breaks, just pure
improvisation until the Florida sun came up.
That's jam band history. Another great jam you
should check out is Dick's Simple in 2012. At
Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Colorado, Fish
dropped a 25 -minute simple that flows through
multiple distinct movements, airy, funky, blissful,
and exploratory. And the last jam you should
check out is called The Baker's Dozen Run in
2017. 13 nights at Madison Square Garden with
no repeated songs. That's over 250 different
tunes which is totally unprecedented. What makes
Phish unforgettable isn't just the music, it's
the community, the vibe, the idea that every
night is a unique journey. No two shows are ever
the same and that keeps the fans coming back
for decades. So whether you're a newbie checking
out YEM, for the first time or a seasoned vet
who is still chasing that perfect tweezer. Fish
is a band that redefines what it means to jam.
That's it for this episode of Shecky's Jam Bands.
Next time we'll dig into another band carrying
the torch. But until then, keep the jams rolling.