Phish: The Biography
Drawing upon nearly fifteen years of exclusive interviews with the members of Phish, veteran music journalist Parke Puterbaugh examines the colorful chemistry that inspired the wildly popular rock group to push their four-man experiment to the limit. An intimate and fascinating portrait, Phish: The Biography is the definitive story of these Vermont jam-band legends.
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An all-access pass to the life and times of one of rock and roll’s most popular, inventive, and enduring bands, with sixteen pages of rare photos The New York Times - Marc Tracy Much like the band itself, Phish can be a little much. But knowing Phish's story will enrich anyone's understanding of the American scene over the past quarter-century.
\ Marc TracyMuch like the band itself, Phish can be a little much. But knowing Phish's story will enrich anyone's understanding of the American scene over the past quarter-century.\ —The New York Times\ \ \ \ \ Publishers WeeklyIn the wake of Phish's wildly successful summer reunion tour, journalist and Rolling Stone contributor Puterbaugh delivers a consistently lucid and revelatory look at the 26-year-long career of the legendary “jam band.” Puterbaugh's solid and intelligent take on how Phish blends both seriousness and whimsy into rock, jazz, funk, country and experimental music (sometimes in the same song) will satisfy newcomers as well as the band's obsessively knowledgeable fans. In the process, Puterbaugh definitely demolishes the media's “reflexively drawn” comparisons of Phish to the Grateful Dead just because both played long improvisational concerts for hardcore fans. Much of the book's success stems from Puterbaugh's experience as in-house PR writer for the band from 1995 until its 2004 breakup. His insider access allows him to get never-before-published comments and insights from the band, its management, archivists, crew and close friends. His solid reporting produces the best account so far of Phish's college-era birth and growth in Burlington, Vt. And his exclusive interview with Trey Anastasio provides a frank look at how the guitarist's drug addiction brought down the band, how his recovery led to their reunion and why “there's no reason that Phish couldn't go on for quite some time.” (Nov.)\ \ \ Kirkus ReviewsThe first biography of the undisputed king of modern jambands. Founded in 1983 in Burlington, Vt., Phish spent years honing their chops and developing explosive live performances, which differed completely from night to night, before they entered the national radar in the early '90s. Former Rolling Stone contributor Puterbaugh (co-author: Rhino's Psychedelic Trip, 2000, etc.), who has covered Phish on and off since 1995, is quick to note the importance of the band to the live-music landscape of the past 25 years. "I firmly believe that they are one of the great American bands," he writes, "and not just jam bands." The author begins with a well-executed framing chapter that traces the band's legendary festivals, from Ian's Farm in 1987, to the forward-thinking Clifford Ball in 1996, to the disastrous mudfest at Coventry in 2004. In chronological fashion, Puterbaugh follows the band's progress from a high-energy bar band to a consistently entertaining arena band that drew more than 80,000 fans to the swamps of Florida for Big Cypress in 1999-2000. He also discusses the many changes in the band's playing over the years, focusing on how the group's dynamic jamming has evolved as they have ventured into larger arenas and outdoor amphitheaters. The author ably sketches each band member's distinct personality-from the alpha-dog exuberance of guitarist and de facto frontman Trey Anastasio to the quirky genius of bassist Mike Gordon-and digs up many intriguing stories behind the band's storied career. Puterbaugh doesn't shy from the negative events in the band's history-including Anastasio's arrest for narcotics in 2006-but his respect and admiration for his subjects is clear. The portrait thatemerges shows a uniquely gifted collection of omnivorous musicians who understand the necessity of group collaboration and the near-infinite possibilities of the stage. Also included is an illuminating 2009 interview with Anastasio, conducted amid the band's triumphant return, and a full list of Phish's studio recordings and official live releases. An even-keeled evaluation of an important American band-a must for Phishheads, even though they probably know most of the stories already. Agent: Sarah Lazin/Sarah Lazin Books\ \
