The
band today know as Phish, began way back, up in Vermont in 1983. The group
formed on UVM’s campus when lead guitarist, Trey Anastasio, really got the
group together. Like the Grateful Dead, they are known for their extended
instrumental grooves and a great deal of improvisation. They have released
fifteen different albums over thirty years of making music. They are famous for
selling out big arena venues and having amazing concerts that would last
hours upon hours with no openers. In simpler terms, they were one of the most
famous jam bands of their time.
Even though they were all in the business of making
music, they came from different backgrounds which allowed them
to have such great performances and improvisations. They were individuals
within a band, meaning they would bring their own spice while being a part
of a larger band. Even in college, Page McConnell, keyboards and vocal, studied
jazz piano while Anastasio studied composition. Jon Fishman, drums, wrote a
drum instructional manual and lastly Mike Gordon, bass, got a degree in film.
And then they added Jeff Holdsworth, guitar and vocals, who dropped out of
college to find the Lord.
Moreover,
their upbringings were vastly different. Mike Gordon had a mother who painted
and specifically did abstract art. She even designed Phish’s backdrops for
their concerts. Anastasio wrote and played songs with his mother. So you can
totally see where their college degrees may have been started. McConnell and
Fishman’s parents come from some type of medical background. So, now one can see
that the members are diverse and not just all similar guys making things work.
They each bring their different personalities to the music and it combats but
also makes it work in the end.
However
with collaboration, may come conflict. Phish suffered a big break up in 2004
where they seemed to be done. They had to meet almost like in a business
meeting where they would lay out the terms of their reunion. The most important
rule of Phish these day is a new ‘No Analyze Rule’ where bandmates are not
allowed to comment on one another’s playing. This came about because a big
problem happened in their fifteen minute break between sets. They would just
chew each other out picking at each other’s performance. And rather than encouraging
each other, they were just tearing each other down. With the rule enacted, they’ve
reentered back to their former prowess where their long instrumental parts were
much more enjoyed and band members felt much better.
So,
it is interesting how collaboration is something that can produce amazing music
and ideas and inspire creativity. But it is double-edged sword where it can cut
down that inspiration and develop conflict and argument. I am just glad that Phish
became aware of this and came together to form a way for good collaboration.
Resources:
I will be completely transparent and tell you the only thing I knew about Phish was that Ben & Jerry's flavor Phish Food and even then it seemed to me they were a bit too fringe for their own (delicious) Ben & Jerry's flavor. But it is cool to see the no analyze rule be put into place in multiple settings. It reminded me instantly about the Ideo video we watched in class and how there were no wrong answers, only improvements to be made. The environment is so important in fostering creativity.
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