Five Other Possibilities
Despite Ziggy Stardust being my personal choice for Phish’s musical costume, plenty of other engaging album choices still remain. Assuming Phish is working off their provided list, several defining records could still hold the golden ticket. While everyone has their own opinion of what could work and what certainly will not, I present to five other albums – in no particular order – that Phish could destroy.
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Exile on Main Street – The Rolling Stones
Hailed as one of the Stones finest accomplishments, their 1972 masterpiece blends the influences of blues, rock, country and soul to form a double-album considered among the best “studio” works of all time. During the recording process, nine years into their career as one of the biggest rock acts in the world, the Stones found themselves in financial straits, and decided to flee England to avoid paying income tax. The band drove to the French Riviera, setting up shop in the basement of Villa Nellcote, Keith Richard’s mansion by the sea. As they began recording in their makeshift studio, the band members were at the height of their drug and alcohol addictions, including Keith Richards’ notorious heroin habit. The combination of cramped quarters and intoxicated, unreliable band members created a frustrating dynamic for the band as they plugged away sporadically – usually in the middle of night – in all sorts of chemical states.
The resulting work, however, has since been exalted as a trendsetting record of the gritty, drugged-out rock and roll scene that blossomed in the Seventies. “Exile” came first, spawning a generation of bad-boy imitators, but no one did it quite like the Stones. Some hail the mere fact that the Stones actually got “Exile” recorded as a miracle, as they were hardly in control of anything during this period. But what resulted was “Exile On Main Street,” the Stones tenth album, and snapshot of ragged rock stars trying to keep it together. Perhaps Robert Greenfield, author of “Exile on Main St.: A Season in Hell with the Rolling Stones” said it best:
To say that the human toll exacted during the making of Exile on Main Street was extreme is an understatement of major proportions. But then even if you had tried to tell the denizens of Nellcote that far too many of them would, in the immortal words of Pete Townshend, die before they got old, no one would have listened. They were all too busy getting high.
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London Calling – The Clash
If Phish were to veer from classic rock, The Clash’s dynamic double-album, London Calling, would be an outstanding choice. The band’s third album, released in 1979, represented a shift in The Clash’s musical style, steering away from the classic punk sound, with elements of ska, pop, soul, rockabilly and reggae. And unlike The Rolling Stones odyssey of “Exile,” The Clash recorded London Calling within a matter of weeks; many songs finished in one or two takes. “London Calling” was the Clash’s watershed album, transforming the scruffy British quartet into bona-fide rock stars.
Their musically diverse songs carried various political messages. Whether attacking fascism in “Clampdown, denouncing drug culture in “Hateful”, or commenting on political rebellion in “Spanish Bombs,” The Clash’s songs often carried serious meaning amidst their playful feel. “London Calling’s” copious grooves and dub rhythms could provide Festival 8 with a horn-laced, desert dance party with a grand finale of the infectious pop single, “Train In Vain.”
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Hot Rats - Frank Zappa
The quirky time signatures, sudden changes, and generally bizarre complexity that defined Phish’s early work can be largely traced directly to Frank Zappa. An iconoclast to the end, Zappa made music his own way – a style that Hot Rats illustrates with vibrancy. Released in 1969, and comprised of only six tracks, Zappa described the album as “a movie for your ears.” Departing from his shorter satirical songs and raunchy lyrics popularized with his band, The Mothers of Invention, Hot Rats focuses on longer, jazz-like instrumentals with extensive soloing – a format that sounds perfect for Phish.
Though the album’s opener, “Peaches en Regelia,” has been in Phish’s long-time repertoire, the overwhelming complexity of the record’s compositions makes me question its real chances. This summer Trey was still working on nailing the licks to “Sugar Shack,” and for this costume he’d have to pick up the nuances of 17-minute track “The Gumbo Variations,” among others. But given the proper time and attention, this album could make for a mind-numbing set. Just thinking about Phish playing “Willie the Pimp” makes my ears drool.
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The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway – Genesis
This 1974 double concept album from Genesis could make a spectacular Halloween set, but with a ninety-minute running time “The Lamb” seems like a long shot. However, if Phish were to come out and nail the surreal tale of Rael, a juvenile delinquent in New York City who is swept underground to face his personal demons and split personality, the results would be astounding. Akin in structure to “The Wall,” “Lamb” is a theatrical rock opera that Genesis coupled with an elaborate stage show during their touring days for the album; a show that could translate to the stage in Indio. Peter Gabriel actually played the story’s protagonist, adding another potential layer of costume for Trey. If Phish took this route, they would certainly showcase hours upon hours of meticulous preparation.
With little to no time for improvisation, Phish would likely play this psychedelic relic straight through. But within the album, the songs differ in feel from the groovy to the eerie to the spoken word. The first record boasts ten structured songs, but the second half contains nightmarish soundscapes as Rael descends into the underworld. Though many wouldn’t know what hit them, there would be a lot of new Genesis fans leaving Indio on November 2 if the band chose The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway.
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Thriller – Michael Jackson
With Phish’s gallery of 99 albums, the talk of Michael Jackson’s masterpiece has faded to silence – and this could be exactly what Phish wants. Potentially a diversion to keep people preoccupied, the gallery has certainly kept the community’s heads spinning. But maybe – just maybe – this is all a smokescreen, and the band will come out and rock Jackson’s 1982 classic that fans have been pushing since 1995.
The most popular argument against “Thriller” is the wide range of dynamic vocals that fill the album, but if we start eliminating album choices because Phish aren’t the vocalists that their predeccessors were, we’d have to cross out quite a few. Could they reproduce Mick Jagger, David Bowie, Mick Jones, or even David Lee Roth? No – but that certainly hasn’t ruled out any of those albums, so I think “Thriller” must be legitamately considered. There could be a guest vocalist, Trey could “sing” with his guitar, or they could have another arrangement already in place. The bottom line is that this album would blow Indio apart – and what better subject matter for Halloween?! Just imagine the look of the crowd when Phish starts “Wanna’ Be Startin’ Something.” Now imagine the look of the crowd 20 minutes later after the disco-funk jam concludes. You know the songs; you get the picture. Just outside of his former Los Angeles home, and months after his passing, this could be Phish’s lasting tribute to the King of Pop.
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Jam of the Day:
“Down With Disease > Have Mercy > Disease” 11.12.94 II
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A historic chunk of improv from Kent St, Ohio during Fall ’94.
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DOWNLOAD OF THE DAY:
10.15.94 Oak Mountain Amphitheatre, Pelham, AL < Torrent
10.15.94 Oak Mountain Amphitheatre, Pelham, AL < Megaupload
Everyone knows about Oak Mountain’s 1999 installment, but if we rewind five years from there, or fiftteen years from today, we find The Dave Matthews Band opening for Phish in their only other visit to the Alabama amphitheatre. After a classic first set and an adventurous second, the band invited their guests out to join them on “The Maker.” A southern nugget from Fall ’94.
I: Wilson, Sparkle, Simple > Maze, Glide, Reba, Down with Disease, Golgi Apparatus
II: Also Sprach Zarathustra > Runaway Jim, Halley’s Comet > Scent of a Mule, You Enjoy Myself > Catapult > You Enjoy Myself, Amazing Grace, Foreplay/Long Time*, Bouncing Around the Room, Suzy Greenberg
E: Drums** > The Maker***
*Acoustic, **w/ Carter Beauford on drums, ***w/ Dave Matthews Band, debut
Source: Audio Technica 822 > Sony D8
Tags: 2009, Covers, Culture, Festival 8, Festivals, Halloween
Great post, but I think you had it right yesterday
“Ten” would actually be received well, IMO. It’s a “modern-day” “classic” album. I think there are textures that Phish could take and explore, and given Trey’s “growling” sound this year, maybe it’s a good fit?? But, in all honesty, I think “Ten”‘s chances are pretty slim.
@Marshall….However, audience members have on occasion sung along, particularly with “Wilson” beginning in 1994, e.g. 4/9/94. (Martin Acaster 2/15/99) Following the “Wilson Prelude” from TMWSIY, Trey/Mike play a pair of two-beats — duh-dun duh-dun — and the audience responds with “Wiiiiil-son”, drawing the first syllable out.) The singing with Wilson reached a strong peak 12-30-94 with Trey’s on-stage encouragement (throwing his fist into the air and bouncing around). (Note that that version was included on A Live One.)
The piano intro to the lamb lies down on BW would be the sickness.
marshall- on one of the europe shows thatwas posted here, i think germany, there is an outstanding hood where the audience is silent for the HOOD! part, and i love it. minor thing i know but still….
@ Henrietta – that’s actually what I was asking – was it normal for the crowd not to chant, a la the crowd at Oak Mtn, or was this just a geographical anomaly reflecting the ignorance of the non-northeastern fans? Sounds like a mixture – that 1994 was the first year that crowd-chanting during Wilson began, but that it hadn’t yet become the norm.
If I were to rank just these five albums for what I want to hear outta Phish, it would go as follows:
1. Exile on Main Street: has been and always will be one of my all time favorite albums – fantastic road trip music
2. Thriller: not the most musically challenging, but it sure would be fun
3. London Calling: great album that would get a unique treatment from the boys. would also love for a Clash song or two to be added to the regular rotation
4. Hot Rats: love the album but agree with others that this may be like treading water for Phish. Halloween is about taking on something you are not and making it your own
5. Lamb Lies Down on Broadway: again, great album but I’m just kind of “meh” on this one. too many sections get slow for what I want out of the costume set
I really don’t care and will be happy with whatever they decide to trick/treat us with but it is fun to play with this. My real hope is that they use the first three sets of the festival to tease and torment us into thinking one thing and then giving us something else. Totally worked in 1995 with the Thriller teases and Beat It as part of Harpua. Will work in spades in the festival setting as the buzz will grow overnight and after the “day set” on the 31st.
The topic of audience participation, both the kind desired by the band and the kind debated by fans, could be an interesting blog post for Miner.
If you think about it, given that the band solicited and encouraged audience participation in the early years, albeit for specific songs and in response to particular signals, once the band did this, the idea of audience participation was “out of the bag” and anything that followed (“hood” chant) is merely part of letting the cat out. From a debate standpoint, I’m saying that all forms of audience participation are sanctioned.
This is not actually my viewpoint – i’m just stating one side’s case, since this topic seems hotly debated.
I think the Hood chant started with some fliers in the lot at Red Rocks ’96. Not completely sure of that, but its been discussed on this board before and that’s my recollection of the “facts.”
@ LB – that’s what I’ve heard as well (RR Hood). Some on here were there I believe and have confirmed this.
@Little Buddy
you are correct, sir.
http://phish.net/faq/audience.html#Darius
@ marshall good point and i agree both that the cat is out of the bag and that i don’t necessarily agree/condone all forms of participation. it seems like there was a cut off point – around 94 – where the band was small enough and things were intimate enough that you could still have those ‘inside jokes’ – wilson chanting, stash clapping, etc. then things took on a life of their own, sort of.
glowstick wars, which can look cool but are wildly annoying particularly when people throw at the band were also encourage by Trey – when (at which festy was it?) he said that it looks cool and people should do more of that. I’m sure he’s still regretting that one.
Then there was the Hood chant which originated out of flyers at red rocks. weren’t the accompanied by a divided sky sit down in the pause thing that never caught on? i’m glad that it didn’t but it would be far less annoying than the hood chant – not a fan of that one.
the “love to take a bath” chant I actuallu like for some reason because its just once and then over.
the clap: I used to hate the clap and I still do, except, I love the clap because it is alway interesting to see in what way the band (usually fishman) gets out of it. It’s like it is a signal to them saying, ‘hey this beat is too simple, all 15,000 of us can clap to it, why don’t you try changing it up?”
You forgot MGMT!!!!!!!!
Nice, someone picked up the PJ diss yesterday.
Was hoping not coming off as serious with that one.
Did not see the comment as snobbish.
Was just being a smart ass.
I’m sure Daniel would be pissed to hear someone giving song writing credit to DMB.
Jerry’s only covered that shit a handful of times in the 90’s I believe.
Def not an every day song.
I actually prefer market to go down.
I’m such a pessimist I don’t feel comfortable with everything going up.
Shit seems toppy anyway, time to start thinking about getting short.
My bet is MJ-Because he kicked right around the time they thougth this festi up?
AW – can we keep it up through January 1 so that I don’t have to take any gains this tax year, please?
can someone explain to me the love for MGMT? I mean i just dont see what sets them apart from any of the other indie electro pop bands out there. not tryin to hate, just don’t see it.
Fly your colors @ Indio and on Fall Tour! Click my name for ‘Phishthoughts’ t-shirts, it’s a great fundraiser for this most excellent site!
On subject of Michael Jackson, Thriller is not the best album for Phish to cover, but the only one of his that is shown as a possibility. The song “Don’t stop til you get enough” would be a great Phish cover. I saw a local r&b band at the Flora-Bama cover it this summer and it was very fun to dance to and the band I saw jammed it out completely. They were just a three piece (guitar, drums, and keys).
I’m with you Lycan. I think there’s hype around that album because Trey mentioned in a radio interview that he liked it. Of course, he also said that he sees merit in Britney Spears – Circus, so…
You should be allright Marshall.
With all the stimulus and free money being pumped around.
This government inflated articial bull market should have legs through at least 1Q2010 maybe 2Q2010.
Eventually we need some real growth to support this move up though, and I don’t see it.
@aw -
i for sure don’t want to hear Phish play Ten but how can you deny its place in rock and roll history? i know your opinion on early 90s rock, but come on it doesnt all suck.
lol lets see if we can get this board heated up.
suprised trey didn’t insist on including a Tool album on that list
I liked Ten throughout the 90s. I’m not a big PJ fan today. Only time I ever saw them was at Lollapallooza. The album does sound good, especially when you turn it up real loud.
Hate lead singers and Eddie Vedder is about as annoying as it gets.
I dig Mudhoney, Melvins, a little early Soundgarden even early Nirvana.
I just think PJ was a record company produced super group.
What other Seattle band’s first record is on epic.
Good band but nothing really ground breaking there IMO.
Also every frat boy in college raged that shit.
Drove me crazy.