Just the Jams
If you’re like me, you’ve listened to Phish for uncountable hours during your lifetime. I’ve listened to them for so many hours over the years, I had a desire to increase my “listening efficiency.” Hence, the 
“compilations” I have created for years and have been putting out this week; I no longer need the filler songs. Taking this even further, there came a point, while still living in the analog era, when I knew how long to fast-forward each song before the jam dropped, cutting out the non-essentials. While I always love the continuity of listening to entire shows, especially second sets- I also love just listening to the shit. I reached a place where I did not always need to hear the perfectly composed sections of YEM for the eight millionth time, or repetitive rhymes about coconuts and chloroforms and Uncle Ebeneezer. While adoring these composed sections, and still loving them in a live setting, I found that they took up half of my listening on a short drive or a quick workout, and since I knew those parts in my sleep, I often wanted to get to the heart of things. No time wasted; all jams all the time.
I know some purists will not agree with such habits, and always want to hear a version of a song in its entirety, but they way I see it- life is short, why spend time listening to the intros and composed sections of songs that are indelibly burned into my brain? Yet, there is a time and a place for everything. 
Anyhow, all that stopping and starting of analogs got a bit tiresome after a while, and with the advent of new technology, a few years ago I had an idea. Why not use my CD turntables to spin Phish mixes? Like a DJ set, they would be continuous, seamless, and put together within a conceptual framework. Sure, the beats wouldn’t match between songs, but they would have a flow; a natural beginning and ending point. You would never hear a word, and often not discern any song; all jam all the time. No need to for frivolous formalities, just get right to the heart of why we all love Phish so much. No frills.
There I stood with hundreds and hundreds of CDs and no particular idea of where I was gonna’ go with this; so I just started- recording live to my DAT machine- without an ability to overdub or fix mistakes. I made it through my first 80-minute excursion, and while not every transition was perfect, when I listened back to the creation, I liked the flow of it. I began playing it for others- they also liked it. I emailed it to some friends- they loved it! I had discovered a new hobby- making Phish DJ mixes. (I even DJ’d Phish dance parties using the same technique of sticking with solely masterful improvisation, and lo and behold- people loved it!) Using the same turntables formerly used to play electronic parties, I would create a magical Phish jam laboratory!
So I began to make more- on the fly, deciding what jams would naturally flow together- I wove eighty-minute jigsaw puzzles of Phish music. My first few were with the post-hiatus sbds because the levels were so even, and then branched back into the auds from the past. I believe I have a total of five mixes right now, four of which I have posted for download below; and when I get the fifth back, I will post that as well. Enjoy them, get lost in them, try to figure out what jams they are made from, or delete ’em- do with them as you please! You can listen to my most recent and my first creations right below here, and the download links for all are right below that.
LISTEN TO A DJ MIX NOW>> SUMMER TOUR ‘08- A Mr, Miner DJ Mix (BIG file. Wait for it to load, or open it in new window)
SUMMER TOUR ’08 TRACKS
(Gorge 97 Tweezer > CCCC Gin 12.7.99 > UIC 97 Bag > Rock N Roll Merriweather 9.17.00 > Jim 6.16.00 Osaka > Piper 9.23.00 Chicago > Simple Worcester 98 > Stash 7.1.95 > Tweezer Mud Island 6.14.95 > Cypress Drowned 1.1.00)
DOWNLOAD TWO MR. MINER DJ MIXES
DOWNLOAD ANOTHER MR. MINER DJ MIX
DOWNLOAD THE LATEST MR. MINER DJ MIX
photos:dank: (11.29.03)
Mr Miner, whoever you are, thank you. I haven’t listened yet but I am so excited about what awaits for the weekend. I’ve always that the jams would make brilliant source material for someone to splice/remix/otherwise manipulate (along the lines of what Bill Laswell did with Miles and Santana, or John Oswald’s Dark Star project). This has made my day.
Um… Track lists please!!!! 🙂
Blasphemy! The jam needs context.
Amazing job on the blog! From the compilations, to all your thoughts, it’s about the best thing out there on all things on the phish.
Thanks for the hard work.
thanks for the good words!! The DJ mixes aren’t for everyone– but they are cool. In terms of a track listing…they will remain a mystery (or i’ll sit down and figure em out at some point 🙂
Love the summer 08 mix, got goos flow and great funky vibe.
I’d like to see some more of these Miner.
i remember the day you got the turntables like it was yesterday. what a great summer sitting around compiling mix after mix, and the tuesday night parties you would host at tracy’s club(i think thats her name). great great memories. oh, how can i forget the german lighting guy
Ha, I’m pretty sure my friend showed me one of these before. Small world.
I hear that sick ass moma from 2.26.03. Most badass moma everrr! Good work!!
great work my friend, been sitting in the dark for the last half hour remembering why this band does “it” for me. Thank You!
^^ Awesome! That’s what it’s all about 🙂
yo man this 98 mix is friggin’ dope
great mixing
Va Beach Ghost getting involved in the mix. Love it! Atlanta always gets all the love but the VA Beach version is so unique and textured.
^^ yes kid— love va beach!
Hey man, I just wanted to let you know that you’re doing an awesome job with this site. It’s becoming one of the first places I go in the mornings. I can’t wait to hear this Bowie, I’ve only heard the audience tapes and even on those it blows my mind every time. I really dig all those summer 99 jams you posted, I hadn’t heard most of them and they’re all great. Anyways, keep up the good work man, you are definately a true fan. Reunion.
I think the jams only need context if you’re not already familiar with Phish, but for those who have listened to show after show and can completely geek out on musical minutia, it’s true, I don’t necessarily always need the song preceeding the jam, unless I’ve decided to sit down and do an entire set, or be able to sing along. But seriously, at some point I just didn’t need to hear the YEM intro yet another millionth time and just wanted to get to the jam.
Yes! I love the concept in general, and I appreciate the effort here. I’ve been ridiculed and drug through the mud for my “jams only” listening style since I switched over back in like…oh..1998. Just give me the meat! Nicely done!
Big fan of your work….
Mostly..where are you getting your stage shots? These images are fucking amazing.
There’s no need to apologize! Digging out some of the best music that’s been made by anyone in the last 20 years is pretty much ok in my book. Actually, I’ve been making my own personal “jam-only” mixes since 1994, and I love all of them.
That said: **PLEASE** publish the tracks list! There’s quite a few jams in here that I’d like to add to my collection but it’s impossible to identify them without a list.
Well, keep up the great work. Love this blog, as I imagine countless others do too.