Friday Facts
Hampton (J.Volkhausen)
With a famously obsessive fan base, trivia has become part and parcel of the Phish world. Not only are the dates of shows and versions of songs fodder for conversation, but band history, song origins, stage gear and the like also provide endless reference points in Phish culture. Often brought up in post-show debates or on-the-road symposiums, trivial Phish knowledge is a pseudo-badge of honor in the scene. So in honor of the community’s obsession with facts about their favorite band, I present to you twenty things you probably didn’t know (or care about) about our fearless foursome.
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1. Mike’s dad, Robert Gordon, founded the Store 24 convenience store chain located on the east coast.
2. Trey’s morning radio show in college was called Ambient Alarm Clock.
3. “YEM” is the most often played Phish song with 473 total appearances. The next closest is “Mike’s,” almost 100 behind, at 379.
4. Marley, Trey’s loyal dog of legend, passed away on 10.8.00, the day after Phish’s last show at Shoreline.
5. Fishman wrote the lyrics to “Gumbo.”
6. Phish has played more shows in July than any other month- 175.
7. “Foam” was orginally called “Marijuana Hot Chocolate.”
8. The first pressing of Junta had a pink and white photo of a screaming man on the cover.
9. “Runaway Jim” has opened the most shows with 80.
10. “Funky Bitch” has been played in every year (that Phish played) since its debut in 1986.
11. Tom Marshall’s band, Amfibian, performed “Heavy Things” (before Phish) as a dark, biographical mini-rock opera.
12. Before joining Phish, Page played keyboards for “Love Goat,” an R & B band.
13. The longest Phish jam is “Runaway Jim” from 11.29.97 at 58 minutes. (“Tweezer” from 6.14.95 comes in second.)
14. Trey decided not to play “Fluffhead” at IT, not Mike. (The famous “Mike says no.”)
15. “Rocky Top” is the most popular encore with 102 renditions.
16. “Forbin’s > Mockingbird,” “My Soul,” and “If I Could” have not been performed post-hiatus.
17. Phish played 43 shows at Nectar’s, but played 53 shows at The Front, a now defunct bar in Burlington,
18. Fish’s Senior Study at Goddard was called A Self-Teaching Guide to Drumming Written in Retrospect.
19. Phish has never performed in North or South Dakota. (The two states I’ve never been to. Hmmm.)
20. “Uncle Pen” is the band’s most played cover song (191.)
Thanks to The Mockingbird Foundation, ZZYZX Stats, and Relix for the help!
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FALL ’97 MIXUP RESULTS- R1 WINS!
After receiving several setlists for the contest, we have a winner. Nailing 11 out of 12 tracks in order, reader R1 is our Fall ’97 Mixup Champion! Congrats, R1, your hard work paid off! R1 will be choosing the “Downloads of the Day” for next week, and writing an accompanying paragraph for each. Second place goes to Eric R., who only missed two tracks. Also, big ups to Mark L. who submitted his setlist on his lunch break on Monday and missed only three tracks! Thanks to all who participated, I hope it was fun.
1. “YEM” 12.29 MSG >
2. “Tweezer” 12.12 Albany >
3. “Free” 11.30 Worcester >
4. “Gumbo” 12.3 Philly >
5. “Gumbo” 11.26 Hartford >
6. “Ghost” 12.28 Landover >
7. “Bowie” 12.3 Philly >
8. “Runaway Jim” 11.29 Worcester >
9. “Simple” 12.9 Penn State >
10. “Disease” 12.11 Rochester >
11. “Tweezer” 12.31 MSG >
12. “Tweezer” 11.17 Denver
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The Bonnaroo Schedule is out! Phish will be playing from 11pm-2am on Friday, and 8:30-midnight to close the festival on Sunday. Looks like it should be the heat!
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Check out this great article about Trey lobbying for drug courts on Capitol Hill. The guy is amazing.
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DOWNLOAD OF THE DAY:
11.22.95 USAir Arena, Landover, MD < LINK
11.22.95 USAir Arena, Landover, MD < TORRENT LINK
This show is famous for the colossal 40-minute “Free” that emerged from an aborted “Rift” opener of the second set. Known for its exploratory nature, this version is an all-time gem, and certainly remains the longest “Free” ever played. Often overlooked is the show’s stellar first set with an “Antelope,” “Fluffhead” combo wedged in the middle. Enjoy, and have a great weekend!
I: Cars Trucks Buses, Wilson, Run Like an Antelope, Fluffhead, Uncle Pen, Cavern, Fog That Surrounds, Lizards, Sample in a Jar, Sweet Adeline
II: Rift*, Free > Llama, Bouncing Around the Room, You Enjoy Myself, Strange Design
E: Poor Heart, Frankenstein
*Aborted
Source: Unknown
Tags: Culture
Fela’s definitely the man. My afrobeat collection is about 4-5 Fela albums and King Sunny Ade’s ‘Synchro System.’ I know of other groups but I just never got any deeper than that. I’m stuck on reggae for the time being.
R1: Gumbo wasn’t even on the map for me on those. I don’t know what I thought they were but I wasn’t thinking Gumbo at all. Nice work.
Did you know…
Fishman also wrote the lyrics to My Sweet One and Tube.
remembering to check on the sausage
he’s got cooking somewhere
but good
The Fela Live in Berlin show is a bonna-fide booty shaker.
and the looooooong into by Creesy Yope (sp?) is hilarious.
ps – can someone post the Goat picture link again?
want to send it to someone.
wilson,
go to jambase.com and look at the photos from The Dead in Chicago.
Congrats R1, you truly possess the gift. The Coventry Phish Blog recently had crisp downloads for Femi Kuti and King Sunny Ade in preparation for Bonnaroo. I gave a copy to my Dad to cheer him up yesterday because that stuff is really good for your soul. @SOAM : maybe they’re yelling Whoo! because of the Scent. On a side note, that Whoo! turned me off of Twist immediately and I’ve never recovered. That’s just thick velveetaness to me. Fuck the goat, go Cubs.
time for the meatstick…….bury the meatstick.
kick it Cactus.
@ Wilson
here: http://72.32.5.27/Articles/17863/The-Dead-05.04-Chicago
slackers…
Off to find that Femi show.
Guess I can’t put it on etree. From a DAT-heads post:
I don’t know if anyone ever responded but I checked with Femi’s tour
manager and there is definitely no taping allowed. Femi’s tour manager
(a good friend of mine and comes from a taper friendly background) has
had to go out into the audience and do what we all dread the most,
confiscate tapes. Obviously, this does not happen at taper friendly
festivals (although Femi still doesn’t like it, or maybe more precisly,
the record company he’s contracted with doesn’t like it), but if you’re
thinking of seeing Femi on his upcoming European tour, stealth or don’t
tape.
🙁 So follow BingoBrother’s advice and grab what’s posted at coventryblog, or I can do a b&p if you like.
“Funky Bitch” has been played in every year (that Phish played) since its debut in 1986.
*****WRONG*****
How about 2002 NYE show, or does that not count?????
In addition to the Dakotas…Phish as never played Wyoming, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Hawaii or Alaska. Which state will be the first get played?