Phish

I saw a lot of Phish back in the day - mostly in bars and small theaters - but after spending a large part of 1994 in London, something changed when I returned to the states. The venues were getting bigger, the crowds younger and more annoying. The annoying hippie crowd was always there of course, but I just looked past them and enjoyed myself as any spoiled prep school hippie would - grooving to the music, imbiding in the vibes and nailing the earth mamas. I also was trying to earn a living as a photographer (I'll post some pics one of these days).

Here's two videos from back in the day.

This is from a small festival they put on in Massachussets in 1990. I didn't attend this one, and kicked myself for a long time for having missed it. Fluffhead was some good stuff.



This, from their Halloween concert in 1994, was the last time I saw them. By the summer of 1994, things had changed for the worse with them. They were getting real big, had stopped playing the bars, theaters, and hockey rinks I had seen them in and started attracting lots of folks who were simply seeking out a replacement for the crazy scene around the Dead.

If you like over the top progressive space rock - think ELP, Yes, Pink Floyd, etc - then you could probably appreciate what they were doing.



Smelly hippies aside, they were pretty good

Prep School Hippie
Words and Music by Phish

Prep school hippie
Or hip school preppie
I can't decide
Should I spend my adolescent days wearing tie dyes or Vuarnets
I can't decide
Big ten kegger at the frat
Or watching Jerry shake his fat

Prep school hippie
Or hip school preppie
I can't decide

I can't wait 'til I'm 21,
Dip into my trust fund
I can't wait 'til I'm 21,
Dip into my trust fund
I can't wait 'til I'm 21,
Dip into my trust fund
I can't wait 'til I'm 21,
Dip into my trust fund
I can't wait 'til I'm 21,
Dip into my trust fund
Dip into my trust fund
Trust fund

Prep school hippie
Or hip school preppie
I can't decide
Should I spend my adolescent days wearing tie dyes or Vuarnets
I can't decide
I can't decide
I can't decide
I can't decide