Phish Story

By David E. Thigpen

If any trace of the idealistic spirit that fueled the hippie music scene of the 1960s has survived into the skeptical '90s, one place to look for it might be southern Vermont, a region that has produced millionaire ice-cream philanthropists Ben and Jerry, a socialist mayor and, most interesting, the rock band Phish. Launched by guitarist Trey Anastasio and three buddies in a University of Vermont dorm room in 1983, Phish has built a hugely successful career as an underground band around the quaint notion that music can be used for building a sense of community, not just making money. As corny as this sounds, it is exactly the idea that paid off so handsomely for the Grateful Dead.

With eight albums under its belt and a ninth, the fine Story of the Ghost (Elektra), coming out later this month, Phish seems on the verge of breaking into the mainstream. Phish's musical essence resides more in its live shows than its discs. The band's concerts are known for their peaceable vibes and grand scale (one show drew 135,000) as well as for marathon, free-floating jams that range across rock, jazz, blues and whatever inspiration the moment brings. Songs gather into easy crescendos that encourage audience self-discovery rather than catharsis. For Ghost the band culled the best of a dozen new jams, trimming and rerecording them in the studio. Songs like Birds of a Feather have the spark of spontaneity without self-indulgence. Should Phish or its fans fear the mainstream? Never, vows Anastasio: "It's too late for commercial success to ruin us."

--By David E. Thigpen