Undisputed Guitar God: Trey Anastasio

[JoeBoy]

No, I have a problem with 47-minute-long, masturbatory solos. They're {censored}ing boring.

SIG worthy.

[groovmongrel]

You have something against melody, rhythm, hook, and harmony coming together? You don't like it when people look at you funny when you interact with children? What other sociopathic introverted phsycological profiles might your criminal record flirt with? I dare not to guess. This is the internet. I have no idea who I'm {censored}ing with. And I'm not afraid to acknowledge that.

 

 

My first Phish show was The Clifford Ball in '96 and I saw them a bunch of times thereafter. He's great, but does noodle around a lot. I really liked him with Oysterhead.

[I was The Funk]

To be fair, that video contained some of the least exciting examples of phish around.

Trey was very influential to me personally, and if you look at high end guitars these days, the design of his hollowbody and the tones it is capable of getting are very influential as well.


That song was from Phish's most creatively empty period. Hoist is a {censored}ty album. And I'm not much for anything after it except Ghost. All the stuff prior to that was awesome. Live....they peaked for me around 1996-1997. Before the Funk started, when they were playing everything faster and faster. I saw them about 15 times. Always worth it. But the best stuff was the earlier stuff and the Moma dance style stuff. The "songy" songs basically blow.

[Help!I'maRock!]

My first Phish show was The Clifford Ball in '96 and I saw them a bunch of times thereafter. He's great, but does noodle around a lot. I really liked him with Oysterhead.

 

 

if there was ever a noodley project that shouldn't have happened, it was Oysterhead.

[DaveAronow]

Sorry, but absolutely not. People thinking trey is god is the main reason I rarely listen to phish these days. Inkblot nailed it. He's good but doesn't know when to shut up On the other hand, dismissing phish entirely is retarded. If you're so close minded that you somehow find phish pretentious then just ignore this thread and anything else that falls outside your little realm of "rock" music. I'm not saying everyone should like them, but if you seriously can't take anything away from the music then thats just sad

 

I GUARANTEE you that I have one of the most open musical minds on this forum.

 

I probably have just about one of the biggest ranges of musical taste and the most eclectic collection of musical styles that I enjoy and more generas that I listen too out of probably most people youve probably met.

 

Generally, I like most everything, or at least some parts of most things.

 

I was introduced to Phish by a handful of some of my sandal wearin, pot smokin, disc golf playin, tree huggin, ultra left wing, non bathing, non shaving, non working, wannabe summer of love hippie budies, who, because they knew I was a musician, were adamant about introducing my to this "totally rad awesome band, man" that I just gotta hear.

 

I was like, "Cool"!! I wondered how it was that I could have gone all these years and not known about such a great band. This was probably about 7 or 8 years ago.

 

And then..................... well, then I heard them for the first time, and this guy(me), who basically likes most everything, couldnt stand them, and thought it was some of the most pretentious, non musical, run on and on, non melodic, non hooky, non interesting, non moving( garbage would be really generous) that I have ever heard anyone try to disguise as a form of rock, or any other type of music. I wondered how anyone could play SO much, and have SO little musically to say.

 

I went into it with a totally open mind, I wanted to like them, and I heard songs of theirs over and over again throughout the years, and no matter how hard I try, I cant stand them. And I really WANT to like them, but I just dont.

 

So you can feel sorry for me if youd like, and say that it is sad, but you cant say that my mind is closed, and that I have a narrow range of rock tastes.

 

The bottom line is that I dont think they are very good/intersting much, at all.

 

It is just a small peave of mine, because I have had to listen to a bunch of people over the years try to convince me of their greatness, and they cant really tell me why they think they are great.

 

By the way, these people(my friends that like them), are the most narrowly minded people when it comes to musical tastes that I have ever met.

 

For the past ten years or so, they have just kept listening to the same five or six hippie jam bands over and over and over agian with Phish pretty much leading the way, and refuse to like anything that doesnt fall into that narrow little genera. For them, it isnt really even about the music. It is about being in their little group of "hip" and "musically enlightened" people that are ABOVE listening to the regular "corporate" crap that is out there, or anything popular really. These are the same people that would dump Phish like a hot potato, the very day they ever became mainstream. As if that somehow changes their ability to continue their previous playing abilitys.

These guys dont even really CARE about the music. They only care about what their buddies will think of them if they try to venture out of their little group.

 

It is like peer pressure for adults.

It is silly and, a little "sad", to use your word.

 

These are just my experiences with some of my friends and this band.

 

But I can only immagine that these are pretty much the general fan base that bands like Phish draw across the board though.

 

Yeah, of corse not all their fans, but a large percentage of them.

 

And you, or ANYONE can like who they like, and like them for what ever reasons they like. I cant say that the thousands and thousands of fans that like Phish and the like are "wrong", they like who they like, and that is just the way it is.

 

But I dont have to agree with them, and you, or any one else doeasnt have to agree with me.

 

 

 

 

But you probably should, because, I AM right, after all.

[RogerF]

I think it's safe to say that if Phish never existed the musical world would not be worse off.

[Small Stone]

[Help!I'maRock!]

I was introduced to Phish by a handful of some of my sandal wearin, pot smokin, disc golf playin, tree huggin, ultra left wing, non bathing, non shaving, non working, wannabe summer of love hippie budies, who, because they knew I was a musician, were adamant about introducing my to this "totally rad awesome band, man" that I just gotta hear.

 

 

the first thing you heard, was it a bootleg? because i know when i'm being introduced to a band, i want to hear their studio stuff. i remember sitting in those dorm rooms with those guys, and them talking about how awesome it was. well, it wasn't. not if you're the guy who wasn't at that show and didn't do acid. and the recording quality was especially terrible.

 

OTOH, the first studio album i heard was "Billy Breathes", and it was like hearing a totally different band. they had to keep it short on their album. they got their ideas out. and it made for a pretty interesting record. so i started getting into the others. and there's some really great stuff on there, as long as they keep it short.

[lefchr]

You have something against melody, rhythm, hook, and harmony coming together? You don't like it when people look at you funny when you interact with children? What other sociopathic introverted phsycological profiles might your criminal record flirt with? I dare not to guess. This is the internet. I have no idea who I'm {censored}ing with. And I'm not afraid to acknowledge that.

 

 

Just because someone doesnt like the same music as you means they are sociopathic? I'm thinking you are the one with the problem:idea:

[ChuYingJazzMan]

Phish {censored}ing sucks.

[RichCT]

Phish was a talented band with talented musicians. As far as studio material goes, they had a unique product. OTOH, in the live setting, there certainly was a lot of wanking. But, what about electric guitar isn't about wanking? It's the copy cat bands nowadays that I can't stand. RAQ, Umphrey's Mcgee, String Cheese Incident to name a few, all seem to feature some form of masturbatory instrumentation coupled with nonsensical lyrics that try to depict some sort of fantastic tale. I can't take it anymore. If it's not that, than it's a bunch of music majors playing "spacey funky jams". Big {censored}in' deal. I'll take well crafted, 3 chord love song with soulful singing any day of the week.

[metallica_00]

Surprised to see all the Phish hate! And I'm no big Phish fan either.

 

I understand the complaints...I don't really like the bands jams, I do often feel on the longer jams they're not really saying much. Yes, the lyrics are inane but meaningful lyrics aren't the point (and I don't give a {censored} about lyrics, I like music not poetry). Honestly I feel that Trey is best as a COMPOSER than a jam, and the Phish is better at compositions than jamming.

 

Listen to something like Stash - a great jazz-inspired head. Some very well composed pop songs on Farmhouse with concise solos. Trey's got an awesome tone that's always on the edge of feedback. It's funky, it's jazzy, it's poppy. Going to {censored} on this guy when most of the other revered guitarists essentially can't play outside of the pentatonic box? He's got a lot of stuff going on.

 

I don't like the way the band jams either and am prone to shutting off a live jam. But the dude can play and is unique.

 

BTW: You can buy a Languedoc for $10k. Check his site.

[Phishmonkey]

Phish was a talented band with talented musicians. As far as studio material goes, they had a unique product. OTOH, in the live setting, there certainly was a lot of wanking. But, what about electric guitar isn't about wanking? It's the copy cat bands nowadays that I can't stand. RAQ, Umphrey's Mcgee, String Cheese Incident to name a few, all seem to feature some form of masturbatory instrumentation coupled with nonsensical lyrics that try to depict some sort of fantastic tale. I can't take it anymore. If it's not that, than it's a bunch of music majors playing "spacey funky jams". Big {censored}in' deal. I'll take well crafted, 3 chord love song with soulful singing any day of the week.

 

 

Those bands sound nothing like Phish, not even remotely close. Have you even heard an Umphrey's McGee song?

[IdaCrue]

Sorry, but I hardly think Guitar God is accurate description of what the video showed me. They were boring, and the guitar playing was also ahhhhhh.....Boring.

[ghost town]

I misread this as Azagthoth and was inclined to agree. Anastasio, not so much.

 

 

I thought this too, sorry for the confusion...

Azagthoth for demigod!!!!!

[klinefelter]

Lessee... it's been almost a month since this thread started... and Phish/Trey still suck!

[soundcreation]

Phish are okay. Billy Breathes is a really great album and it is because Lillywhite made them keep the songs short and to the point.

Watch bittersweet motel. Trey is a wanker and the whole band seem like a bunch of spoiled little college frat house brats who need a good slapping. But there is some really great music on that and some great jams. Some real awful sounding {censored} too.

TREY NEEDS TO TAKE SINGING LESSONS. His live voice is {censored}in terrible. When my girlfriend heard it (she is a singing teacher) she said if you can't sing then don't try...just play your music. So true for Phish.

Oysterhead is amazing and shows trey at his full potential with two guys who are totally awsome.

[Jawbreakerr]

never post in this forum, but i stumbled upon this thread.

 

man, there are alot of crazy people here.

 

the same people that dislike phish, the grateful dead, and jambands, or what they call "47 minute" masturbatory guitar solos, probably have the same dislike for Jazz.

 

phish and all their contemporaries were about music! they were about improvisation. you go into listening to Phish knowing there will be long instrumental improvisations, but THAT is why you listen to them. I have a trust that Trey, Mike, Page, and Fishman will put on a good musical experience for me.

 

im a huge fan of improvisation in any form. its the purest type of music, and it blows my mind to see people posting on here about how they are against "everything that is fun and passionate about rocknroll" - they are EXACTLy what is so great about rock n roll. they are four nerdy dudes, who can all shred on their instruments. insane amounts of talent; they all have a strong appreciation for a wide range of genres from bluesgrass, to barber shop quartet, to jazz, to funk, to pop, balls to the wall rock, avant garde, classical fugues...........

 

I am a music lover. I love all types of music, and Phish are able to cover all the boundaries in one show. They are FUN! for a musician studying jazz, i find them to be my outlet outside fo the jazz world, where i can really enjoy improvisation in a "rock" setting. - when this band is on, NO ONE rocks harder.

 

and its unforunate that people have to rely on insults about their large fanbase and how a good percentage are what you call "hippies" - learn to think for yourself. i am there for the music. Phish is one band i know will never compromise themselves to sell more tickets. They never changed their approach from the very beginning, and they ended extremely successful.

 

i hope that someday i will be able to say that ive accomplished that much. they arent a superficial band in any sense. if they wanna play a cover, they will do it. if they wanna jam for 30 minutes. theyll do it. if they wanna dress up in crazy costumes and jump on trampolines theyll do it. if they wanna change instruments during jams, theyll do it.

 

as a music listener, i find it exciting. there is enough music that they played that you cant pigeonhole them into being the "{censored}ty funk wank jamband" -

 

i used to hate them too. then i listened. - but then again, i am a fan of music with a spontaneous spirit. its what i live for!

 

sorry for my rant. ill get back to GJ. here is a great phish vid, that ill leave with yall!

 

FUxtA21of-w

[brandass]

I like nearly all of the bands that have been listed here, as well as most styles of jazz, and I keep trying Phish to see what all the fuss is about - {censored}, I'm from VT! - and...

:bor::bor:

I'm sure I'll try again someday soon, on the off-chance that something different pops up, but in the meantime...

:bor::bor:

Edit: administrator required that I remove all but 10 snores; let your imagination run wild...

[Procreatur]

Damn! What's with all the hate? Get over yourselves. Phish played to audiences of over 65,000 in their day. At their last show, people abandoned their cars and walked for miles just to see them. Most of the haters on here play to nothing more than their dog and a cheap web cam. Attitude is no substitute for ability.

 

 

sheep will follow the herder. the guy is good, but he isn't a great. he isn't even in the realm.

[ItchyFingers]

At their last show, people abandoned their cars and walked for miles just to see them.

 

 

Not to mention knee deep mud. Coventry embodied everything that going to see Phish was all about, for me at least. Planes. Cabs. RVs. Police harrassment. Inclement weather. Friendly folks who pick up hitchhikers. Smelly mud. Super gooey ganja everything. Anejo. Hiking. Camping. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. Getting as close to the stage as possible. Holding your bladder for 11 hours. Dancing with friends. Having the time of your life. Living while you're still young. Sharing in the groove.

 

Man, I miss those times. I miss those guys.

 

Jawbreaker - it's too much text to quote, so I'll just summarize by saying I agree with just about every point you made! But remember - it (obviously) ain't everybody's cup of tea.

[Joe Bones]

I like nearly all of the bands that have been listed here, as well as most styles of jazz, and I keep trying Phish to see what all the fuss is about - {censored}, I'm from VT! - .

 

 

It's easy to see what Phish is about...getting together, getting high, doing some dancing, and having a good time....

[dewees]

I really hear Trey as forgettable. He sounds like a thousand other good guitar players. Jerry Garcia, on the other hand, had an unmistakeable style. I'd recognize him any time I heard him.

I like a lot of Phish's fun lyrics. But the phrasing is all the same:

dida dida didada
dida dida dida
dida dida didada
dida dida dida

and the melodies aren't melodies, they're pretty much spoken lyrics on one note that changes to another single note when the chord changes.

Which is not to say I don't like Phish. I do like them. I'm just realistic about it.

[Procreatur]

Phish is one band i know will never compromise themselves to sell more tickets.

 

 

so, calling a pseudo 'retirement' and then 'magically' reforming in order to go on 'tour' with considerably higher ticket prices wasn't planned? think about that for a minute.

[IBDBB]

he's good, but I wouldn't say he is a god.

Most of their music is good, but the singing/lyrics kill it for me.