The vibe is good. Sounds good doesn’t it? The one thing that was missing from their last few tours, when it just wasn’t there - the quality, the love for each other, the thing that Phish always had. The good vibes.
Still, it’s all rumors at this point and I won’t be holding my breath until the four walk out onto the stage together and rip up the joint. Preferably on trampolines.
Yesterday afternoon former and soon-to-be-once-again frontman for Phish, Ernest “Trey” Anastasio graduated from Washington County Drug Court. He spoke briefly and heartfelt and will now prepare to resume his life and touring career as a musician. He thanked family and court officials for helping him recover and get his life back on track.
“It’s hard for me to express my gratitude, but it’s deep and from the heart,” Anastasio said. He also reached out to his arresting officer, Whitehall Police Chief Richard LaChapelle.
“I really wanted him to be here,” Anastasio said. “I remember thanking him in the police station ’cause I thought even that night I got arrested, that my life was finally being saved.” Anastasio was arrested in December 2006 after driving recklessly and having prescription medication which he held no prescription for.
Trey has been writing and recording songs with his writing partner Tom Marshall. He’s already started to book summer tour dates, beginning at the Rothbury Festival in Rothbury, Mich. on July 6. His latest album, Original Boardwalk Style was released June 10. Haven’t heard it yet. A Phish reunion is all but inevitable.
“When Phish broke up, I made some comment about how I’m not gonna go around playing ‘You Enjoy Myself’ for the rest of my life,” Anastasio said with a laugh. “And it’s so funny because Fish and Mike and Page have been talking to each other a lot lately and now — it’s not that I can’t believe that I said that, but its symbolic of how much I lost my mind or how much I lost my bearings or something. Because at this point in time I would give my left nut to play that song five times in a row every day until I die. I certainly thought about that while I was in jail.” [Rolling Stone]
Wondering if he was also thinking about his cell-mate and having flashbacks to watching Shawshank Redemption with the guys. Regardless, I sort of hope that Phish doesn’t get back together, which is blasphemous, I know.
It’s just that these type of reunions almost never work out, the magic that was there in the first place generally isn’t there or it is but it’s off by a fraction. Enough to notice a slight difference. Was there anything worse than the stories about Coventry and Whitehall when the band had no spark and the letter Trey wrote to fans announcing the band’s breakup four years ago?
Anyway, when Trey, Mike, Page and Fish were on, there was no better musically oiled machine. The left heads exploding in the aisles and though we can assume that drugs played a part in their breakup, fans have never really gotten a truthful explanation of what the hell happened to the foursome. How did seemingly four best friends end up on the outs with one another. Or was it just Trey who was on the outside looking in?
And yet . . . and yet. I find myself thinking about all the shows I’ve been to and thinking what if?
“Bohemian Rhapsody” 12/31/96 Fleet Center, Boston, MA
Let the debate begin. Gearing up for the release of The Simpsons: The Movie on July 27, I’m sure we’ll be getting much more lists like this from all across the web.The UK Times Online rounds up a great selection of cameos and it’s hard to argue with their list. They’ve got, in no particular order, Dustin Hoffman, Aerosmith, The Who, the gang from Cheers, Smashing Pumpkins and Cypress Hill (”Who ordered the violins? Was it you B-Real?” That line kills me every time.), Mel Gibson, soccer star Renaldo, The White Stripes, etc. Each entry is supplied with YouTube video evidence to back up their claims.
It’s a great list and a nice trip down memory lane. We hate to admit it, but we’ve been slacking on The Simpsons for far too long. The one omission I would lobby for is for Phish. Their guest appearance was hilarious, especially because Homer gets addicted to medical marijuana and becomes a pothead with Otto.
“That better be medicinal marijuana. If Phish don’t see a perscription slip we’re outta here.” Plus that was a wicked “Antelope” tease.
Great stuff all around. And unlike Phish in concert, it was short, hard-hitting and to the point.
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