Is Phish the greatest band ever?? I certainly think so. (1 Viewer)

[Benjamin_L]

Wasn't the genius of Little Wing Jimi Hendrix?

Patrick,

Did I say otherwise?

I've heard Hendrix play the song, and it's good, but I think Stevie Ray's cover is brilliant- in mood, in execution, period.

Back to the band at hand, I don't think of Phish as technicians either. Trey Anastasio, for example, is not a technically impressive singer like Frank Sinatra, though his voice is capable and very comforting.

word.

 

[Mike Broadman]

there was no restraint... whatsoever.

True, but that's his style. I find it to be a lot of fun, partly because it's so wildly different than most of the stuff I listen to. I don't hold any hero worship for him or anything like that. I put him in the same category as Prince or Judas Priest- music that's silly fun but I don't take too seriously, even though I have a bunch of their CDs.

One thing I kind of like about Phish is that they are a "love it or hate it" band, like prog bands or avant-garde jazz in that sense. They get people talking and therefore listening.

Too bad I already went to that record store that lets me listen to any CDs I want. I'll remember to check out some Phish next week.

NP: Kate Bush, The Kick Inside

 

[Mark Cappelletty]

Can't stand them. They're the musical equivalent of watching paint dry. The poster seems to set himself up for a fall with the thread title.

 

[Van Patton]

Well, this might sound odd, but I could really care less about lyrics as far as 90% of my music goes. I've just never cared too much for them. The only artists whose lyrics really mean something to me are Jimmy Buffett, Paul Simon, and Tool. Other than those I really couldn't care.

 

[Luc D]

They're wonderful musicians, that can't really be argued much. The only problem is that they're not the greatest songwriters. For me a lot of it comes off as too "fluffy". Like the equivalent of musical masturbation.

The most gifted rock musicians working today? Possibly.
The greatest band today? I'd say no.

 

[Brian L]

Lets start a new thread. Here's the title:

Is Chocolate the Best Ice Cream flavor of all time? I certainly think so.

Sorry couldn't resist. Every time this sort of thread starts, there are those that agree, and those that disagree. Its a waste of bandwidth.

I personally don't much care for Phish (OK, lets be honest, I think they SUCK). Nothing wrong with that. The poster really likes Phish. Nothing wrong with that either.

The problem is, their is no "Greatest Band Ever". There is no "Best Guitar Player of All Time". There is no "Top Album of the Last Millennium". Its all BS, because its all in the ears of the beholder.

OK, next new topic:

Brunettes...Best Babes Of All Time? I certainly think so.

BGL

 

[Jeremiah]

I heard some 30 second clips of some Phish songs while searching amazon trying to find some new music, I didn't like it a great deal but I didn't hate it either. I went the way of Gov't Mule instead.

I personally don't care for SRV version of Little Wing I think Derek And the Domino's version is much better just b/c it is a completely different song. IMO Jimi's version of Little Wing is obviously perfect and quite simple is breath taking, not only the intro but as Little Wing flys on at the end. Beautifully breath taking.

 

[Jeremiah]

The problem is, their is no "Greatest Band Ever". There is no "Best Guitar Player of All Time". There is no "Top Album of the Last Millennium".

Yes, there is actually, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Jimi Hendrix, and Electric Ladyland. Just warning ya so you don't make another false statement.

 

[Mike Broadman]

Brunettes...Best Babes Of All Time? I certainly think so.

This is the most intelligent thing written in this thread.

 

[Jed M]

I first heard Junta on a friends copied tape (before the CD existed I think) in 1990 when I was 15 and it blew me away. I remember when Picture of Nectar came out I was even more impressed. That being said, I think it was their last great album. I may include Rift with Lawn Boy, Junta, and Picture, but to be safe, just those three.

In my opinion they went from being a great, amazingly creative band into a musical masturbation snooze fest. I went to the Halloween show in Vegas a few years back and it just confirmed why I quit listening to them. It seems as though they have switched creativity with variations in speed. What I mean is all they do now live is continue to speed up faster and faster until its about to burst and then jump into another direction, restart and continue to pick up speed and so on and that goes on for about 3 hours and everybody is so stoned they love it. Its not great music anymore but the talent of the musicians, IMO, can't be argued.

Out of the HORDE type bands that came out of the late 80's to early 90's I still like Widespread Panic. Blues Traveler are still alright but for some reason Phish just lost me in their new music (although A Live One is awesome).

 

[Patrick Larkin]

Jed - i started listening to Phish with Junta and Lawn Boy casually. I didn't really start to like them until later with their studio efforts. I think Billy Breathes and even Farmhouse has some great stuff. I don't like the extended live stuff nearly as much as their refined studio work.

 

[Jed M]

Patrick, it just goes to show you how different music taste can be. I once had a friend turn down a free Roger Waters ticket, saying "I don't want to go see some burnt out rock star." Sometimes people amaze you.

 

[Tom Ryan]

I bet most of the Phish haters in this thread don't listen to jazz. After all, the free form improvisation style employed so successfully by Phish today was pioneered by the greats of jazz. Jazz has always been an improvisational, mostly instrumental medium, and the value lies in the music, not the lyrics. It's the same with Phish. I love the melodies and arrangements they come up with, and to me the sometimes nonsensical lyrics fit their attitude of spontaneity. Perhaps the haters can be satisfied with three chord rock and "Bay-buh!!!", but not me

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Brunettes...Best Babes Of All Time? I certainly think so.

At last a subject on which I can agree!

 

[Van Patton]

About the "climax" comment....I really don't think that they do that all that often. The major songs that they jam out of (ie. jam vehicle) usually have many different parts to them such as You Enjoy Myself, Divided Sky, David Bowie, Reba, and Tweezer. I personally can't stand String Cheese Incident because those guys do the same thing every song....play same riff slow and build up to a climax and stop. Widespread is another band that I don't really get. The lead singer hasn't cleared his throat in about 20 years and their songs don't have that much soul in them.

 

[Justin Lane]

I bet most of the Phish haters in this thread don't listen to jazz. After all, the free form improvisation style employed so successfully by Phish today was pioneered by the greats of jazz. Jazz has always been an improvisational, mostly instrumental medium, and the value lies in the music, not the lyrics.

You would lose that bet. Phish does nothing for me, yet I am a great fan of Jazz. I think it is quite laughable with the comparisons between Phish and Miles Davis made in this thread. I am not saying Phish totally sucks, as I do appreciate some of their work, but to call them "the greatest band ever" is a very very very big stretch.

J

 

[Lee Scoggins]

I personally find Trey's new album to be one of the best solo efforts I have heard - very creative.

I also find myself enjoying Phish much more than the Dead. I think they are more creative and talented.

As for "greatest band ever", I think one could make a case for "greatest touring band ever". I appreciate your enthusiasm for the group a lot though.

 

[Brian L]

I also find myself enjoying Phish much more than the Dead. I think they are more creative and talented.

Geesh, its not like they set the bar very high

Sorry, I just could not resist...flame retardant suit is now ON!

BGL

 

[Tom Ryan]

You would lose that bet. Phish does nothing for me, yet I am a great fan of Jazz. I think it is quite laughable with the comparisons between Phish and Miles Davis made in this thread. I am not saying Phish totally sucks, as I do appreciate some of their work, but to call them "the greatest band ever" is a very very very big stretch.

Ah, but see, even you don't confess to hate them. Almost nobody who is informed about improvisational music is going to truly hate Phish...and there's a difference between "greatest band ever" and "awful music", y'know?

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

Who are the "Phish"? I've never heard of them.

The problem is, their is no "Greatest Band Ever". There is no "Best Guitar Player of All Time". There is no "Top Album of the Last Millennium".

This is an easy one. The first is Beethoven playing piano solo (sorry no recordings of that one).


The second is Andres Segovia.


And the third is the Henryk Szeryng recording from 1953 of the JS Bach solo violin sonatas and partitas.