[jerrys.kids]

The introduction thread may have been a better place to start. Take a look around and feel things out first. You just jumped right on the phish hate wagon, which i believe is full anyway. Plus I would hardly call Treys "sound" common.

[ricepr]

They are good, but need a Hunter and Barlow....but don't we all

[seamones]

If that's the best attempt you can muster at not sounding negative, I feel sorry for you and everyone who knows you.

Bwaahahhahahhh

[tigerstrat]

The lyrics are pretty embarrassing and childish

They are good, but need a Hunter and Barlow....but don't we all

They would if they were trying to be another Grateful Dead. Yes, a lot of their lyrics may seem nonsensical to some, but so are a LOT of rock legends, like... I dunno, the Beatles? "Ob-la-di", "Maxwell's Silver Hammer", "I Dig A Pony", etc.

[ricepr]

true but that was not all the Beatles did.

[FranklinsTower]

Everyone just calm down ok. PHish is good if you say they are good. When I said Trey is obviously very skilled I meant it. When I said that I don't like the way his guitar sounds on many of the tunes I stated that this was not really a problem, just a matter of taste. I meant that too.

I don't like them-- its ok that I don't. I didn't say anything that was not true, or with a mean spirit (even if some of you read it in that tone). I am not against all bands that aren't the Dead. I wish there was a band that could do for me what the Dead did and still do. There is not. Bob Marley does something different but also very powerful for me. When I first heard Widespread panic it was on a public radio station and I only caught that last minute or two. I really did shed a tear when I heard it because I thought I had found a band that could do "it". It turns out I had not but only found that out later at a show. I was deeply disappointed-- I wasn't glad. The same goes for Phish.

I originally made this account to ask a queston about dicks picks 4. I used to own it and then it was lost during a move. I had just recently purchased a new one for about 85 bucks! it sounded totally different-- like shit actually. I made this account to ask if anyone knew if and why it might have been remixed so I could purchase the correct year. After I posted this I noticed my Bose computer speakers weren't plugged in correctly So I quickly deleted the post and went browsing and ended up in the other bands section and saw this thread. Anyway thats how I got here.

[jerrys.kids]

The lyrics are pretty embarrassing and childish

They are good, but need a Hunter and Barlow....but don't we all

They would if they were trying to be another Grateful Dead. Yes, a lot of their lyrics may seem nonsensical to some, but so are a LOT of rock legends, like... I dunno, the Beatles? "Ob-la-di", "Maxwell's Silver Hammer", "I Dig A Pony", etc.

Exactly!!! For some reason the Beatles get a pass on kooky, tripped out lyrics, and are considered the "revolutionary". I love the Beatles ALOT but was "I Wanna Hold You Hand" really that great lyric wise? They came over to the USA with that and blew the roof off the place. Rubber Soul, Revoler, Sgt. Pepper... There best stuff IMO, but lyric wise I don't even know what the hell is going on in there, but I don't look that far into it either, don't care to I know I just like it. There is a little more to phish than "Bag it, Tag it..."

[FranklinsTower]

I guess people cant keep from trying to relate them to the Grateful Dead on this site and maybe thats why any criticism of the lyrics gets washed out by saying "they are not trying to be the dead".

In any case Phish must absolutely have something great going for them to be regarded as highly as they are by so many.

[Rusty the Scoob]

Some of us actually like the lyrics. I don't see anything wrong with playing with sounds as opposed to trying to find a deeper meaning. I enjoy both approaches if done well.

[pedalpoet]

+1 Rusty the Scoob! I tend to dislike rock in general, largely because of lyrics (and other things, boring drumming for example) but I love both the Dead's lyrics and Phish's. Just one man's opinion here.

This thread is a hoot. Lot's of opinions. To each his own.

For me, I saw Phish a number of times from'90-'92, then once in '95. They were the first band of my own time that really did it for me on a deep level. By '95 I felt they had lost something. The whole show was like one long jam that all sounded the same. I'd love to see them again now though and give myself another chance to like them in this era.

[FretfulDave]

It's kind of entertaining to follow this thread. I too finally got around to seeing Phish after listening for a number of years first (mostly live performances). While not being a total Phish devotee or follower, I did develop an actual liking for about half their material and an appreciation of some of the rest and downright not liking certain things. Most of which don't really have to do with lyric content.

Are their lyrics silly? nonsensical? weird? Yup. But that is part of their thing. Concentrating on the music, much of which is fully and formally scored, the lyrics are secondary at best. Other bands have taken this approach also, such as Moe. They are very, very good as a band and as musicians. Trey Anastasio is a phenomenal guitar player as well as an accomplished composer. And not all of Phish's lyrics are silly, weird or nonsensical. Plenty are pretty regular lyrics to regular everydays songs. Nothing more.

What gets me about the various love/hate discussions w/ respect to lyrics is ... have any of you that don't like Phish ever taken a look in your own backyard so to speak? How about our beloved group, The Grateful Dead. lets see... silly, weird or nonsensical lyrics...

China Cat Sunflower
Dark Star
The Other One
The Eleven
Cosmic Charlie
New Potato Caboose

to name some. A number of folks on the board have a "special" appreciation of these lyrics in that in certain altered states of mind, the words appear to makes sense, though to the vast majority of people who listen to music in the world, they are silly, weird and/or nonsensical.

So before folks throw stones around, it is always best to look at your own environment before criticizing others. Living in glass houses is a bitch.

Peace and music are what this is all about. Enlightenment, musically, spiritually and mentally. Every bit of music out there has some quality to be appreciated if you are a true musician and lover of the art form. You don't have to like it all, but it sure isn't productive or positive to publicly make controversial, derogatory or inflammatory remarks about other individuals artistic pursuits and offerings.

My $0.002 (mills)... cause that is all it is worth.

Dave

[Maybeck09]

I'm gonna have to sorta AGREE with Dave here. That's pretty well said. Nice job. Its not every band that has a poet as a lyricist. Robert Hunter is part of the blessing and magic that is The Grateful Dead. Everybody else is just trying.

[FranklinsTower]

The introduction thread may have been a better place to start. Take a look around and feel things out first. You just jumped right on the phish hate wagon, which i believe is full anyway. Plus I would hardly call Treys "sound" common.

Went there and did it.

[easytoslip]

as long as there are bands and an internet, there shall be music discussion! let it rip!