Grateful Dead Music Forum

For years now I've said I hate Phish but to tell the truth I've never really listened to them, where's a good place to start?
What are good studio albums and what the best live years?

You'll get a zillion different answers.

Best albums: Rift, Hoist, Lawn-Boy

Peak live: 1992-95

Yes I'm aware that I'll get a zillion different answers most of which will probably contradict each other, but whatever?
I'm surprised to see quite a few of Phish's albums are out of print, why is that, does anyone know?

anythgin live 91-95, aslo a handful of rockers in 98 and billy breathes as far as album goes

I really like the new album, Joy. It's a good mix of simple and complex tunes, and well-produced.

As far as years, I'd avoid 2003 and 2004 as the peak of Trey's habit really dragged them down. I like 1992 for their emerging, raw energy, 1994 is very solid, right when they got used to playing big venues, and 1997-1998 were awesome funky danceable years.

b weird wrote:For years now I've said I hate Phish but to tell the truth I've never really listened to them, where's a good place to start?
What are good studio albums and what the best live years?For years now I've said I hate Phish but to tell the truth I've never really listened to them, where's a good place to start?
What are good studio albums and what the best live years?

Don't do it man...

fukc that do it! i used to swear to phish being better and tighter than the dead. no longer is that the case but listen to em, just got my joy cd today and it rocks! BUY JOY IF YOU ARE A PHAN!

first thing i ever play for somebody new to phish is the character zero off hampton comes alive

Is there a place where I can find Phish shows, like the Dead have Archive?

Character Zero? Bathroom song for me. That's when I first felt like they were really phoning it in writing-wise. Nah I retract that- make it Prince Caspian.

Whatever you do, don't pick up Live in Brooklyn. It gave me a migrane all the way from StL to DC this summer after listening to half of it. Probably 'cause of the junk as Rusty said.

I keep wanting to give them a shot, but can't ever find anything that I like as much as Nectar...

Oh well, stuck with the Dead I guess...

b weird wrote:Is there a place where I can find Phish shows, like the Dead have Archive?

The mother load:

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key= ... f6EQ&gid=1

As far as the best live years, I like 93-97. The Island Tour in '98 is also very good. Anything after 2000 is "meh" for me, although there are plenty of solid shows to be found there too.

And now, for your viewing pleasure - A sick Tweeprise from 4/3/98 (Island Tour) with Trey doing the dino stomp...possibly my favorite video on youtube (Turn it up LOUD!):

Yo Prehippie thanks for the motherload.

While free is always better, I have to say every one of the Live Phish releases I have heard are excellent, can't go wrong with any of 'em. My personal favorite is the the 12/28/94 one, partly because of the religious experience I had that night.

Tour wise two of my favorites are the spring run in '93 (5/1/93 in particular is just insane!!) and fall '94 esp. the whole month of November.

hope that helps

Capt Rosebuddy wrote:While free is always better, I have to say every one of the Live Phish releases I have heard are excellent, can't go wrong with any of 'em. My personal favorite is the the 12/28/94 one, partly because of the religious experience I had that night.

Tour wise two of my favorites are the spring run in '93 (5/1/93 in particular is just insane!!) and fall '94 esp. the whole month of November.

hope that helps

We're definitely on the same wavelength with this- my spring 93 recommendation is 4/12/93 Iowa City and my fall 94 would be 11/26/94 Minneapolis with the absolutely insane 34min Bowie... and do not miss the 6/10&11/94 Red Rocks!