Friday 10/21/2016 by Lemuria

TREY ON BIG BOAT PHILOSOPHY

What changed, starting in 2009, is this clarity of vision and this clear understanding of what a precious gift it was that the four of us met. It took a couple of years after that for things to get rolling completely, but we’ve realized how important this is for everyone — the way that the primary relationship between the four of us is nurtured, and the way that ripples out into the rest of our families and the community. We communicate. The four of us are texting many times a day.

Fish used to describe our improv in terms of this ‘lifeboat’ concept: If somebody falls in the water, everyone reaches over and pulls him back in. I know I’ve experienced that myself personally with the band, where the other guys have pulled me back in. After Lockn’ and Dick’s, I was thinking about our crew who never come out and take a bow, but who literally make the show happen, and all of the people in the audience who are beloved members of our Phish family, and the big boat philosophy is more appropriate than ever. It's a big boat.... There's room for everyone.

Trey in the upcoming issue of Relix

Comments

, comment by Campster
Campster A beautiful sentiment. Thanks for everything Phish and thanks for sharing. We are lucky to have such a pure force of good in this universe.
, comment by hdorne
hdorne This is why, even when they have an off night or tour, I don't get too worked up about it. We are so fortunate to have these guys back together and pushing their music in new directions. The four of them really were meant to make music together. To see them visibly having a blast and loving each other the way they do is such a blessing. Thank you, Phish.
, comment by Inglisohana
Inglisohana I always find myself thinking that I wasn't born into the right musical timeline, missing bands like Hendrix, Beatles, Zepplin, Floyd, etc. But how lucky are we to be alive during this amazing band's run!?!?!? There is NOTHING like Phish, and I ditto HDORNE's sentiment, it is not the time to be overly critical of the band's specific performances, or comparison's to past playing...its the time to enjoy and be grateful that we are able to witness destiny in the form of these four geniuses playing music together. Thanks Phish!
, comment by Speak2me98
Speak2me98 BIG BOAT RULES!
, comment by theghost
theghost Love this guy. I've felt it in the music. They've had enough of the wild rollercoaster ride in their lives and it extends to the music. Bigger, louder, weirder, funnier....they've stopped chasing that goal. I was stuck in the 1.0 mindset well into 3.0, hunting for a new magical 20 minute ride or some guitar pyrotechnics that drop my jaw. It took me a while before I realized that's not even their goal.... they're really not fighting to top themselves anyway. I get the feeling that they throw out a long jam once in a while to appease the fan's appetite but I think they're a tiny bit half-hearted about it. I've finally come to surrender to the new flow. I absolutely loved the Great Woods show this summer and I may never listen to the recordings again. It's fun and refreshing again for me in a new way...much like the band.
, comment by melt_the_tek9
melt_the_tek9 Same! I love this new album, I think I like it a lot more than Fuego. Some people said it sounded like there was a lot of filler on it. I don't know what "Phish filler" is or what that sounds like. NO song is pee-break worthy to me! Trey and the gang have nothing left to prove. They have no more goals to achieve. They just play music and love each other. They share company with each other on the stage and all of us everywhere. Tones, sounds, rhythms, melodies, it's always changing and always fresh sounding. Like Page playing a long solo on Heavy Things or Possum these last few years. People might say "oh man, ANOTHER possum??" but Page is soloing like crazy, and to me, that kind of stuff makes the band new every time they walk out on stage. I'm so completely over a "long jam" and I'm sure the band doesn't care if they play one or not. They play a long jam if the muse is encouraging; they play a long jam if the music is strong enough to drive the band to do so.

Every show is unique. Each of the four members of Phish are unique. Each album is unique. We in the crowd are all unique. One opinion or voice cannot speak for any of these entities.
, comment by curleyfrei
curleyfrei I feel like "half-hearted" isn't really the best term here...

I'm listening to the Tube from Nashville2 and, although it's "only" 6 minutes, it's also more than the typical 4 minutes they have been. They tend to pack a LOT more into the jams these days. 3.0 jams, while shorter on average, are more "efficient." It doesn't always work, but when it does... whew, baby. Look out.

(And yet, we do still get amazing, out-of-nowhere flashes of long-form brilliance, like the Seven Below -> Ghost from 11/28/2009); pretty much anything from any Dick's run; and, of course, the almighty Tahoe Tweezer).

Above all, they're just thoroughly enjoying every minute with each other, on-stage and off, which only bodes well for the rest of us here in the Big ol' Boat.
, comment by Ravinus
Ravinus @Inglisohana

Well said, my friend. I couldn't agree more.
, comment by icculibrarian
icculibrarian Nothing makes my heart smile quite like Phish. Thank you, guys! You are such a gift to us.
, comment by billy_croaker
billy_croaker Aw man it's great to hear those words! It's great to be on the boat! Thank you Trey, Fish, Page & Mike! Your shows and this community enhance my life constantly!
, comment by JDspecial1
JDspecial1 This is great. The evolution of Phish is undeniable, and inevitable for better or worse. They are the definition of art, creating beauty and emotion out of thin air. While it is impossible for us phans to not compare 1.0, 2.0, and the ever progressing 3.0 Phish eras and become nostalgic to hear the old Phish, we mat remember these guys are pouring their hearts out for us every single show, and to me, that is what it is all about. Thank you Phish for all the completely unreal adventures. Forever grateful.
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