Phish: The Biography (Hardcover)

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In the wake of Phish's wildly successful summer reunion tour, journalist and Rolling Stone contributor Puterbaugh delivers a consistently lucid and revelatory look at the 26-year-long career of the legendary jam band. Puterbaugh's solid and intelligent take on how Phish blends both seriousness and whimsy into rock, jazz, funk, country and experimental music (sometimes in the same song) will satisfy newcomers as well as the band's obsessively knowledgeable fans. In the process, Puterbaugh definitely demolishes the media's reflexively drawn comparisons of Phish to the Grateful Dead just because both played long improvisational concerts for hardcore fans. Much of the book's success stems from Puterbaugh's experience as in-house PR writer for the band from 1995 until its 2004 breakup. His insider access allows him to get never-before-published comments and insights from the band, its management, archivists, crew and close friends. His solid reporting produces the best account so far of Phish's college-era birth and growth in Burlington, Vt. And his exclusive interview with Trey Anastasio provides a frank look at how the guitarist's drug addiction brought down the band, how his recovery led to their reunion and why there's no reason that Phish couldn't go on for quite some time. (Nov.)
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Review

Publishers Weekly
“A consistently lucid and revelatory look” at the band, and complimenting “Puterbaugh’s solid and intelligent take” that “will satisfy newcomers as well as the band’s obsessively knowledgeable fans.”

Kirkus
“An even-keeled evaluation of an important American band—a must for Phishheads.”

Booklist Online
“Puterbaugh serves up everything one could want to know about jam-band supreme Phish…Valuable enough as a comprehensive Phish file, this book is greatly enhanced by Puterbaugh’s depth of knowledge.”

Relix
“What sets [the book] apart are rare, first-hand accounts and details provided by Phish’s inner circle…Phish: The Biography’s entertaining stories and colorful pictures of key events in the band’s remarkable history make it a must-read for fans.” 

Glide Magazine
“[A] good read for those who love the band.”

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press; 1 edition (November 24, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0306814846
• ISBN-13: 978-0306814846
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 5.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,374 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #7 in	Books > Entertainment > Music > Musical Genres > Rock
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty Good, November 16, 2009

By	marisaleigh (NYC, NY) - See all my reviews

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Certainly not an earth shattering tell-all book, but an interesting read that does bring some insight on the dynamics that lead to the bands breakup in 2004. If you are a hardcore fan, you will not likely learn much you don't already know, but will appreciate some of the commentary from the likes of Tom Marshall, Amy Skelton, Paluska, etc.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Poorly Written and fact checked: A huge disapointment., November 21, 2009

By	Sonny Crockett (Florida) - See all my reviews

This is not the serious biography I was hoping for but a very flawed, fawning "love letter" like book written by a fan. I was hoping for something of the caliber of Blair Jackson's "Garcia." This book fell very far short. It's labeled "The Biography" and that subtitle docks it one star. As a biography it fails to take a critical look at their music. It is filled with numerous factual errors. Fact checking was not a priority. Too bad this band does not yet have the biography they deserve.

One example of what I mean by uncritical: Early in the book the author gushes about a early festival that Phish played, and calls the weekend Utopian. He glosses over the fact that a concertgoer died that weekend. A concert where someone dies can hardly be a Utopian example of what the band is capable of. The book is filled with such oversights. Fact checking? The author does not know where big cypress was played, mistaking the locale by 800 miles! All he had to do was look at a map! Or just ask a real phan.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent resource for both experienced and new Phish fans, December 7, 2009

By	Elihu Leemor - See all my reviews

This book is excellent and highly recommended. I enjoyed it very much. For new Phish fans, it insightfully breaks down the band's music and career from a very informed perspective. For veteran Phish fans, the book offers many first-hand stories and confirms, without sensationalizing, various interesting details that were previously only message board speculation. It comprehensively addresses the band's role, management's role, and the audience's role in the fascinating story of Phish. Overall, this book achieves something rare and remarkable: it effectively illustrates that Phish is a band worthy of serious analysis and that they "rank among the greatest live bands in rock history" (inside jacket).