Customer Reviews

Phish: The Biography

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Very well written and interesting take on the history of our favorite band. I'm a 10 year and 75 show fan and there was plenty of new or newly presented information in this enjoyable read. Of course, I like to read anything I can about phish, but this is one of the only times I've read a book about phish with the feeling that I'm reading the work of a real author and not just "some guy who likes phish but can't write"... It's no masterpiece but it's probably worth your time.

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.

I enjoyed this and burned through it pretty quickly, but as many have noted, most of the content can be found scouring the Internet for early articles and interviews on the band, of which there are many. The biggest problem, however, was that the writer basically worked for the band, and while I can't say he really pulled any punches regarding the break up, drug use, the bust, etc., it just feels too warm and fuzzy, nerdy even in his admiration for the band. He tries to tell or re-tell 'funny' stories about the members and how they interact that just come off as lame. Not much musical analysis, other than the well-worn path of their improv exercises. I dunno, it also just felt incomplete, especially towards the end, but I did like how it's pretty current through last year. But while I'd still recommend it to fans, in the end it's just a well-placed fan/employee's perspective, with plenty of hyperbole regarding how great they were. Somebody mentioned Blair Jackson's 'Garcia' book, which had the nice touch of brief reviews of all the band's/Jerry's releases at the time (including the vast amount of live stuff), which showed that he knew what he was talking about; I get the sense that this guy couldn't go that deep in his analysis. And I'm sorry, Billy Breathes is far from their best work, and for me, honestly the beginning of the end, when they started trying to sound normal and ended up with mostly mediocre material. Finally, the quality of writing was really unexceptional. For a comparison, I've been reading many books in the 33 1/3 series, which, writing quality-wise, is light years ahead of this. Far from the best rock and roll book out there (see Neil Young's Shakey and the Levon Helm book about the Band for two of the best).

Got the book over Christmas and finished it in about 4 days. As others have mentioned, there is quite a bit of info that was already known, but what do you expect from such an obsessive fanbase? Despite having read most of the available published works dealing with "The Phish", there were plenty of stories in the book that I hadn't heard. The book was very readable and I'd certainly recommend it for any phan.

Just finished Phish: The Biography. There are several books out there about Phish and this one is by far the most comprehensive (includes reunion tour information). My favorite element was using the book as a frame of reference to all the different eras of shows I've been to. Knowing what was going on with the band helped me understand why the live playing and recordings changed over the years. To paraphrase, "Every note in an arena lasts 2 seconds..." which is (in part) why the jams became more ambient at times in the mid-late 90's. Never thought of that.

There was one omission I wish he covered. Puterbaugh covers the "Dead/Phish" connection well. However, I wish he mentioned 8/14/97 when Ken Keasey and the Merry Pranksters joined Phish onstage (Col. Forbin found Ken Keasey instead of Icculus that night). Keasey spoke of how the "Bozo's" (wookies?) were lost since the Dead weren't playing and had shown up at Phish concerts. While I don't think that event defined the connection, I think it was way more significant than Phish covering Terrapin, or Mike being a Deadhead...at least from a fan's perspective.

Thanks for a great book.

Go to the library and read a few pages before you buy. This is not a serious biography but a very flawed book written by a fan. I was hoping for something of the caliber of Blair Jackson's "Garcia." This book fell very far short. 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.

You might also be distressed when you read the Grateful Dead bashing in the first few pages. The author show a kind of contempt for Jerry Garcia that is very disturbing.

Whether or not you are a fan of Phish, you will find this story to be a thrilling tale of one of the most unique and relevant forces in music history. It is engaging, thought provoking, funny, heartbreaking, and ultimately redemptive. If you have been along for any part of the ride yourself, you will take away a new perspective on their journey right from the source.

This book is entertaining, but the author has a few dates and locations mixed up. Maybe I'm just a phanatic!

In April of 1996 I finally saw my first Phish concert. After 14 years and 1000's of miles of travel with this band, I finally got to sit down and read something solid about them. Through years of following the group around I heard so many rumors and usupported stories. It was great to finally hear what really happened from people who were actually there, and to see how the career of my favorite band mirrored my own life.

Great book! I'm more of a music fan than a Phish Phan, but I just couldn't put this book down. Amazing behind the scene insight.