clpete Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 I think that jam band music is an acquired taste. Its like Dylan or Neil Young. Its music that is rough around the edges. The rawness of it is what people like. Once you accept that you may learn to love it. Some people cant get over that or have no desire to. I tend lose interest any time someone plays a 10 minute solo weather its jam rock or jazz. We play for free. We get paid to set up and tear down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kong Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 I'll be enjoying several of these "horrible" shows this summer, and I can't wait!!! Knoxville > St. Louis > Alpine Valley > Chicago Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phred Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 I played in a JamBand for a few years, and had tons of fun on stage. We had quite a following - not too big, but really loyal. As much as I enjoyed playing it, I never really liked listening to the music though. One thing that I found hard was getting new fans. The style of jamband music tends to not be suitable for people to just walk in and listen. People either getit, or they don't. As such our fanbase grew slowly, and we didn't get alot of walkin traffic. One good thing though, is that once you grabbed a fan, they generally went to any show you played. I did like some of the track that Scott posted, but quite frankly it would have been better with a different bass player - especially the beginning. I'm just saying', everyone that confuses correlation with causation eventually ends up dead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frogmonkey Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 I don't think of it at all Until just now, that is... Listening to "time turns elastic"... No sir, I don't like it. I've heard more than enough of these guys. They bug me the way Jaco Pastorius bugs me. Jaco ruined bass playing, because all the young guys want to play all that high busy shit instead of keeping a groove. Phish plays this noodly shit and the young guys think it's good, accomplished improvisation, and they copy that and ignore all the improvisation that is out there which is actually on a high level. I guess it's ok. It used to light me up, when I was a teenager in Burlington in the '80s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMcD Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Call me ignorant, but I don't see much of a problem with the bass. What am I missing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mate stubb Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Jaco ruined bass playing Sorry, can't agree in the slightest. Jaco invented a whole new way of playing melodic bass, and it is not his fault that a legion of no-grooving wankers imitate him badly. Moe --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 That's like saying Eddie Van Halen or Jimmy Hendrix ruined the electric guitar. Led Zepplin ruined rock and roll. Jimmy Smith ruined the Hammond organ. Etc. Keep it greazy! B3tles - Soul Jazz THEO - Prog Rock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottasin Posted May 28, 2009 Author Share Posted May 28, 2009 Jaco did not ruin the bass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanker. Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Call me ignorant, but I don't see much of a problem with the bass. What am I missing? The lack of musicality? The lack of a sense of time? The lack of focus? The lack of the ability to count to 4 successfully? The list goes on... A ROMpler is just a polyphonic turntable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffinator Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Their more 'jammy' stuff sounds like rehearsal to me. I've actually heard better stuff at ad-hoc bands initial sound check. Its sad that a group of musicians listening to and reacting to each other is thought of as 'amazing musicianship' as opposed to 'basic skill'. Ironically, people in the loyal audiences think improvisation based off recorded music (no matter how amateurish it is) is something great to behold. What most of them don't get is that what Phish and their ilk are improvising from is really, really basic chord progressions that even I (as terrible an improv player as I am) could find a groove and roll it for 10 minutes or so, particularly when the audience is cool with me wanking one or two notes for 40 seconds or more. But hey, who am I to judge? People liked Peter Frampton, and "classic rock" stations still play the live version of "Do You Feel Like I Do?" on a regular basis, complete with the obnoxious talk-box "solo", where the crowd flips out over everything he says... I'm still a progger, what can I say? I like stuff that challenges my mind, songs that reveal layer after layer after layer of complexity every time you listen. A bunch of loud, obnoxious music I USED to make with friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonysounds Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Sorry, Frampton, Jaco...these were and are still great players. Frampton's a very lyrical player with great tone. Jaco: I don't even know where to start. I love prog rock, but let's be honest: a large percentage of it is $hit. Dream Theatre and their mind numbing paid-by-the-note approach leaves a lot to be desired, and while I still check them out to see if there's anything I'm missing (even went to see them again last year), it turns out, I'm not! Intricacy for its own sake is a waste of time and talent. There are some great prog bands out there, just like there are some great jambands out there; there's a whole lot of garbage in both scenes too, but to just blast either genre as a whole shows a complete lack of understanding, and narrow mindedness. That said, I'll take The Allman Brothers over Gentle Giant any day, even without Duane. Hitting "Play" does NOT constitute live performance. -Me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffinator Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Frampton's a very lyrical player with great tone. Be that as it may, his songs are tripe. Dream Theatre and their mind numbing paid-by-the-note approach leaves a lot to be desired, and while I still check them out to see if there's anything I'm missing (even went to see them again last year), it turns out, I'm not! Intricacy for its own sake is a waste of time and talent. Well, you say it's intricacy for its own sake, I say it's intricacy that gives depth and character to the song. This was one of the reasons why I qualified my assessment of jam-bands that I've heard (Phish, Gov't Mule, ABB, etc) with that very statement - because it takes a dramatically different mentality to appreciate bands like Dream Theater. ...to just blast either genre as a whole shows a complete lack of understanding, and narrow mindedness. I speak only to what I've heard, I can't speak for what I haven't heard. I've done my level best to get into jam bands, if for no other reason than the arena shows are a hell of a party, both while the band is playing, and outside in the parking lot. That said, I'll take The Allman Brothers over Gentle Giant any day, even without Duane. Which is your right. Just as it's my right to tell you I've yet to hear a jam band that moved me the way "Under a Glass Moon" does... [video:youtube] A bunch of loud, obnoxious music I USED to make with friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonysounds Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 You're right: it takes a dramatically different mindset to appreciate the vocal line that starts at 2:00! Hitting "Play" does NOT constitute live performance. -Me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffinator Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 You're right: it takes a dramatically different mindset to appreciate the vocal line that starts at 2:00! Yeah, I changed the links. That was a particularly brutal performance by James - I think that was right before he went under the knife... A bunch of loud, obnoxious music I USED to make with friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonysounds Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Unfair! That previous link was much more entertaining, and made MY point! Hitting "Play" does NOT constitute live performance. -Me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanker. Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Frampton's a very lyrical player with great tone. Be that as it may, his songs are tripe. Dream Theatre and their mind numbing paid-by-the-note approach leaves a lot to be desired, and while I still check them out to see if there's anything I'm missing (even went to see them again last year), it turns out, I'm not! Intricacy for its own sake is a waste of time and talent. Well, you say it's intricacy for its own sake, I say it's intricacy that gives depth and character to the song. This was one of the reasons why I qualified my assessment of jam-bands that I've heard (Phish, Gov't Mule, ABB, etc) with that very statement - because it takes a dramatically different mentality to appreciate bands like Dream Theater. ...to just blast either genre as a whole shows a complete lack of understanding, and narrow mindedness. I speak only to what I've heard, I can't speak for what I haven't heard. I've done my level best to get into jam bands, if for no other reason than the arena shows are a hell of a party, both while the band is playing, and outside in the parking lot. That said, I'll take The Allman Brothers over Gentle Giant any day, even without Duane. Which is your right. Just as it's my right to tell you I've yet to hear a jam band that moved me the way "Under a Glass Moon" does... [video:youtube] I feel this strange need to go cucumber shopping A ROMpler is just a polyphonic turntable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morizzle Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Wow. I nearly forgot how 90's Dream Theater sounds. When I was a teenager, I listened to them quite a bit, but I feel my taste has grown. Now I play in a jam band. It's not a clone, it's a Suzuki. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stepay Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Gonna have to agree with kanker on this one. I've never liked Phish, and this song affirms that decision. The singing is horrible and always is with Phish. Also, for a jam band, this song just seems too fast...kind of a lot to handle for 14+ minutes. Some very uninspired guitar playing, and I'm not thrilled with the keyboard playing either. Boring, horrible dynamics, too long, bad singing, and mediocre playing. It's bands like Phish that give more musicians than should a reason to keep trying to make it big. Utterly unenjoyable. Some parts are excruciatingly bad...almost unlistenable. Phish exists so that young white hippie wannabe kids with no rhythm can dance around for 15 minutes at a time. I'm open to listening to anything, but man this was just not fun at all. To each his own though brother. Steve (Stevie Ray) "Do the chickens have large talons?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mate stubb Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Speaking of long jams in a single key..... Last night as I was drifting off to sleep, I happened upon a program about the Monterey Pop festival and watched the conclusion which featured 18 minutes of Ravi Shankar and company. It was spellbinding. Moe --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clpete Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Phish exists so that young white hippie wannabe kids with no rhythm can dance around for 15 minutes at a time. Finally! That's why the bass does what it does. Dancing in circles requires that fluid bass line. Can't do it with a groove! We play for free. We get paid to set up and tear down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe P Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Speaking of long jams in a single key..... Last night as I was drifting off to sleep, I happened upon a program about the Monterey Pop festival and watched the conclusion which featured 18 minutes of Ravi Shankar and company. It was spellbinding. I saw Ravi Shankar perform with his daughter and Co. at NJPAC around 2002 - 2003. It was pretty cool actually, but I think I would rather see Phish. Keyboards were under-represented in the Ravi show. Regards, Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stepay Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Phish exists so that young white hippie wannabe kids with no rhythm can dance around for 15 minutes at a time. Finally! That's why the bass does what it does. Dancing in circles requires that fluid bass line. Can't do it with a groove! Yep. I should qualify my statement here...not ALL white kids are without rhythm...just the ones who dance to Phish music. And since the bulk of Phish fans are white, that's the reason for the comment there. Definitely no racial profiling meant here. I know TONS of white people with rhythm and I've seen non-white people with the rhythm given to Steve Martin in The Jerk. Steve (Stevie Ray) "Do the chickens have large talons?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mate stubb Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Since this thread refuses to die, time to derail it! Classic humor from The Onion: Phish Collapses Onstage Moe --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffinator Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 That's a classic, Mate. A bunch of loud, obnoxious music I USED to make with friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StartRun Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 ...just curious. Since this is a keyboard focused forum, does this band have a "hot" keyboardist, worthy of note here? Aside from that, why should I really care about them ?... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffinator Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 ...just curious. Since this is a keyboard focused forum, does this band have a "hot" keyboardist, worthy of note here? Aside from that, why should I really care about them ?... No, and I have no idea. In that order. A bunch of loud, obnoxious music I USED to make with friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stepay Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 ...just curious. Since this is a keyboard focused forum, does this band have a "hot" keyboardist, worthy of note here? Aside from that, why should I really care about them ?... I do think that most of us are music lovers, and many of us play more than one instrument, so we're interested in all kinds of music -- SOME even like Phish as this thread shows. I'm just not one of them. Steve (Stevie Ray) "Do the chickens have large talons?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Muscara Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 Page McConnell of Phish "I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck "The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridog6996 Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 Wow, guys. Can't believe the amount of hating here. Dislike Phish's music all you want, but calling them amateur musicians who can't play their instruments is just plain ridiculous. Listen to anything off their first few albums and tell me with a straight face how bad they are. I personally despise Kenny G, but I can still admit that despite the cheese, he's a cat that definitely knows his way around his ax. And don't judge a band based on one song that, admittedly, isn't really a great example of Phish's overall musical output. That's like summing up Stevie Wonder based entirely on the song "That's What Friends Are For," or Herbie Hancock based on "Rockit," R.E.M based on "Shiny Happy People," Led Zeppelin based on "Hot Dog," the Beatles based on "Octopus's Garden," etc, etc. My YouTube Channel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FunkKeysStuff Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 I still love "Rockit." So thppth! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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