Under the Scales

We have a special episode for you today, looking in depth at JamBase's Cluster Flies, the covers compilation reimagining Phish’s album Farmhouse. The limited-edition 3LP release was mastered by engineer Joe Lambert and features custom artwork and a poster created by longtime Phish collaborator Jim Pollock. You can pre-order the LP and Pollock poster here through Monday, May 3, or pre-order the dig...

Alive Again is a limited series podcast exploring the solo career of Trey Anastasio. Based on extensive interviews with Trey and his bandmates and collaborators, Alive Again will dive into evolution of Trey’s songwriting and creative development, as well as the enduring career of the Trey Anastasio Band. The show will also cover Trey’s memories composing with Ernie Stires, his orchestral work, and...

On the season finale of Undermine, we hear from fans who saw Phish in the 1980s, and hear their perspectives on the band’s development as they grew from a college bar band into a regional phenomenon. In addition, we hear how tape trading first entered the Phish community, and how it fueled the band's growth. Finally, we speak to Paul Languedoc, Phish’s longtime sound engineer and Trey’s guitar mak...

This week, we take a step back to examine Phish’s November 23, 1985 show at Goddard College, with a specific focus on the 27-min Whipping Post. During this show, Mike Gordon had an epiphany & decided he wanted to pursue music for the rest of his life. The jam in question shares a lot in common with early jamming from The Grateful Dead. We explore Phish’s relationship to The Dead, and focus compari...

This week, we look at Phish’s legendary show from the Paradise Rock Club, in Boston, on January 26, 1989. In yet another example of Phish refusing to play by the rules set by mainstream music, the band rented out the room and sold tickets against it. We hear from one of the guys who was involved in helping to sell out the show, and we talk about the band’s forays into Boston and New York in 1989. ...

In this episode of Undermine, Phish lyricist Tom Marshall guides us through the making and release of Junta, Phish’s first official debut album. Interviews with Junta audio engineer, Gordon Hookailo, Junta cover-artist Jim Pollock, Phish’s first manager Ben Hunter and others who remember this pivotal time in Phish history.  Undermine is sponsored by Upslope Brewing Company.  Undermine is brought t...

This week, we go Westward, to explore Phish’s trip to Colorado in 1988 in more detail, and to dive into the Mike’s Song from August 3, 1988. Dave and Brian also talk about King Crimson and Genesis, and the way those bands influenced Phish. Undermine is sponsored by Upslope Brewing Company.  If you enjoy Undermine, please give us a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Undermi...

How did a college project about the mythical land of Gamehendge become one of the most intriguing pieces of Phish lore? And how did The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday fit into the evolution of Phish in the important years of 1987 and 1988? In this episode of Undermine, RJ, Matt, Jonathan and Brad discuss Phish in 1987 and 1988, including how the band’s sound changed as they solidified into the fou...

Core to the music of Phish are complex, evolving, emotionally moving compositions. Many of these early songs—Divided Sky, You Enjoy Myself, Foam, and others—remain highlights of the live experience. These songs created early in Phish’s career have stood the test of time, but what makes them so special?  In this episode, we’ll hear about three of these songs from Don Hart, the composer and arranger...

Phish’s song David Bowie combines quirky lyrics with an intricate musical arrangement that’s fit for a symphony. Starting with a discussion of the spirit and substance of this song, and a focus on the 8/29/87 version, Brian Brinkman and David Goldstein then use 1980s Phish to examine other notable bands from the decade like Minutemen, Yo La Tengo, Hüsker Dü, and R.E.M.  Undermine is sponsored by U...

How did Phish go from playing cafeteria gigs at UVM to Madison Square Garden in only 10 years? We start to chart this path by looking at shows from 1983-1986, where intimate venues like Nectar’s and Doolin’s offered the band a chance to practice and refine their live sets. And at the same time, more experimental shows at places like Goddard College allowed the band to push further into the unknown...

How did a band with no major label from a small city in Northern Vermont become one of the biggest bands in music within a decade? What were the origins of Phish and what laid the foundation for their cultural timeline and organic growth? In the first episode of Undermine, Phish lyricist Tom Marshall brings in the perspectives of fans and collaborators who saw their rise in Vermont and helped to c...

Undermine is the definitive Phish podcast. The first season will focus on Phish’s genesis in the 1980s—through deep-dives into the music, shows and songs; interviews with people who were there for the early years; and discussion about the lasting impact of these foundational years. Undermine is a combination of Under the Scales, Helping Friendly Podcast and Beyond the Pond. Presented by Osiris Med...