Features

Hooking Up With Fishman

[Fishman calls out to one of the Pork Tornado roadies for a crescent wrench. As we’ve been talking, he has been setting up his drum kit. At this point, Phish lyricist Tom Marshall walks up and mockingly declares to Jon, “what are you doing here?”]

Jon: Tom! I have yet to get through any take of “Satellite” yet without crying. I have yet to make it through “Anything But Me” without weeping.

Tom: Trey told me.

Jon: It’s just…

Tom: The new stuff is coming…

Jon: I have to, I have to…. I have to hug you. [they hug] I have to say you…

Tom: Thank you. I love that song…

Jon: This recent batch of lyrics has had me just completely…

Tom: Just crying like a baby.

Jon: Just crushed. It’s a whole evolution of… and Trey goes…

[At this point I introduce myself to Tom since we are standing right next to each other as he and Jon talk. I interviewed Tom about a year and half ago for Relix which he remembers, though clearly he has been put on mild guard since he sees the tape recorder in my hand. There are a few jokes of “a ha, I see now…” traded amongst laughs]

Tom: “Pebbles and Marbles”...Trey said that a recent recording thing that you cried at another one. Was it “Spices?”

Jon: “Spices.” It’s like each one is having its turn at me. [laughter from both] On some of the ones that have more involved arrangements, I’ve been trying to get a grip on the drumming part. It’s like this opening process because you hear this stuff in your head and you try and get out into the music and get your coordination together. The more I get my part together, the more I am able to open my ears up to what else is going on because you can only concentrate on so much at once. So I hear this music, try to get this part out and then I’m listening to the whole vibe. Once I get used to the road map of the tune, then I really start to focus on the lyrics and focus on all the other parts. Each time….

There was one take of “Pebbles and Marbles” where we were really together and focused. and the whole section of, “When we’re alone, we all seem to tend if we find a marble in dust, to wish someone left it for us…”

Tom: [recites rest of lyric]

Jon: Yeah. Then it got really quiet, but that whole section leading up to that line, it just builds to this… you know… I just… and music is really quiet there and I think its supposed to come back in at the point, but the lyrics just caught me and I just… [he mimics crying and begins seriously laughing] (and through hearty laughter manages to get out): I just totally fell apart… I couldn’t fucking play. [he settles down a bit] And I was just like, “oh my god, I can’t wait to play this shit.” Oh man. It’s just such an awesome, awe inspiring vehicle.

Tom: That’s great to hear. Thank you. I’m glad you’re crying.

Jon: I’m going to cry just thinking about it. Its really been great, just the whole thing.

Tom: Don’t tell Relix that Phish has 25 more songs. That’s a secret.

Jon: No, no, no, no.

Josh (me): Off the record of course…

Jon: (with a grin on his face and rolling his eyes a bit) 25? 45! [laughter] No, but the question I’m trying to answer now is what I’ve learned most from fatherhood. That I never knew anything and now know even less. [laughter] I was saying that I didn’t understand, that I had conceived of the idea of unconditional love until that…

Tom: Yeah, that’s a huge one. Also, the vunerability that it opens up.

Jon: Yeah, that’s true.

Tom: And the protection instinct that you now realize you now have for someone other than yourself.

Jon: Yeah. If you thought you were living life with your dick hanging in the wind before… [much laughter among everyone]... now you’re really in for it.

Tom: Fisman’s quote on fatherhood. [more laughter]

Jon: If you thought you were caught with your pants down before, you are so totally vunerable… [laughter]