Undermine

Latest Episodes:

S4E7: 8/13/93 - Charlie Dirksen and Brian Feller Oct 03, 2022

Show notes

Today we are looking at a pivotal show in Phish's history, 8/13/93 from the Murat Theater in Indianapolis. This show features the legendary version of "Bathtub Gin" which is seen as a turning point in the band's ability to jam outside of the structure of their compositions. Charlie Dirksen and Brian Feller, two longtime fans and board members of The Mockingbird Foundation, join us to talk about the magical month of August 1993.

Thanks to our partners at Green Future Wealth—they can help with all of your financial planning needs.

Undermine is brought to you by Osiris Media. Executive Producers are Tom Marshall, RJ Bee, Brian Brinkman, Matt Dwyer, and Benjy Eisen. Produced and edited by Brian Brinkman and Eric Limarenko. Mixed and Mastered by Matt Dwyer. Production assistance from Christina Collins and Nick Cejas. Original Music by Amar Sastry. Art by Mark Dowd.

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S4E6: 5/8/93 — Brad Sands Sep 30, 2022

Show notes

Today we stop in New Hampshire and dive into 5/8/93, which finds Phish at the end of the Spring 1993 tour. We’re joined by Brad Sands, Phish’s former road manager, who talks about the momentum in 1993, and how this show in Durham served as a homecoming for the band after a long time on the road. And it showed in the music, which we discussed with Brad in detail.

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S4E5: 2/20/93 — Josh Carver Sep 28, 2022

Show notes

Today we’re rolling into 1993 with our guest Josh Carver, a longtime Osiris guest and listener. We talk with Josh about The Roxy show from 2/20/93. Josh actually missed this show, but he was at the Roxy shows before and after this infamous night. We all know that feeling.

This show was another pivotal moment in Phish’s progression, and the show became legendary almost immediately. We hope you enjoy our first stop in 1993.

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S4E4: 7/25/92 — Shelly Culbertson Sep 26, 2022

Show notes

In this episode, we keep moving through 1992 and look at one of the most notable shows of the early years—7/25/92, which has an incredible guest appearance by Carlos Santana and his percussionists.

Our guest for this episode is Shelly Culbertson, who worked with former manager John Paluska and Dionysian Productions. Shelly was involved with the early online Phish community, and was the driving force behind Phish Tickets By Mail (PTBM). We talk with Shelly about the growth Phish experienced in these years, and how this tour opening for Santana poured more fuel on the fire for the band’s growth. The Santana sit-in on You Enjoy Myself is must-hear, but the whole set is essential early Phish.

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S4E3: 4/21/92 — Holly Bowling Sep 23, 2022

Show notes

As the next step in our journey through key shows of the ‘90s, we stop in Eureka, California, and check in with a fellow Californian about this show—Holly Bowling. We focus on 4/21/92, a show that has an ahead-of-its-time Tweezer, which served as an inspiration for one of Holly’s famous jam transcriptions.

We heard in previous episodes about this Spring ‘92 run, which featured Phish’s first extended trip in front of West Coast fans. We talk with Holly about these shows, and about Tweezer, and of course, about her approach to interpreting some of these legendary pieces of improvisation.

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S4E2: 8/3/91 — Amy Skelton Sep 21, 2022

Show notes

Welcome back! As a reminder, from now through December, we’ll be tracking Phish’s progression in the 1990s by focusing on 25 important shows of the 90s—leading up to the tour that changed everything, Fall 1997. And we’ll discuss every show of Fall ‘97.

Today we’re talking about Amy’s Farm, 8/3/91, with the one and only Amy Skelton. Amy talks to us about her involvement with the band and the show that she hosted, which really was Phish’s first festival. These tapes were ubiquitous in the trading days. In the episode, we talk about the musical highlights and the importance of this gig at this point in the band’s career.

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S4E1: 11/2/90 — John Paluska Sep 19, 2022

Show notes

Welcome to Undermine Season 4! We are back to track the road to Fall ‘97, and to celebrate amazing shows of the 1990s while leading up to that legendary tour. From now through December, we’ll be tracking Phish’s progression in the 1990s by focusing on 25 important shows of the 90’s—leading up to the tour that changed everything, Fall 1997, and we’ll discuss EVERY show of that tour.

We start this season with 11/2/90, from Boulder, Colorado, with guest John Paluska. This show is notable because of course, this is Phish’s second trip to Colorado. In 1990, they would play 20 shows there. This show was a widely circulated tape, with some notable music moments we’ll discuss. And of course, John Paluska was Phish’s manager from 1990-2004, and helped the band grow in every way during the 1990s.

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S3E5: Hoist The Banner May 25, 2022

Show notes

At the end of the 13 show Baker’s Dozen, a run filled with jams, bustouts, debut covers, and zero repeats, Phish was awarded a banner to commemorate the event that would hang in the rafters of MSG among legendary sports achievements. And yet, like with the best moments in Phish history, the band didn’t simply sit back and admire their accomplishment, they used it to push themselves forward. Just as the Dick’s 2012 run inspired a return to jamming and setlist deconstruction, all of which built towards The Baker’s Dozen, the BD in turn has inspired Phish over the past five years to push through musical barriers, furthering their improvisational capabilities & pushing their music in ways no one thought possible.

In the Season Finale of Undermine S3 we assess what The Baker’s Dozen meant & how it inspired Phish to attack 2018 and 2019, while also laying the groundwork for one of the best years of their career - 2021. In conversations with fans and Phish thinkers alike, we explore the songwriting explosion that came out of The Baker’s Dozen, and the renewed approach to show structure now that they’d seen how impactful their jamming could be within a show.

Undermine is brought to you by Osiris Media. Executive Producers are Tom Marshall, RJ Bee, Brain Brinkman, Matt Dwyer, and Benjy Eisen. Produced and edited by Brian Brinkman. Mixed and Mastered by Matt Dwyer. It is written by Benjy Eisen. Production assistance from Rob Mitchum, Matt Bavuso, Christina Collins and Nick Cejas. Original Music by Amar Sastry. Art by Mark Dowd. Thank you to all our interviewees. We’ll see you next season.

Thanks To Our Partners:

Check out Sunset Lake CBD and use Undermine for 20% off your purchase.
Listeners get 10% off their first month at betterhelp.com/undermine
Get new Phish Food, Non-Dairy or Original, delivered right to your couch at benjerry.com/delivery
We are thrilled to be sponsored by cashortrade.org

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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S3E4: Jam Filled May 18, 2022

Show notes

When they returned from the hiatus in 2009, it took time for the band to regain their fluid improvisation. Over the next four years, they worked to strengthen their onstage communication, refine their approach, and ultimately reignite their jamming in 2012. From there, they began experimenting and taking risks, and by the time they reached The Baker’s Dozen, they were ready to take another step forward in their improvisation—dedicating three weeks to deep jamming. Since this run, jamming has become a focus of Phish’s live shows, pushing the band forward creatively in ways many never expected.

In this episode, we dive into the band’s approach to improvisation, with a specific focus on their evolution from Dick’s 2012 through The Baker’s Dozen. Identifying key breakthroughs, stylistic shifts, and the resulting brilliance of the Summer 2017, we discuss The Baker’s Dozen as an achievement as well as a laboratory to propel the band forward. Through discussions with music experts and fans, we celebrate the jams of The Baker’s Dozen and explore how they ushered in the next phase of Phish’s career.

Undermine is brought to you by Osiris Media. Executive Producers are Tom Marshall, RJ Bee, Brain Brinkman, Matt Dwyer, and Benjy Eisen. Produced and edited by Brian Brinkman. Mixed and Mastered by Matt Dwyer. It is written by Benjy Eisen. Production assistance from Rob Mitchum, Matt Bavuso, Christina Collins and Nick Cejas. Original Music by Amar Sastry. Art by Mark Dowd. Episode Four pic by Andrea Nusinov. Thank you to all our interviewees. We’ll see you next week.

Thanks To Our Partners:

Check out Sunset Lake CBD and use Undermine for 20% off your purchase.
Listeners get 10% off their first month at betterhelp.com/undermine
Get new Phish Food, Non-Dairy or Original, delivered right to your couch at benjerry.com/delivery

We are thrilled to be sponsored by cashortrade.org

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3E3: Setlists May 11, 2022

Show notes

For as long as Phish fans have gathered to discuss and debate the band, the band’s setlists have been a consistent talking point. What songs are in the rotation, how do jams in typically non-jamming slots affect a show, why were there so many bustouts in a single show, what’s the thematic arc of the show? These topics and more have been analyzed by fans for decades—and we know it’s been thought about extensively by the band as well. By way of The Baker’s Dozen, Phish coalesced nearly 40 years of setlisting experimentations into a single run.

In Undermine S3E3 we dive into the evolution of Phish setlists. Beginning with 1993’s expanding catalog and 1994’s irreverent experimentation, we walk listeners through the band’s approach to crafting setlists based on the muse of the time. We discuss the approach to setlisting that separated the 3.0 era by way of 2012, and how comfortable and confident the band felt playing 13 shows with zero repeats by 2017. Beginning with a snapshot of Federal Donuts, we dive into one of the most unique aspects of The Baker’s Dozen—the songs Phish played.

Undermine is brought to you by Osiris Media. Executive Producers are Tom Marshall, RJ Bee, Brain Brinkman, Matt Dwyer, and Benjy Eisen. Produced and edited by Brian Brinkman. Mixed and Mastered by Matt Dwyer. It is written by Benjy Eisen. Production assistance from Rob Mitchum, Matt Bavuso, Christina Collins and Nick Cejas. Original Music by Amar Sastry. Art by Mark Dowd. Thank you to all our interviewees. We’ll see you next week.

Thanks To Our Partners:

Check out Sunset Lake CBD and use Undermine for 20% off your purchase.
Listeners get 10% off their first month at betterhelp.com/undermine
Get new Phish Food, Non-Dairy or Original, delivered right to your couch at benjerry.com/delivery
We are thrilled to be sponsored by cashortrade.org

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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