368 – Jon Fishman (Phish) Part 1: The art of constant evolution
What can be said about Jon Fishman that hasn’t already been said? Fishman and his band Phish have been going strong for 35 years with a legion of fans that follows them around the country. Whether they’re playing at one of their multiple-day festivals that attract upwards of 75K people or selling out Madison Square Garden 13 nights in a row like their recent “Bakers Dozen” stand, Jon and Phish are constantly reinventing themselves. Phish is notorious for their improvisational jams that can last up to 20 minutes and for having a different set list very night, which keeps Fishman on his toes night-after-night. That uncertainty allows him the room to grow, experiment and evolve as a player.
Jon Fishman talks about:
- Reopening the Lincolnville General Store
- Finding his long lost relative
- Lessons learned as a younger drummer
- Dealing with fame and coming to grips with it
- Whether great drummers are born or made
- Developing your own sound and why it takes a long time to get there
- An all important lesson he learned in New Orleans early in his career
- Maturing behind the kit
- Why a simple groove is good enough
- Advice for playing in odd time
- Interchanging implied feels
- The good and bad about self evaluation
- Actively listening vs passively listening
- Much more
Resources / Links / People Mentioned:
- Contact Jon Fishman: Phish’s website
- Phish band mates: Jon Fishman, Trey Anastasio, Mike Gordon and Page McConnell
- Lincolnville General Store
- 23 and Me
- When the levee breaks
- John Bonham
- Motown
- Art Blakey
- Herlin Riley
- Charlie Persip
- Elvin Jones
- Baby Dodds
- Bob Gullotti (Drummer’s Resource Interview)
- Walter Payton (bass player)
- Kermit Ruffins
- Jazzfest
- James Blood Ulmer
- Joe Morello
- Mitch Mitchell
- Pork Tornado
- Clyde Stubblefield
- Jabo Starks
- Russ Lawton (Drummer’s Resource interview)
- Bitches Brew
- Mahavishnu Orchestra
- Return to Forever
- Weather Report
- Visions of the Emerald Beyond
- Narada Michael Walden
- Dennis Chambers (Drummer’s Resource interview)
- Levon Helm
- Cardi B
- Migos
- Eric B and Rakim
- EPMD
- The DOC
- N.W.A
- Joe Pass / Ella Fitzgerald
- Public Enemy
- Nick Grant
Drummer’s Resource Podcast is free thanks to support from:
Evans Drumheads: You might sit at the back of the stage, but the band revolves around you. You set the tempo, the intensity, and most importantly, the tone. And the easiest way to set the tone is to play Evans drumheads with Level 360 Technology. Trusted by industry-leading drummers like Chris Coleman and Anika Niles, Evans drumheads offer the most consistent fit for every drum and max tunability all around. Thanks to Level 360 Technology, Evans drumheads fit perfectly across the shell and allow for increased tension to help you find your sweet spot. Plus, they take you beyond the normal tuning range for higher highs and lower lows. Now the sound you want will always be the sound you get. Check out Evans Drumheads with Level 360 Technology at EvansDrumheads.com
Mapex SONIClear: The Mapex Drum Company set out to solve one of the biggest headaches of being a drummer; the frustrations of tuning your drums. Players often have had a difficult time tuning their drums and making them sound good because the apex of the edge is too far to the outside of the shell and they can’t get the drumhead to sit flat.
Mapex wants drummers to spend less time tuning and be able to play more. The result of that mission is the latest innovation from Mapex: The SONIClear™ bearing edge. In short, it enables players to get a great sound even without much tuning experience. For more info, visit Mapex Drums