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PhanArt: The Art of the Fans of Phish Is Finally Here
Mike McKinley
November 19, 2008
PhanArt is a massive project that Pete Mason has been working on for the past couple of years‚ collecting posters‚ t-shirts‚ stickers and various other items that Phish phans made over the band's career‚ and compiling it all in one comprehensive coffee table book.

I think most of the people that followed the band around found immense inspiration in the music. I know I did. But I also found inspiration in the collective -- for the most part‚ a spirited bunch that sought to gain from the experience and adventure.

Shortly after Phish called it quits‚ Pete was determined to document that part of the experience. I remember him telling me‚ "It was so amazing! I feel like what the fans did has to be documented."

Rightfully so. And I think my experience with Pete is the perfect example of why that's true. We went to the same high school in Albany‚ N.Y.‚ and we might have even played baseball together -- but I have no recollection of ever speaking with him until years after those days. It was at Big Cypress in the Florida Everglades‚ when Phish brought in the new millennium. With about 70‚000 other people traveling to the show‚ and hours and hours of traffic to get in‚ we finally set up camp. And who is camping next to me? Yes‚ it was Pete. That kind of mysterious synchronicity seemed to happen all the time at a Phish show. And you knew immediately that you were next to a kindred spirit. There might have been a millisecond of awkwardness -- "Hey‚ we went to the same high school" -- but because you're in the Everglades in Florida‚ that says that you really dig this music. You really dig this band; you dig the journey and the adventure that it brings. That's the spirit.

In 2001 I ran into Pete again in Syracuse‚ N.Y.‚ waiting in line to get tickets to see Trey Anastasio play. It sold out in minutes‚ and we both didn't get tickets. We left bummed out. Sure enough‚ the day of the show I'm wandering around downtown trying to find an extra ticket. I walk into a bar‚ the Blue Tusk‚ which was packed with people getting ready for the show. All of a sudden‚ I get a tap on the shoulder. "Mike! I've been looking all over for you. I have an extra ticket." I don't think he even charged me -- at that point‚ it seemed irrelevant. There was an unspoken understanding that getting to share the experience was the priority.

The communal enthusiasm that surrounds going to see Phish play is something much‚ much larger than the band. And people believed in it -- that's what made the experience so extraordinary in addition to the music. With Phish coming back‚ PhanArt is a great way to remind us all what we were a part of‚ and for those who will be getting on board for the first time‚ what a great way to show our history and another aspect of how we share the groove.

Go here to pre-order PhanArt: The Art of the Fans of Phish

Go here to visit the PhanArt site.

Song of the Day - "Johnny Don't" - Japhy Ryder
Mike McKinley
November 18, 2008
Japhy Ryder, our neighbors down the road‚ know that if you're going to be playing challenging‚ genre-blurring instrumental music, you have to Stand Strong! And they've been doing it in uncompromising fashion since they started five years ago. There are ears that need to hear their latest, No Consequence, and Ropeadope Records knows that -- today they are re-releasing the album digitally. Dig it!

"Johnny Don't" - Japhy Ryder





Visit Jahpy Ryder of Montreal/Kevin Barnes
Mike McKinley
November 16, 2008
I just read the cover story on of Montreal/Kevin Barnes in the November issue of Paste‚ and it's a really good article. It was written by Steve LaBate‚ an associate editor with Paste‚ who first interviewed Barnes for an Athens‚ GA alt-weekly back in 2003. He has incredible insight into the music and the artist -- I imagine that comes from years of seeing Barnes' progression. And the quotes he uses from Barnes are equally surprising and fascinating. You can read the entire transcript here.

My relationship with Barnes' music is bizarre. I didn't really start paying attention until 2007's Hissing Fauna‚ Are You the Destroyer?‚ which after each listen left me stunned. I couldn't decide if I absolutely loved it or hated it. Rarely has this ever happened.

Last year‚ a bunch of us were hanging out at the SOM Headquarters late-night partying‚ streaming live video from the All Good Festival. In between bands‚ there was an option to check out clips from festivals earlier in the year. Coachella was listed‚ so we came across this live clip of "She's a Rejector." I was mesmerized. Besides the band just kicking ass and getting down‚ they looked so futuristic and animated. I thought‚ "How can I not dig this?"



I guess the thing I appreciated most about the interview with Paste was how open Barnes' is as an artist. He's grown past the indie rock (or punk rock) myth of "keeping it real" and in doing so appears to have a wider artistic spectrum when it comes to making music. He talks about how performing is sensationalism‚ and when he's not performing‚ he lives a normal and sometimes boring life that includes sitting home and watching ESPN. They call him "Heir of Bowie" on the cover‚ which might have valid parallels‚ but I actually thought of Pete Townshend first in this regard. He seems like an artist that could easily be misconstrued as weird -- also weirdly gay -- and tortured‚ just for doing his job well: keeping you on your toes‚ being original and making it sensational. But at the same time‚ he seems grounded in the everyday fucked-up realities that we live with‚ within our work‚ in our family and everything else. I think he sums it up perfectly when he says that your work as an artist is going to eventually turn you into a cartoon‚ so you might as well be the one who controls it. And in doing so‚ you might as well be fantastic.

Another fascinating aspect is Barnes' take on performance. The thing that I love the most about seeing shows -- this being especially true with improvisational music -- is the risk and uncertainty. He talks about how his job isn't just to make people who come to his shows leave happy‚ but to make them feel uncomfortable -- make them feel fear‚ tension and confusion. Amen to that.

Check out State of Mind's review of Skeletal Lamping.

of Montreal - "Id Engager"

Song of the Day: "Izabella" - Jimi Hendrix
Mike McKinley
November 14, 2008
RIP Mitch Mitchell‚ the legendary drummer of the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Here's a live track from Woodstock.

Song of the Day: "Fleurette Africaine (African Flower)" - Duke Ellington
Mike McKinley
November 13, 2008
I strongly feel that everyone should own Duke Ellington's Money Jungle (which I wrote about for the "Albums You Should Know" column in a past issue of State of Mind). It's Duke in the rare trio setting‚ featuring two fellow legends: Charles Mingus on bass and Max Roach on drums.

This song is all about the vibe -- you couldn't compose the way this feels. You hear the contemplative struggle and tension in the room. And you can smell the cigarette smoke and old must of the studio. You know it was pouring rain that day. Beautiful.



And here's the opening title track. Aggressive. Expressive. And so damn tasty.

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