Here’s more from our Jambands 25 celebration: an conversation with Mike Gordon that appeared in September 2009.JoyParty TimeJoyDB- I just spent some time with “Andelmans’ Yardsale,” on your site. I’m always interested in learning more about process, so I really enjoyed it. I’m curious though about the incident you describe in which you walked out of a tea house, started banging on a lamppost, recorded it on your phone and then emailed yourself the files. Were you actively searching for a particular sound that day or did it all happen spontaneously?DB- Was that lamppost recording solely a product of the fact that you were immersed in a recording project or is that something you’re always exploring in your daily life?DB- You mentioned that you had done this once before in preparation for writing new material. Do you have a specific purpose or project in mind that has led you to aggregate all of this media at this particular moment?DB- In terms of those sessions with Scott, did any new songs come to fruition? I noticed you debuted some new material last night.DB- What instrumentation did you use in those sessions?DB- Getting back to the notion that ideas are a dime a dozen, I would say, though, that one thing I like about your music and also certainly about Phish, is that you’re never lacking for ideas. Sometimes I think that contemporary society gives short shrift to the whole currency of ideas, which has always kept things active and lively in social, political and cultural realms.The Artist’s WayOutliersDB- You mentioned your next studio album. Will that material focus on all those songs you wrote a couple years ago but never appeared on The Green Sparrow or songs you have written since then?Green SparrowDB- Do you have target dates in mind in terms of when you’ll be done and the album will be released?DB- In terms of that earlier era of songwriting, were “Sugar Shack,” “Only a Dream,” and “Can’t Come Back,” the three songs on the two new Phish releases, composed during that period? [The first is on Joy , the latter two will appear on Party Time ].likeddidn’t likeThe Life AquaticGreen SparrowGreen SparrowParty TimeJoyDB- Since we’re on the topic of your compositions, can you talk about how “Destiny Unbound” made it back into rotation with Phish?DB- Were you uncomfortable with some specific aspect of the song that led you to shelve it back in 1991?DB- That’s right, you did [/2/28/03].DB- What about “Middle of The Road,” the Leo Kottke composition on Clone?Green SparrowBudnick grunts in approval.DB- You mentioned that for a while “Destiny Unbound” didn’t quite resonate but eventually it did once again. Can you think of other songs that have elicited a similar reaction?Night Musicyou can YouTube it.DB- Somewhat along these lines, in the content of rehearsing songs with your band can you think of any songs that really surprised you once you revisited them and were inside them?“My Uncle Used To Love Me But She Died.”That’ll do it for now but as a reminder, if you haven’t yet had a chance to check out the conversation between Mike Gordon and Dean Budnick following Phish’s Hampton shows, be sure to pick up the June issue of Relix.
Subscribe to skip adsAdvertisement
Subscribe to skip adsAdvertisement
Subscribe to skip adsAdvertisement
Subscribe to skip adsAdvertisement
