The band is known for musical improvisation, extended jams, blending of genres, and a rigorous touring schedule that draws a famously dedicated fan base. Their music blends elements of a wide variety of genres, including funk, progressive rock, psychedelic rock, folk, country, jazz, blues, bluegrass, and pop. Phish were part of a movement of improvisational rock groups, inspired by the Grateful Dead and colloquially known as "jam bands", which gained considerable popularity as touring concert acts in the 1990s.
After 15 years of performing together, Phish went on hiatus in 2000. They resumed touring in December 2002, but disbanded in 2004 after a farewell performance at their Coventry Festival in Vermont. They reunited in March 2009 for a series of three consecutive concerts played in the Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, Virginia, and have since resumed performing regularly.
Although the group received little radio play or MTV exposure, Phish developed a large following by word of mouth during the 1990s, particularly through fan-record tapes of their concerts, which circulated for free online with the band's permission. While often compared to the Grateful Dead, Phish finds their roots in styles such as jazz, funk and alternative rock as opposed to the Dead, who were more influenced by folk, country and blues.
Each Phish concert is different in terms of the songs included and the order in which they appeared, and (for many songs) in the way in which they were performed. Also unique to Phish are their large summer festivals which draw upwards of 70K people to remote areas in Maine and New York State as well as close to 100K for their epic Millennium Show in the Everglades of South Florida.
Along with Bob Dylan and The Beatles, Phish were one of the first bands to have an Internet newsgroup - rec.music.phish - launched in 1991.
In regards to Phish, Rolling Stone magazine proclaimed "Given their sense of community, their ambition and their challenging, generous performances, Phish have become the most important band of the Nineties."
Rift
Phish Lyrics
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And coasting a terrace, approaching a rift
Through which I could spy several glimpses beneath
Of the darkness the light from above could not reach
I spied wings of reason, herself taking flight
And upon yonder precipice saw her alight
And glared back at me one last look of dismay
As if she were the last one she thought I'd betray
So much better I said to myself
And drawing quite close to the top of the shelf
I struggled with destiny upon the ledge
And gasped when defeated he slipped off the edge
And silence contagious in moments like these
Consumed me and strengthened my will to appease
The passion that sparked me one terrible night
And shocked and persuaded my soul to ignite
So much better I said to myself
And drawing quite close to the top of the shelf
I struggled with destiny upon the ledge
And gasped when defeated he slipped off the edge
And silence contagious in moments like these
Consume me and strengthen my will to appease
The passion that sparked me one terrible night
(And shocked and persuaded my soul to ignite) x5
The lyrics to Phish's song Rift seem to tell the story of the singer's struggle with their own destiny and the battle between reason and passion. The first verse describes a moment of introspection where the singer sees glimpses of darkness that the light from above cannot reach. They then see the personification of reason, represented by wings taking flight and landing on a precipice. The winged figure seems to look back in disappointment, as though betrayed by the singer.
The second verse, almost identical to the first, describes the singer's struggle with destiny upon a ledge, where they gasp in shock as destiny slips off the edge. In this moment of silence, the singer feels a contagious sense of calm and finds strength to appease their inner passion, which sparked within them on a terrible night and "persuaded [their] soul to ignite."
The repetition of "So much better I said to myself" and the refrain "And shocked and persuaded my soul to ignite" suggests a subconscious battle between reason and passion, with the singer ultimately choosing to follow their passion. The rift in the lyrics could represent a divide between these two forces, as well as the immense struggle one faces when trying to reconcile their own desires with fate.
Line by Line Meaning
Last night, in the moments my thoughts were adrift
In the past, when I was lost in thought
And coasting a terrace, approaching a rift
I was walking along a terrace, nearing a gap or split in the ground
Through which I could spy several glimpses beneath
I saw brief glimpses of what was beneath the rift
Of the darkness the light from above could not reach
The darkness was too deep to be penetrated by light
I spied wings of reason, herself taking flight
I saw the escape of logical thinking
And upon yonder precipice saw her alight
I saw her land on a distant cliff
And glared back at me one last look of dismay
She gave me one final look of disappointment and disapproval
As if she were the last one she thought I'd betray
She looked at me as if I had betrayed her trust for the last time
So much better I said to myself
I reassured myself that things were much better now
And drawing quite close to the top of the shelf
I approached the highest point of the shelf
I struggled with destiny upon the ledge
I battled with fate on the edge of the rift
And gasped when defeated he slipped off the edge
I was shocked when fate fell off the edge of the rift, defeated
And silence contagious in moments like these
There was a contagious silence in moments like these
Consumed me and strengthened my will to appease
It overwhelmed me and made me more determined to satisfy my desires
The passion that sparked me one terrible night
The passion that ignited me on a terrible night
(And shocked and persuaded my soul to ignite) x5
This passion shocked and convinced my soul to ignite, repeating five times
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: ERNEST ANASTASIO, TOM MARSHALL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind