This is probably the wrong forum for this, but I have to give a shout out to Fishman as an incedibly appropriate drummer for Phish. He's not a Neil Peart or a Steve Gadd or a Terry Bozzio, but he doesn't have to be. He's a jamband drummer who's seminal to carrying the song, to playing all the right parts in the right places that carry the song to where it needs to go. What first made me notice him was his work on the studio versions of Reba and SOAM. Then, when i started to see him live and listen to shows, I realized how indispensible his work was to Phish's success. He knows when to be flashy, he knows when to slip into the pocket and keep the beat; he knows how a cymbal change can change the entire dynamics of a song. Listen to the AC/DC Bag from saturday's Coventry show. He waits until the jam really starts tio build before he even hits a tom, and when he does it signals that the intensity is building. Good drummer, great personality, fantastic memory. Love you, Fishman.
Fishman is definately the best drummer I ever heard. In my opinion the only drummer that could carry Phish
so true. fishman is the perfect drummer for Phish...the bands named after him....he's not a rock solo drummer....rock solo drummers are actually the lamest, pain in the ass kind of drummer to play with....he is the master of dynamics and playing something so right for the moment.
yeah agreed he is perfect for phish just all the right people together for the perfect band... if you put a bunch of virtuosos in the same band it rarely rocks...
he does crazy shit sounds impossible. Ex: david bowie, he does like 16th notes on the snare on the offbeats while doing the same thing on the hihats for a whole measure its rediculous to try andplay that
Fishman is the most obscure, but completing drummer I've ever really heard. It's almost ridiculous, if it wasn't so true. Him and Apt. Q-258 are my two favorite drummers. If Fishman is the most obscure, Jeff Sipe has to be the most natural drummer I've ever heard. Jeff was doing some kickass beats last night, jamming out and walking around, while his tech was all over his drums. Though, he didn't miss a single beat.
I agree - if you don't consider Billy Martin a jamband drummer. If you do, I say Billy Martin... but fish is one badass drummer.
Fishman is perfect for phish, but i defintaly dont think he is the best jamband drummer when there are musicians like Jeff Sipe, Jay Lane, Mat Abbs, Stanton Moore, Kris Meyers, Mickey Hart, and Butch Trucks.He definalty makes the list but wwith so many good drummers i really dont think hes the best.
henrietta is sick, nobody is denying that. But at the same time, I think he really show cased his style. Music is too broad to judge drummers. There's too many different styles and variables to consider. That is if you're juding on performing as a band. I guess you could sit them down and get them to kind of play jsut very very technical, rudiment type stuff but thats not the essence of playing music, much less improv music at all. Fishman is sick, so is Buddy Rich. Phish wouldnt be Phish with Buddy Rich as their drummer. I think its really the role that drummers play in a band that make them so hard to compare. Bass and Drums that is, they really create the foundation, and keep it moving, give it texture and rythm. Of course I guess tahts really true for all instruments.... nevermind I dunno where this is going
the only one on that list that brings any competition is, Stanton Moore....but i must say, as a Grateful Dead fan far before Phish, Mickey Hart is in no way better than Fishman. Bill Kreutzman brings it harder than Mickey....