re: Post Some Heady Disco Biscuits Jamz

Wow, what an interesting thread about a bunch of shitty jam bands. Disco biscuits are awful.

Above the Waves

10/21/00 Helicopters

Crickets/Very Moon Funk/Crickets

ending of a "Caterpillar" jam

Crickets 7-6-03

Astronaut- 10.29.10 - Hulaween

Rock Candy / Tricycle/ Orch Theme

'Digital Buddha' (inverted)

Home Again - 5/29/10

Aceetobee Jam / Basis for a Day / 42

Munchkin Invasion (end)

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The Disco Biscuits are the epitome of a jam band. Each time they play a song, it has a completely different jam than the time they played it before. No cookie cutter nonsense at all. They play into and out of different songs and you never know what kind of setlist you're going to get.

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And this is why Tahoetweezer made me realize how much I loathe 3.0. Because very rarely does Phish actually leave that arena-rock, cookie-cutting comfort zone and jam out and improv. on stage. The one time they do we have to hear about it every day for months and Jam ON has to play it 3 times a day. Because Phish, for the first time in forever, did what bands like the Disco Biscuits do every time they get on stage. And they only did it for one song. The Biscuits shows are full of teases, fakeouts, segues, and inverted jams. People get sick of paying to hear the same 5 minute long Bouncing Around the Room, Cavern, Chalkdust, Character Zero, Fee, Golgi, Prince Caspian, Sample in a Jar, Sparkle, Suzy, Tweezer Reprise, Wilson, etc. Think about everything you love about jazz; improv., tangents, vocal-less story telling, surprises, etc. and realize that you won't find that in most Phish shows and you'll find it at every Disco Biscuits show. No song is played the same way twice and every show has a different vibe/mood. If I hear another Possum I'm going on a shooting spree.

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I hate to break it to you but Barber is a 4th tier jam band guitarist.

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LINK

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Wow, what an interesting thread about a bunch of shitty jam bands. Disco biscuits are awful.

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glad the old 30 something year old douchebag was able to chime in.

Go see your nostalgia acts

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Heady, will you be at Finn's on Saturday supporting the Reds???

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Yeah man. I was there on Monday too. I'll be wearing the home kit and a Pelicans hat, unless tonight gets too crazy

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And this is why Tahoetweezer made me realize how much I loathe 3.0. Because very rarely does Phish actually leave that arena-rock, cookie-cutting comfort zone and jam out and improv. on stage. The one time they do we have to hear about it every day for months and Jam ON has to play it 3 times a day. Because Phish, for the first time in forever, did what bands like the Disco Biscuits do every time they get on stage. And they only did it for one song. The Biscuits shows are full of teases, fakeouts, segues, and inverted jams. People get sick of paying to hear the same 5 minute long Bouncing Around the Room, Cavern, Chalkdust, Character Zero, Fee, Golgi, Prince Caspian, Sample in a Jar, Sparkle, Suzy, Tweezer Reprise, Wilson, etc. Think about everything you love about jazz; improv., tangents, vocal-less story telling, surprises, etc. and realize that you won't find that in most Phish shows and you'll find it at every Disco Biscuits show. No song is played the same way twice and every show has a different vibe/mood. If I hear another Possum I'm going on a shooting spree.

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I thought this wasn't going to turn into a Bisco vs. Phish thread, but oh well. I like Bisco, but consider Phish to be on a total different level.

You brought up some good points. However endless improvisation doesn't necessarily equate to good music. I mean how many marathon Barber solos and 4/4 beats can one endure for three hours? I love jazz, too. It is one of my favorite genres. But there is a ton of shitty jazz out there with the musicians smacked out of their minds.

Although Phish's overall legacy is probably based off Trey's display of virtuoso skills in the '90s, one of their biggest strengths is for the entire band to lock in to become a four-headed monster. That's why fall 1997 is so epic, the entire band is just connected as a groove machine. Mike's bass playing became as elite as the rest of the band at their respective instrument. No era of the Disco Biscuits (and in my opinion any other band except maybe the Dead during May '77) can hold a candle to what Phish was doing from 1993-2000. That stretch of live music was impeccable.

As far as hating on 3.0 for not jamming as much, will the Biscuits still going on deep improvisational explorations when they are 50 years old? Let's be honest- Phish being sober certainly plays a role in their lack of spacy jams these days. Unless Brownie keeps eating drugs like Dave Schools does McDonalds I don't see Bisco having epic jams at that stage in their career.

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how many marathon Barber solos and 4/4 beats can one endure for three hours?

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10 hours worth

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will the Biscuits still going on deep improvisational explorations when they are 50 years old?

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No. They're burning the candle at both ends. I guess that's why their shows are always about going all out. That's irrelevant to Phish's lack of jams now. Phish is mailing it in.

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No era of the Disco Biscuits can hold a candle to what Phish was doing from 1993-2000. That stretch of live music was impeccable.

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Without the Dead part I can agree to that. That Phish is gone though.

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Unless Brownie keeps eating drugs like Dave Schools does McDonalds I don't see Bisco having epic jams at that stage in their career.

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Again, I concur. They're having problems now with personalities and drugs. I don't see them taking it to new levels when they're 50; I doubt they'll even be able to mail it in.

That wasn't the best night of Dick's (the next night was) and Icculus is anything but "meh." That song's placement in Phish lore and the reason they played it that night (because fans paid for a plane to fly a "Read the Book" sign) are fricking awesome.

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like Bisco, but consider Phish to be on a total different level.

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maybe you should see more bisco shows before you pass judgement based on a shitty tipitinas show. The bisco shows I saw this year were really on a completely different level than Phish 3.0. shite, I even thought Cheese and Umphreys were on a different level than 3.0.

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However endless improvisation doesn't necessarily equate to good music

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it equates to a good jam band.

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Although Phish's overall legacy is probably based off Trey's display of virtuoso skills in the '90s, one of their biggest strengths is for the entire band to lock in to become a four-headed monster.

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agreed, they are awesome. I definitely think Phish and DB are the two best jam bands out there.

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No era of the Disco Biscuits (and in my opinion any other band except maybe the Dead during May '77) can hold a candle to what Phish was doing from 1993-2000. That stretch of live music was impeccable

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Meh, Disco Biscuits fall tour in 2009 is just as good. Unlike you, I actually witnessed it.

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As far as hating on 3.0 for not jamming as much, will the Biscuits still going on deep improvisational explorations when they are 50 years old?

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If they are still together, yes. I think the Disco Biscuits are improvising just as much now as now they were in 2002-2005. I doubt all the members are still together at 50 though.

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I don't see Bisco having epic jams at that stage in their career.

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u really need to see more shows. thats all i gotta say

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Meh, Disco Biscuits fall tour in 2009 is just as good. Unlike you, I actually witnessed it.

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That actually hurts your argument. I can listen to Phish fall 1997 and Bisco fall 2009 with a neutral mindset since I didn't attend shows from either. Of course you are going to prefer Bisco since you were there, with a bunch of friends, most likely not sober I'm sure it was awesome.

From a pure musical viewpoint (discounting all other aspects of shows) the two aren't comparable.