Phish: The Biography, by Parke Puterbaugh
Review by: Andrew Simon, Co-Founder at GlowStickWars.com
Phish: The Biography gives readers an in-depth look at the inner-workings of the band that we’ve all come to know and love.
Starting at the very beginning, in Burlington, VT in 1983, Parke takes readers on a rollercoaster-ride-of-a-journey, which encapsulates all of Phish 1.0 (and the short and semi-sweet 2.0). From early shenanigans in the dorm rooms at UVM, to the bittersweet (and sloppy, mind the pun) experience that can only be summed up in one word: Coventry, like Fishman, this book doesn’t miss a beat.
On and off the stage, Parke captures all the highs and lows of Phish’s illustrious pre-hiatus career. He offers the reader some real insight into the evolution of the band, and as the story progresses, readers can’t help but develop a stronger connection with each of the four band members, and the band as a whole.
Coming from a guy who admittedly doesn’t read a lot of books, I can say with absolute certainty that this book is a great read. I kept it in my bathroom, and slowly chipped away at it every morning…around the same time. You probably don’t want to borrow my copy.
Seriously though, Phish: The Biography is a must-read for any and all phans out there. One can only hope that Parke has already started working on his next book, which will inevitably cover Phish 3.0…and beyond. And you better believe that I’ll be reading (and recommending) that f*cking book!
Pick up a copy of The Phish Biography here
Read Phish: The Biography? Post your own review or thoughts below
Great Read! Loved every page. Found it hard to put down. Highly recommended to both die hard phans as well as the casual phan (are there really “casual” phish phans?)
Its really not that great. It reads like a book written by an outsider looking in…instead of a true fan. Its worth reading I guess but again not that great
I thought this book was pretty good. Personally, it was refreshing to read something not written by a Phan/head. I think this book sits in a sweet-spot between the PT haters and Mr. Miner’s verbal fellatio…
Why is someone who ‘admittedly doesn’t read a lot of books’ doing a book review? Either way, this Phish book contains no new information about Phish that hasn’t been floating around the internet for years. It is neither insightful nor interesting.
Never knew the book existed! Just ordered a used copy for $4 from betterworldbooks.com. I’ll devour it as soon as it arrives and feedback then. Thanks for this, great idea!
Just finished the book. Its a strong and important read for anyone interested in a career spanning cursory look. The weakness in the book is that Puterbaugh, despite being an insider (he worked for the band for a while) chooses to investigate the the wrong eras. For example he mostly ignores 97-2000 focusing on the personal and organizational dramas and misses the band’s most creative period.
Still, it is thorough enough to garner a buy for any serious fan and most casual listeners.
@thebabysmouth