12/10/1995
Partial transcript of Phil Lesh Interview on Dec 10, 1995.
Fillmore Auditorium
Partial transcript of Phil Lesh Interview on Dec 10, 1995.
The interview took place upstairs at the Fillmore Auditorium. I was the technical emcee for the auditorium AOL lent to the proceedings. The chat was mirrored on the Internet via a WWW page set up by Jon Luning of SimulChat in New York. Due to a large load on the Net, technical difficulties visited every segment of the chat.
This transcript is taken from the SimulChat archives at http://www.nyic.com/simulchat. Since the chat used AOL screen names, it was not always clear who was talking! The SimulChat software was supposed to ‘translate’ the names! Most of the questions were asked here by GD publicist Dennis McNally. He culled the questions from people at the Fillmore, Internet email, the gdead IRC server on dead.net, as well as AOL.
Steve Silberman, co-author of Skeleton Key, and editor of HotWired, sat in for some impromptu ‘color’ reportage, as well as sneaking in a question or two himself!
There has been some ‘creative’ editing on my part to make the proceedings more intelligible than they actually were!
Enjoy,
Geoff Gould
AOL GD Forum sysop
Frankie (dead.net), Phil Lesh, and Geoff Gould (GDF)
*********************************************
Geoff Gould:
Let's get rolling here!
The crowd is buzzing
Phil Lesh:
Don't forget, this is only a brief test...
Geoff Gould:
computers are humming
Steve Silberman:
Cables snaking everywhere in the Fillmore... this place is very wired right now... People dancing on the floor of the Fillmore... Lots of old memories for the older folks here of the Fillmore in the early days... One of the Dead's very first fans told me she sold Pigpen t-shirts here for $2.50 in '66 or so. "Or free," she said, "if you smiled."
This event is being simulcast to the Web...
Geoff Gould:
The PA is playing Sugaree
Phil Lesh:
Does anybody wanna talk to poor me? It's gettin' lonely around here.
Steve Silberman:
Phil hey! Don't be lonely. I think we're all here to hear your pronouncements anyway
Geoff Gould:
Let's give Phil a big hello everybody!
Steve Silberman:
Hello, Phil. Nice to see you, both virtually and actually. :)
Phil Lesh:
Thanks, man....
Yeah sure..
Question:
is there gonna be a "soundcast" of the Lesh talk, or just a transcription on the screen?
Geoff Gould:
only transcriptions
Sugaree still playing
Steve Silberman:
Phil, I once heard that you were influenced by Scott LaFaro of the Bill Evans Trio. What did you dig about his approach?
Phil Lesh:
LaFaro was a very melodic player and jumped around alot between registers- I stole that partly from him.
Geoff Gould:
there are almost 1000 people here in the Fillmore big screen in front 3 projection screens on the side
Dennis McNally:
Best question to Phil so far: "If you're driving at the speed of light, and you turn your headlights on, will they work? Best answer so far: (John Cutler) "They'll be taillights."
Phil Lesh:
I agree with Cutler.
Geoff Gould:
Mickey's on the phone; send question for Micket via email to Dennis McNally
Steve Silberman:
Cool. Also, the Bill Evans Trio had simultaneous lead lines going on... nobody just "keeping time."
Geoff Gould:
Sugaree over
interview with Phil and Dick on now
Phil Lesh:
Bye all, be back shortly...
Steve Silberman:
That was just a lil test, folks!
Phil will be back at 8 PST.
Geoff Gould:
Quite a scene here
camera men
good old Fillmore mixed up with computers
Steve Silberman:
Yep, your humble reporter is back online while we wait for Mr. Lesh... Sitting up here in mission control at the Fillmore, with Dick's Picks 3 playing an amazing Lazy Lightning.... The mirror ball is sending flecks of light over the floor, which is packed with happy people... There is a line of screen and servers on the stage of the Fillmore, lots of people logged in.... The Fillmore must have been a wonderful place to see those old Dark Stars... There are a few folks here who haven't been in here since then. There was a great renovation job done here - the chandeliers are sparkling like new... It's still just about the most intimate place to see a show in SF.
Geoff Gould:
PA has just started playing. . .
Pigpen song
Steve Silberman:
The floor is just big enough so you can get tribal...
There is a pile of apples at the top of the stairs to welcome you, just like the old days...
Dennis McNally:
Welcome to the official part of the chat. Phil wil be on in about 10 seconds...
Geoff Gould:
Ready for questions
Dennis McNally:
The question is, can you tell us what the future of the band is?
Phil Lesh:
No.
Ask Bob
Geoff Gould:
The PA is still going!
Dennis McNally:
What about the album you were working on before Jerry died?
Phil Lesh:
We're listening to all the live and studio versions of all the new songs to see if we can put something together.
Dennis McNally:
How come you finally played "Unbroken Chain"?
Phil Lesh:
My son Grahame wanted me to, so I did.
Dennis McNally:
What do you do most while on the Internet?
Phil Lesh:
Surf the Web, man...
Dennis McNally:
Are you working on any classical compositions now? specifically with the Berkeley Symph?
Phil Lesh:
The future holds many possibilities. That's one of them.
Dennis McNally:
Do you have any plans regarding conducting?
Phil Lesh:
If I'm asked...
Dennis McNally:
What musicians might you like to collaborate with in the future?
Phil Lesh:
I don't know.
Question:
Phil, can we expect to see any of your solo projects touring in the future?
Phil Lesh:
no.
Dennis McNally:
What five non-Dead pieces of music would you recommend to us to check out?
Phil Lesh:
Coltrane's Africa Brass and Ascension, Ives' 4th Symphony, anything by Youssou N'Dour, Stockhausen's Kontakte
Dennis McNally:
Will the Rex Foundation continue? Also, what's the story on the Eyes of Chaos Foundation?
Phil Lesh:
Rex is in limbo, to the best of my knowledge. Eyes of Chaos is alive and well.
Dennis McNally:
What have you been reading lately?
Phil Lesh:
Landscape and Memory, by Simon Schama. Norstrilia by Cordwainer Smith
Dennis McNally:
But to follow up, will Eyes of Chaos radio be in NY anytime soon?
Phil Lesh:
It's on once a month on WBAI- Joe Gallant has a program and it's part of that.
Dennis McNally:
Do you see any parallels between the collaboration of on-line life and the collaboration of playing in a band?
Phil Lesh:
Perhaps, but the results are harder to perceive.
Dennis McNally:
Do you still play bass day by day?
Phil Lesh:
Not a lot, no
Dennis McNally:
What prompted you and Jerry to switch sides of the stage in 1982?
Phil Lesh:
I don't remember.
Dennis McNally:
Do you have a favorite venue (various questioners; one specified Northeast) and why?
Phil Lesh:
Madison Square garden; Red Rocks; the Greek.
Dennis McNally:
Do you remember your set here 30 years ago?
Phil Lesh:
Midnight Hour.
Dennis McNally:
How about a tape of the month club? Please keep us fed. How about releasing videotapes, etc.
Phil Lesh:
We're working on it.
Dennis McNally:
What made the perfect show? Do you feel you ever had one?
Phil Lesh:
Magic.
Dennis McNally:
What's the most interesting thing going on, in your view?
Phil Lesh:
On Earth? In the air? in your head?
Dennis McNally:
All the above, in sequence, in detail
Phil Lesh:
Just one at a time please...
Question:
what was your favorite show of all time?
Phil Lesh:
St. Valentine's Day 1968.
Steve Silberman:
Phil, what inspired you most about Garcia's approach to improvisation?
Phil Lesh:
The fact that there was always a little trail you could follow from any place in his phrases.
Steve Silberman:
We're having tech difficulties here...
Dennis McNally: <has Mickey Hart on phone>
question to Mickey about his new album: I’m presently mixing a new album with lyrics by Hunter, strong Planet Drum leanings, an appearance from Bruce Hornsby. Bob Weir is on it. Robin Miller, Sade's producer, is working with me right now in LA -- as we speak, live, and it's three years in the making. And to tell you the truth, I can't wait to unleash it on you. It's a sinuous snake of rhythm. As for my plans, I want to take this album out on the road this year, and remember: the beat has not stopped. It will and must continue!
<many of us fall off the T1 line>
Geoff Gould:
We're having serious difficulties here!
Dennis McNally:
And since it's well past 8:30, we're signing off ...
It's been a pleasure...
Geoff Gould:
Phil's going to the IRC room, he was bounced out of the auditorium He say's thanks and goodnight The crowd continues to move around, the music continues to play There's been some big storms passing through the bay area tonight perhaps that's why we had so many problems
Dennis has left the room too
<after this Phil joins gdead IRC chat room, Geoff fills in commentary ‘till 9:00 on music being played at the Fillmore>
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