Trey Speaks: Drugs, Rehab and Phish Reunion Rumors

[Kanada Kev]

Trey Speaks: Drugs, Rehab and Phish Reunion Rumors

A packed house of jam band acolytes — sporting the patchwork garb and unkempt hair of the genre’s early Nineties heyday — hooted and cheered their way through Rolling Stone scribe Anthony DeCurtis’ interview with erstwhile Phish frontman Trey Anastasio at the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan last night. On the forefront of everyone’s mind was a topic that, as DeCurtis explained, was “for legal reasons†only mentioned off-hand…at least fifty times: Anastasio’s recent arrest for drug possession. (He’s currently facing felony charges, and could face jail time if convicted.)

Phans were treated to a different Trey last night — less rock star, more humble musician. Massaging his fingers nervously, he discussed his struggle with narcotics, and his relief at having to face his addiction. (He confirmed he had actually thanked the arresting officer.) Thinking that he could fix the problem himself, he explained, was at the root of the problem.

DeCurtis introduced Anastasio by reading an excerpt from an interview he’d conducted with the singer just before Phish broke up in 2004. In it, Anastasio described his relationship with his music — how he saw it as a reflection of the natural world and his role as the conduit. Among his confessions last night, Anastasio admitted he had lost sight of that feeling in recent years and is only now beginning to find it again. But that hasn’t stopped him from writing new songs.

When DeCurtis gestured at the acoustic guitar resting on the stage beside Anastasio mid-interview, he played cuts from both of his post-Phish solo albums: the quiet “Wherever You Find It†and “A Case of Ice and Snow,†which he described as “letters to my fans.†Both ballads exuded a somber quietude as Anastasio’s voice reached for high notes, the pain and regret in his throat contrasting with powerful chords plucked on the guitar.

During the second half of the evening, DeCurtis asked questions from the audience. The first concerned the jam band phenomenon and its wide-ranging appeal, to which Anastasio responded that every genre of music fits in its own time period, and never sounds quite right anywhere else: “Swing will never sound as good as it did in the ’40s,†he said. Phish, he explained, was counter-culture and outside the system — exactly when people needed it.

Finally, the inevitable question: Are there plans for a Phish reunion? Anastasio’s response was guarded. But to the audience’s delight, he said that if he were to find himself onstage with his three former bandmates, “I would be the happiest person in the world.†In the meantime he says he hopes to do more work with the Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh.

The evening ended with one final performance of Phish’s “Pebbles and Marbles.†As the near-flawless performance concluded, a rapt DeCurtis paused to thank Anastasio — a remark drowned under thunderous applause.

-- Clayton Neuman

[MarcO]

I listened to the majority of this interview last night. It was the first time in years I didn't shut Trey off after fifteen minutes.

Pretty revealing interview, illuminating in some respects, disturbing in others. Clearly, Phish made the right decision in going their separate ways.

In any event it's pretty rare to hear a celebrity like this speak so openly about their personal issues in a public forum. The fan interaction was occasionally funny and sweet sometimes. It also brought home that in retrospect, a lot of "phans" were bang-on about what they were witnessing with their eyes and ears, and they caught a lot of flak for being honest. Hopefully there are some lessons to be learned for everyone.

[NewRider]

Hopefully there are some lessons to be learned for everyone.

"DON'T TAKE DRUGS!"

[MarcO]

ha!

no, more what I meant was the multitudes of people dismissing charges of a loaded Trey at Coventry by saying, "well he was just emotional".

[zero]

Sorry LISTENED to it. Where? That had me really choked up just reading about it in small print. Thanking the arresting officer is something I've never heard and really my heart goes out for him at the side of the road. This sounds like a superlatively good interview.

[misterh]

I really hope Trey does get better.

where can you listen to the interview?

link?

Edited February 9, 2007 by Guest

[MarcO]

Sorry LISTENED to it. Where? That had me really choked up just reading about it in small print. Thanking the arresting officer is something I've never heard and really my heart goes out for him at the side of the road. This sounds like a superlatively good interview.

the PT board had a sendspace mp3 download flying around last night. I'm sure at this point it's making the rounds of the BT communities.

Apparently a video is out there too but I haven;t seen it offered.

Give it about three minutes, I'm sure there's an industrious wook out there transcribing the whole thing anyway. "Get out of my way I got to work to do!" :: malnourishes dog and starts typing ::

[bradm]

There's an article on jambands.com; it doesn't have a transcript of what went on, but there's some info in it.

Aloha,

Brad

[MarcO]

Q: Did you start using hard drugs because your skills were in decline, or did your skills decline because you were using hard durgs?"

A: I just did what Page told me to do.

[zero]

Is that a real quote. I don't even understand it but it's awesome.

[MarcO]

yup.

[MarcO]

here guys, see if this works for ya.

[Velvet]

Here's my dream-come-true:

Trey gets clean, feels good and gets his chops up. Phish reunites and their first show is a camping weekend where they honour ticket stubs from Coventry for entry.

[misterh]

Here's my dream-come-true:

Trey gets clean, feels good and gets his chops up. Phish reunites and their first show is a camping weekend where they honour ticket stubs from Coventry for entry.

even for those of us who got in?

[Velvet]

Especially for those of us that got in.

I'm not Trey, but if I was I think I would feel pretty shitty that I gave that performance as my farewell.

[Hartamophone]

here guys, see if this works for ya.

Thanks!

[paisley]

Q: Did you start using hard drugs because your skills were in decline, or did your skills decline because you were using hard durgs?"

A: I just did what Page told me to do.

always watch out for the quiet one